UTU and DUP: what to check before you build
Before buying a plot or starting a design, check what the applicable plan allows. A surveyor does not issue UTU, but an accurate survey base map is needed to apply the planning conditions correctly to the specific plot.
Key terms
- UTU — urban planning and technical conditions (urbanističko-tehnički uslovi)
- A document setting out the building conditions for a specific urban planning plot: use, number of storeys, site coverage and floor area ratios, building line, utility connections.
- DUP — detailed urban plan (detaljni urbanistički plan)
- A planning document for part of a settlement, with urban planning plots and building rules.
- PUP — spatial-urban plan of the municipality (prostorno-urbanistički plan)
- A plan covering the whole municipality.
How to check a plot before buying
- Find the plot number and the cadastral municipality (KO) (how).
- Check which planning document applies to the location — at the municipality or on the official planning portal.
- Compare the cadastral plot with the urban planning plot. If they do not match, a conditional subdivision will be needed.
- Check the basic parameters: number of storeys, ratios, distance from the boundaries.
What the surveyor does in this process
- Cadastral-topographic base map for the design — survey base maps
- Subdivision in line with the plan
- Setting out the building line and the building on the ground
Information, not legal advice. This text explains a general procedure. Regulations change and every case is different. For property decisions, disputes and deadlines consult a lawyer or the competent authority. →
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