How much deposit do you need for a Czech mortgage? The ČNB rules

Ask a Czech mortgage broker how much deposit is needed and you will hear a percentage, followed by the words "depending on the bank". Both halves of that answer are correct. The percentage comes from a framework set by the Czech National Bank (ČNB). The qualification comes from each bank's own credit policy, which can be stricter.

This explainer shows how the framework works, what else counts as money you need up front, and where to find the current limit. It names no personal figure, because the right deposit depends on the loan, the property and the borrower.

What LTV means

Loan-to-value (LTV) is the loan divided by the value of the property used as security. A loan of three-quarters of the value is a 75 per cent LTV, and the borrower supplies the remaining quarter. The deposit, often called the own contribution (vlastní zdroje), is whatever the loan does not cover.

The value used is the lower of the purchase price and the bank's own valuation, a detail that matters. If a bank values the flat below the price you agreed, the loan is calculated on the smaller number, and your own contribution rises by the difference. Our guide to valuing a Prague flat explains why valuations can differ from prices.

Who sets the limit

The ČNB, as the supervisor of banks, issues recommendations on the conditions for mortgage lending, including LTV ceilings. They are directed at banks and are used in the banks' supervision. Banks follow them, in practice, and they can set stricter limits of their own. The central bank has changed these recommendations several times, loosening or tightening them as it judged the risks to financial stability.

The general ceiling is 80 per cent of the value, and 90 per cent for applicants under 36 (as of 2026; check ČNB). The limits on total debt to income (DTI) and on repayments to income (DSTI) were switched off in 2023 and remain off, so the deposit rule is the one that bites for most buyers. Loans for investment property are treated more strictly: from April 2026 the ČNB recommends a 70 per cent LTV ceiling and a DTI cap for mortgages on rental flats and on a third or further property (as of 2026; check ČNB for the definitions). Because these are recommendations that the bank board reviews regularly, check the date of the latest ČNB statement, and ask your bank or broker how it applies.

For background on how the central bank thinks about housing risk, see our explainer on how the Czech National Bank works.

Why banks may ask for more

A bank is free to demand a lower LTV than the central bank's ceiling. Reasons include the type of borrower, the type of property, the borrower's income and the bank's own appetite for risk. Applicants who are self-employed, who live abroad or whose income is in another currency are often assessed more cautiously. Our articles on mortgages for foreigners and non-resident mortgages describe those cases.

The type of property matters too. A flat in a standard building in a large city is easier security than a unit with legal complications or a rural house. A cooperative share, as opposed to a flat in personal ownership, is a different kind of security, and not every bank lends against it. See our explainer on housing cooperatives.

The deposit is not the whole cash need

Buyers who plan around the deposit alone are often caught short, because several costs sit outside the loan.

• The valuation. The bank orders it and the borrower normally pays.
• Registry and legal costs. The cadastre fee, a lawyer's work and the escrow fee. Our article on the real cost of buying lists them.
• Loan costs. Some banks charge fees for processing or administering the loan.
• Moving in. Furniture, repairs and utility deposits.
• A reserve. A cash cushion for the first months of ownership, and for repayments if income dips.

The bank may also look at where your own money came from. Savings accumulated over years are easy to document. A gift from relatives, the sale of another property or a foreign transfer needs a paper trail. See our explainer on source-of-funds checks.

Can the deposit be borrowed?

In general, the own contribution is meant to be the borrower's own money, and lenders look at how it was built up. Some banks accept the proceeds of a sale of another property, a gift documented by a gift agreement, or savings in a building savings account. A consumer loan used to cover the deposit raises the borrower's total debt and will be part of the bank's assessment. Whether a particular source is accepted depends on the bank, so ask before you rely on it.

Our explainer on Czech building savings covers one traditional route for saving towards a home.

Interest in context

The share of the price you borrow also shapes your monthly payment, which is why the deposit and the repayment affect each other. A larger deposit means a smaller loan and lower repayments, and often a better rate band, since banks price loans by risk, and LTV is one of the main risk measures. Whether it is wise to put in more than the minimum is a personal question, balanced against liquidity and other uses of the money. This article does not answer it.

You can see how different loan sizes change monthly repayments using the mortgage calculator on Hypoteky.com, and see a rough lending range with the borrowing estimator. Both are models. A bank's offer is based on its assessment of your file.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Is the LTV limit a law?

It is a recommendation by the Czech National Bank to banks, which they follow in practice. The central bank can change it, so check the current statement on cnb.cz (as of 2026; check ČNB).

Does the deposit have to be cash?

It must be your own funds, which can be savings, the proceeds of another sale or a documented gift. Banks decide which sources they accept.

What if the bank values the flat below the price?

The loan is then calculated on the lower value, so you have to cover the difference or renegotiate the price.

Do younger buyers get a different limit?

Yes. Applicants under 36 may borrow up to 90% of the value instead of 80%, provided the loan is for their own housing (as of 2026; check ČNB).

Where do I check the current limit?

On the Czech National Bank's website, under its financial stability and mortgage lending pages, or ask a broker to cite the date and source of the figure they use.

Younger buyers and joint borrowers

Because the central bank distinguishes between age groups, a buyer's age can change the maximum loan by ten points of the value. Ask the bank how it applies the under-36 rule when two people borrow together and only one falls into the younger group, because practice differs between lenders. Couples who borrow jointly are assessed on their combined income and obligations, and each is liable for the whole loan. That has consequences if the relationship ends, which is a matter for a lawyer.

Gifts and family help

Help from family is common, and banks have a view on it. A gift from relatives is usually documented by a gift agreement and by evidence of the donor's source of money. A loan from relatives is treated as a debt and may count against your repayment capacity. If you plan to use family money, agree the form with the family and the bank before you reserve a flat. The documents also answer the questions that notaries and lawyers ask under anti-money-laundering rules, as our explainer on source-of-funds checks describes.

Reading an offer sheet

When a bank sends an offer, find four lines before you look at anything else: the loan amount, the value the bank used, the resulting LTV and the date until which the offer is valid. Then compare the loan amount with what you need to complete the purchase. If the value is lower than the price, the gap is yours. If the offer is valid for a short period, make sure the reservation and the contract timetable fit inside it. An offer that expires before the cadastre registers the transfer is a problem to raise at once.

What to do first

Look up the ČNB's latest statement on LTV, then ask two banks for their own ceiling for someone in your situation, in writing. If the figures differ, ask why. Add the extra costs to the deposit, and treat the total as the sum you need to have in an account, documented, before you make a reservation.

This is a general explainer, not legal, tax or mortgage advice.