Buying property in Prague as a British citizen after Brexit

A British buyer in Prague before 2021 could treat the purchase as part of a wider move: buy, register, live. After Brexit the first step is unchanged and the second and third are not. The right to own a flat remains open to British citizens. The right to live in it for more than a short stay does not come with the keys.

This explainer separates the two questions, because they are governed by different rules and different bodies.

Buying: nothing has changed in principle

Foreigners can buy real estate in Czechia without restriction, land included, and a British citizen is a foreigner like any other from this perspective. The Civil Code and the cadastre treat the buyer by the contract and the registration, not by nationality. Our article on whether foreigners can buy property in Czechia sets out the rules, and the Hypoteky.com guide to buying property as a foreigner gives a practical overview.

The process is the same for everyone. You view, check the title, reserve, sign a written contract, arrange the money and file for entry in the cadastre, as described in our guide to the buying process.

Staying: what Brexit changed

While the UK was in the EU, a British citizen had EU free-movement rights, including the right to reside in Czechia and to register there with a simple process. After the transition period ended, those rights ended for new arrivals. A British citizen is now treated as a third-country national.

In practice that means:

• a short stay without a visa, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180, which our explainer on the 90/180 rule covers;
• a long-stay visa or residence permit for longer stays, issued by the Ministry of the Interior (see our guide to Czech visa types);
• for those who were already living in Czechia before the end of 2020, residence rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. Holders were asked to swap their old papers for a biometric residence card marked with a reference to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, with the exchange deadline set at 31 August 2022. If this applies to you, keep the card valid and check MV/OAMP for renewals (as of 2026; check the Ministry of the Interior).

Entry rules and travel authorisation requirements for visitors have been changing across Europe, so check the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you travel (as of 2026; check the official source).

The 90 days and the second home

The point most often misunderstood is the second-home buyer who plans to spend long periods in Prague. The 90-in-180 limit applies across the whole Schengen area, not to each country. Time spent in Spain or Germany counts towards the same total. Ownership of a flat does not extend it, and overstaying has consequences for future entry and permits.

If you want to live in Prague for most of the year, plan a permit route, such as employment, business, study or family ties. Our article on whether buying property gives residency explains why a purchase alone does not open one, and the companion piece on golden visas deals with the investor myth.

Paying for the flat from the UK

Money moves between a UK bank account and a Czech one routinely, but banks on both sides ask questions about large transfers. Expect to explain where the funds came from. The Czech notary, lawyer or bank holding the escrow will ask for proof, as part of its legal duties. Keep the documents: sale contracts of earlier homes, savings statements, inheritance papers. Our explainer on source-of-funds checks shows what to expect, and the guide to buying from abroad covers signing by power of attorney.

Exchange rates between sterling and the koruna move, and the difference between the contract date and the payment date can change the cost in pounds. Some buyers agree the timing of payment with the escrow agent so that it falls close to a planned currency transfer. That is a decision for you and your bank.

Mortgages for British buyers

A British citizen in Czechia without a permit is a non-resident from a Czech bank's viewpoint. A British citizen who lives and works in Czechia with a permit is a foreign resident. The two are treated differently, and both are treated differently from Czech employees. See our explainers on what banks ask foreigners and non-resident mortgages. A summary of the Czech lending position is in the Hypoteky.com guide to mortgages for foreigners.

Many British buyers look instead at raising money in the UK, against a UK property. If you do, take UK advice on the risk, because you are putting your main home behind a foreign purchase.

Tax: two countries, one flat

The tax position depends on where you are tax resident, not on your passport. A person is tax resident in Czechia with a permanent home there or a habitual stay of at least 183 days in a calendar year, according to the Financial Administration. If you rent the flat out, the rental income is Czech-source income. If you sell, Czech rules on the time and use tests apply to the gain, and your home country may also tax you.

There is a double tax treaty between the UK and Czechia (it dates from the Czechoslovak era and still applies), which is intended to prevent the same income being taxed twice. How it applies to your case is for a tax adviser to say. Start with the Financial Administration's English pages and our article on Czech tax residency.

The annual property tax falls on the registered owner whatever their nationality. See our explainer on the annual property tax for the dates.

Practical checklist

1. Confirm your status: Withdrawal Agreement holder, permit holder or visitor.
2. Count your planned days in Schengen against the limit.
3. Ask a broker or bank how your status affects a mortgage.
4. Prepare proof of funds for the Czech notary or bank.
5. Ask a tax adviser about the UK-Czech position before you buy, not after.

If you plan to let the flat

Many British buyers consider renting the flat out when they are not using it. The rental income is Czech-source income and is taxable in Czechia under the personal income tax rules. As of 2026, a landlord who is an individual can deduct either the actual expenses or a flat-rate 30 per cent of the income, capped at CZK 600,000 of expenses, and private rental income of this kind does not attract Czech social and health insurance (as of 2026; check the Financial Administration). The tenancy itself is governed by the Civil Code, with a deposit of up to three months' rent and rules on notice that differ from employment law. Our explainer on Czech tax on rental income sets out the principles, and the guide to renting a flat as a foreigner shows the tenant's side.

A non-resident landlord also needs someone to manage the flat: repairs, keys, deposits and disputes. Decide who that is before you buy, and check your building's house rules and the owners' association's position on short lets. Under a 2023 Supreme Court ruling an association cannot ban or limit short lets in its statutes, but house rules can still govern conduct and nuisance (as of 2026; take legal advice).

Frequently asked questions

Can a British citizen buy a flat in Prague?

Yes. Czech law allows foreigners to buy real estate without restriction, and a British citizen is treated like any other foreign buyer.

Does owning a flat let me stay longer than 90 days?

No. Ownership does not extend the Schengen short-stay limit. A longer stay needs a visa or permit on its own grounds.

Do I need a Czech bank account?

It is not required by law, but it makes the escrow, the utilities and the property tax simpler. Rules for opening one at a distance differ by bank.

Is there a tax treaty between the UK and Czechia?

Yes, a double tax treaty exists. How it applies to your income depends on your tax residence, so ask a tax adviser (as of 2026; check the Financial Administration).

A final point

The simplest way to avoid trouble is to treat the purchase and the stay as two projects with two timetables. Buy when the property question is settled. Plan the stay as a separate application, with the Ministry of the Interior as the source of truth.

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