Title of acquisition (nabývací titul)

A nabývací titul (title of acquisition) is the legal ground on which an owner acquired ownership of a property, and also the document that proves it. The law does not define the term, but it is common in practice. On the title sheet (LV), titles of acquisition appear in part E, where the register lists the documents on which the owner's right in part A was entered (Section 23 of Decree No. 357/2013 Coll.). The documents themselves are kept in the land register's collection of deeds.

Most common titles of acquisition

• a contract: purchase, gift or exchange; for registered property, ownership passes on transfer only upon entry in the register (Section 1105 of the Civil Code),
• a court decision on inheritance; the acquisition of an estate is confirmed by the court (Section 1670),
• another decision of a court or authority, such as a decision awarding the property at auction or settling spouses' joint property; ownership is acquired on the day set in the decision, otherwise when it becomes final (Section 1114),
• prescription, i.e. honest possession for the period set by law (Section 1089).

What it means for a buyer

Part E shows how and when the seller acquired the property. In a registration proceeding, the cadastral office checks that the new entry follows on from existing entries (Section 17 of the Cadastral Act). Under Section 984 of the Civil Code, someone who acquires a property for consideration in good faith from the person recorded in the register is protected even if the record does not reflect the actual legal position. This protection does not apply to acquisitions without consideration, such as gifts.

If part E raises questions, for example a very recent transfer or an inheritance with several heirs, ask for a copy of the document and have it reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a copy of the title?

From the collection of deeds at a cadastral office or via remote access. Documents from the collection are provided only to a person who proves their identity, and they cannot be obtained through the online viewer (Section 52 of the Cadastral Act). It is often simplest to ask the seller.

Is an LV extract the same as a title of acquisition?

No. The LV extract proves what is recorded in the register at a given moment. The title of acquisition is the document, such as a contract or court decision, on which the entry was based.