How to Submit Comments on Czech Zoning Plan Changes Under the New Building Act

Mgr. Klára Megová
Mgr. Klára Megová
17.3.2026 | ARROWS law firm

A change to the zoning plan may reduce the value of your land or allow a controversial development in its vicinity. The new Building Act in the Czech Republic gives you the right to defend your interests by submitting comments, but you must comply with strict deadlines and formal requirements. In this guide, you will learn how to proceed under the current Czech legislation so that you do not definitively lose your rights in the process.

The photograph shows a lawyer consulting on the submission of comments on the zoning plan.

Quick summary

  • The deadline is critical: Comments may only be submitted within 15 days from the date of the public hearing, and missing this deadline cannot be excused under Czech law.
  • Mandatory requirements: A comment must include substantive reasoning, details from the Czech Land Registry (Cadastral Register), and a definition of the area affected by the comments.
  • Quality is decisive: The level of detail and legal reasoning in your comment directly determines how thoroughly the municipality will have to address your request under Czech planning rules.
  • It is not the end: Even if the municipal council rejects your comment, you can still seek protection in Czech courts, provided you were active in the plan-making process.

Who can submit comments and in what capacity

The new Building Act has unified the procedural tools available to the public in the Czech Republic. The distinction between an “objection” for owners and a “comment” for others no longer applies—now everyone submits comments. The attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, have long focused on this area and help owners protect their property.

Owners of land and buildings

Even though you submit a comment as “anyone”, your legal status as an owner is key to the substantive argumentation. If the plan changes the use of your plot or directly affects your ownership rights, the planning authority must address this in the draft assessment of comments.

Eligible investors

Owners or operators of public infrastructure (e.g., utility networks, roads) have a specific status under Czech law and may request to be informed individually about planning steps in spatial planning proceedings.

Related questions on eligible parties

1. What if I am not registered as the owner in the Land Registry yet, but I am currently buying the land?
Anyone can submit a comment. However, for stronger argumentation, we recommend documenting your future interest (e.g., a purchase agreement) or submitting the comment jointly with the current owner.

2. Can I submit a comment if I own land outside the municipality affected by the plan?
In principle, yes—if the draft zoning plan of a neighbouring municipality in the Czech Republic interferes with your rights. However, you must assert and demonstrate a specific impact on your rights, for example by the designation of an industrial zone at the cadastral boundary.

3. What if I live in the house as a tenant?
As a tenant, you have the full right to submit a comment. You can argue in particular the impacts on quality of living or the environment.

When comments can be submitted

Missing the deadline is a fatal mistake, because the process of preparing a zoning plan in the Czech Republic is strictly formalised and the deadlines are forfeiture deadlines.

Start of the deadline

Information about the public hearing is published by way of a public notice. In 2026, the primary sources of information are the National Spatial Planning Geoportal (NGÚP) and the municipality’s official notice board. The public hearing takes place no earlier than 30 days after delivery of the public notice.

End of the deadline

Under Section 97(1) of the new Building Act, comments must be submitted in writing no later than 15 days from the date of the public hearing. This deadline is absolute under Czech law and cannot be extended or excused.

Do not rely on the last minute—once the public hearing is announced, start working on the wording of your comment. The attorneys at ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, monitor these deadlines for their clients as part of zoning and land-use change monitoring.

Mandatory requirements of a comment

A comment is a submission that must meet the requirements under the Czech Administrative Procedure Code and the Building Act. If it is incomplete or vague, the municipality may reject it or address it only in very general terms.

Reasoning for the comment

Every comment must include reasoning, which is its most important part. It is not enough to express simple disagreement—you must provide substantive and legal arguments. Relevant reasoning includes, for example, inconsistency with the regional Principles of Spatial Development or a disproportionate interference with ownership rights under Czech law.

The quality of the comment directly determines the quality of the decision on it, and the more specific arguments you present, the harder it will be for the municipality to dismiss them.

Definition of the affected area

You must precisely identify which parts of the draft your comment relates to. State the plot numbers according to the Czech Land Registry (Cadastral Register) and the specific areas in the draft plan that you are challenging.

Identification of the submitter

The comment must include first name, surname, date of birth, and permanent residence address for individuals, or the company name and registered office for legal entities. For electronic submissions via a data box (datová schránka), identification is replaced by the submission itself; for email, a qualified electronic signature is required under Czech law.

Overview of risks associated with submitting a comment

Risks and sanctions

How ARROWS helps (office@arws.cz)

Missing the 15-day deadline: Your right to submit comments expires and later submissions will not be taken into account.

ARROWS, a Prague-based law firm, monitors proceedings in the National Spatial Planning Geoportal and ensures timely submission.

