Does an agency in Montenegro need a licence?

Yes. Since 13 August 2025, only a company or sole trader entered in the Ministry of Economic Development's Register of Brokers may broker property, with at least one agent who has passed the professional exam and valid professional indemnity insurance.

What must an agency listing contain?

The agency's name and its Register of Brokers number, plus the location, floor area and layout of the property. Advertising without a signed brokerage contract is prohibited.

What if the agency is not in the register?

Brokering without registration is an offence punishable by fines of €4,000–20,000 for companies and a ban on trading of up to six months. Existing agencies have a transition period that ends on 13 August 2026.

Real estate agency licensing: Montenegro

Licence required

Montenegro regulated real-estate brokerage with a dedicated law for the first time in 2025. Brokerage may now only be carried out by a company or sole trader seated in Montenegro that is entered in the Register of Brokers and employs at least one agent who has passed the professional exam. Until then the market was completely unregulated.

Legal framework

Law on Brokerage in the Sale and Lease of Real Estate

Published in:: Official Gazette of Montenegro 89/2025 (published 5 August 2025)
In force since:: 13 August 2025

Authority and register

The Ministry of Economic Development keeps the Register of Brokers; the professional exam is run by the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro (a five-member board — two from the Ministry, three from the Chamber).

Requirements for brokers

Entry in the Register of Brokers kept by the Ministry of Economic Development — brokering without it is prohibited.
At least one full-time agent who has passed the professional exam.
Candidate requirements: residence or approved stay in Montenegro, at least secondary (level IV) education and command of the official language.
A professional indemnity insurance contract in force.
Business premises and a written brokerage contract with every client.

Mandatory insurance

Minimum sum insured: €20,000 per claim and €60,000 for all claims in one year.

What a listing must contain

The agency's name and its number in the Register of Brokers.
Location, floor area and layout of the property.
Advertising a property the broker has no brokerage contract for is prohibited.

Commission and contract

The fee falls due only once the contract that was brokered is concluded; advance payments are not allowed. The brokerage contract must be in writing and for a fixed term.

Penalties

Fines of €4,000–20,000 for companies and €2,000–6,000 for sole traders, plus a possible ban on trading from 30 days to six months.

Important notes

Existing agencies were given 12 months from entry into force to apply for registration — that deadline falls on 13 August 2026.
On 26 June 2026 the Government backed a proposal to extend the deadline from 12 to 24 months and sent it to Parliament on 2 July 2026. Until Parliament adopts it, the original deadline stands.
The implementing rules on the professional exam were published on 25 March 2026, so the first wave of exams is under way.

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.

Frequently asked questions

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