Is a Federation of BiH licence valid in Republika Srpska?

No. Each entity has its own law and its own Register of Brokers, so an agency working in both must be entered in both registers.

Who runs the agent exam in FBiH?

The Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH, under a programme approved by the federal trade minister. Candidates need residence in BiH and at least level IV education.

Real estate agency licensing: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Per entity

BiH has no state-level brokerage law — the matter is regulated at entity level, in nearly identical terms. The Federation of BiH has applied its law since 6 January 2022, Republika Srpska since 2020. Brčko District has no dedicated brokerage law, so general company law and anti-money-laundering rules apply there.

Legal framework

FBiH: Law on Real Estate Brokerage · Republika Srpska: Law on Brokerage in Real Estate Transactions · Brčko District: no dedicated law

Published in:: Official Gazette of FBiH 75/21 · Official Gazette of Republika Srpska 99/20
In force since:: FBiH: since 6 January 2022 · RS: since 2020/2021

Authority and register

FBiH: the Federal Ministry of Trade (Register of Brokers), while the Chamber of Commerce of FBiH runs the professional exam and keeps the directory of agents. RS: the Ministry of Trade and Tourism of Republika Srpska keeps the Register of Brokers.

Registers — Federal Ministry of Trade (FBiH)

Requirements for brokers

FBiH: seat or branch in the Federation, a decision from the Federal Ministry of Trade and entry in the Register of Brokers.
FBiH: at least one full-time agent who has passed the Chamber of Commerce exam and is listed in the directory of agents.
RS: seat in Republika Srpska, entry in the Ministry of Trade and Tourism's Register of Brokers and at least one agent who has passed the exam.
Both entities: suitable business premises and valid liability insurance.
Brčko District: no licence or broker register — only the company registration can be checked.

Mandatory insurance

In both entities the minimum sum insured is BAM 50,000 per claim and BAM 150,000 for all claims in one year.

What a listing must contain

The broker's business name and its number in the Register of Brokers.
Price, location, floor area and layout of the property.
Advertising a property without a brokerage contract is prohibited (Article 21 of the FBiH law).

Commission and contract

The fee is freely agreed. It becomes due when the brokered contract (or pre-contract, if so agreed) is concluded; advance payment is not allowed.

Penalties

FBiH: BAM 5,000–30,000 for a legal entity brokering without registration and BAM 2,000–10,000 for other offences, including improper advertising. RS: BAM 2,500–30,000, plus a possible three- to six-month ban on trading.

Important notes

A register entry in one entity does not carry over to the other — an agency operating in both Sarajevo and Banja Luka must satisfy both regimes.
As of July 2026 no dedicated brokerage law was found for Brčko District.

How to check an agency

Before you sign a brokerage contract:

Find the agency in the official register and match the name and company number against the contract.
Ask for its register number — in most countries it must appear in the listing itself.
Ask to see the professional indemnity policy and check that it is current.
Insist on a written contract stating the fee and exactly when it falls due.
Do not pay any advance on the commission before the deal closes — in most countries in the region that is expressly prohibited.