Insufficient reasoning: The municipality will reject the comment using general wording, which will make subsequent defence in Czech courts more difficult.

We will prepare the comment based on current case law of the Czech administrative courts and Czech construction law.

Procedural passivity: If you do not submit comments in time, the court may later dismiss your action to annul the plan.

We will ensure you exercise all procedural rights already at the preparatory stage, thereby opening the door to potential judicial review in the Czech Republic.

Lack of knowledge of the new legislation: The new Building Act has changed a number of procedures and old templates may be invalid.

Our experts work exclusively with the effective legislation for 2026 and are familiar with the current interpretative guidance.

Practical procedure for submitting comments

In 2026, the key tool is the National Spatial Planning Geoportal, where drafts and hearing dates are published.

Review the documentation

Focus not only on the graphical part, but also on the text part and the reasoning, where the greatest risks are often hidden, such as height limits or site coverage ratios.

Prepare your comments with expert legal reasoning

Clearly state who you are, which plots of land you own, and where you see a conflict with Czech law or a disproportionate interference with your rights.

Deliver on time and with proof of delivery

Use a data box (datová schránka) under Czech law or file in person at the filing office with confirmation of receipt, or send it by registered mail no later than the last day of the deadline.

Decision-making on comments

Comments are not decided by a clerk at the counter, but by the municipal council when issuing the zoning plan as a measure of a general nature (opatření obecné povahy) under Czech administrative law. A draft assessment of the comments, which also includes reasoning where a comment is not accepted or is accepted only in part, is prepared by the plan administrator in cooperation with the designated councillor.

This assessment of comments is a mandatory part of the reasoning of the zoning plan. The assessment itself cannot be appealed separately in administrative proceedings. If you believe your comment was not properly addressed, the only available remedy is subsequent judicial review of the issued zoning plan before the Regional Court in the Czech Republic.

Court proceedings after a comment is rejected

If the municipal council does not accept your comment and approves the zoning plan, you may file a motion with the Regional Court to annul the measure of a general nature.

Deadline for filing a motion with the court

The motion may be filed within 1 year from the effective date of the zoning plan; after this period, the plan can no longer be challenged through the standard legal route under Czech law.

Judicial review

The court examines the lawfulness of the procedure, compliance with the law, and the proportionality of the interference with property rights. Anyone who remained passive during the preparation of the plan and did not submit comments is in a significantly weaker position in court, because the court primarily reviews how the submitted comments were handled.

Repeated public hearing

If, based on the comments, the municipality makes substantial amendments to the draft, a repeated public hearing must be held. In such a case, a new 15-day period applies for submitting comments, but only in relation to those parts of the draft that were changed.

Conclusion

Zoning and land-use planning in the Czech Republic is a clash of public and private interests, and as a property owner you will be at a disadvantage if you do not use your procedural tools in time. A comment submitted under the Czech Building Act is your main weapon for protecting your property.

The attorneys at ARROWS advokátní kancelář have extensive experience representing owners, developers, and municipalities in zoning and land-use planning processes.

Do you need certainty that your comment will be flawless and submitted on time? Contact us at office@arws.cz and we will provide you with the expert support of a strong Prague-based law firm with nationwide reach across the Czech Republic.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions for 2026

1. Is it still possible to submit comments through a “representative of the public”?
No, the new Czech Building Act did not retain this mechanism. Each person submits comments on their own behalf or through an authorised representative.

2. Where can I find the valid zoning plan or its draft?
All land-use planning documentation must be recorded and published in the National Geoportal for Spatial Planning (NGÚP) in the Czech Republic, or on municipal websites.

3. Is it enough to send comments by email?
Only if the email bears a recognised electronic signature under Czech law. A simple email is not sufficient; you would have to confirm it in writing or orally into the record within 5 days, otherwise it will not be taken into account.

4. What if the municipality ignores my comment?
If a timely submitted comment was not decided on as part of the issuance of the zoning plan, this is a serious procedural defect and a ground for the court to annul the zoning plan in the Czech Republic.

Notice: The information contained in this article is of a general informational nature only and is intended for basic guidance on the topic based on the legal situation as of 2026. Although we take the utmost care to ensure accuracy, legal regulations and their interpretation evolve over time. We are ARROWS advokátní kancelář, an entity registered with the Czech Bar Association (our supervisory authority), and for maximum client protection we are insured for professional liability with a limit of CZK 400,000,000. To verify the current wording of regulations and their application to your specific situation, it is necessary to contact ARROWS advokátní kancelář directly (office@arws.cz). We accept no liability for any damages arising from the independent use of information from this article without prior individual legal consultation.

Read also: