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Many people dreaming of living on Hvar or owning a holiday home there wonder: Can you quickly and easily set up a prefabricated (montažna) house or a mobile home/tiny house? The answer is not always straightforward because the island has strict regulations – historical zones, UNESCO areas, agricultural land, and the new laws from 2025/2026. Here is a clear overview of what applies today across the entire island of Hvar.
- Prefabricated (montažna) house = permanent building. Elements arrive from the factory, but are assembled on foundations (concrete slab or pillars). Once installed, it is fixed to the ground – treated exactly the same as a brick or concrete house.
- Mobile home (camping cabin, tiny house on wheels) = movable object. If it is on a chassis, wheels, and can be easily relocated – it is not considered a building. But if it is permanently connected to infrastructure (electricity, water, sewage) and the wheels are removed – it becomes a building and requires permits.
The new Building Act and Spatial Planning Act (effective from 1 January 2026) bring clarity:
- Mobile homes in regulated campsites – only a location permit is required (no building permit or main project documentation).
- If you want a mobile home for private living or as a holiday home – if it remains movable and without permanent connections, often just a notification to the municipality or a location permit (for >15 m²) is sufficient. If it is fixed for permanent residence – a full building permit is required, just like for any house.
- On agricultural land – a prefabricated house is possible only for family agricultural holdings (OPG), with strictly limited surface area and purpose. A mobile home is possible if it is temporary and movable, but inspections often check that it is not being used as “permanent residence”.
Hvar is a special case – protected zones, historical cores, UNESCO (Stari Grad Plain), Natura 2000 ecological network. Always check the exact zoning for your parcel at the urban planning office of the City or municipality!Practical tips if you are planning to build or install on Hvar
- Check the zoning of your parcel – go to the Urban Planning Office located in the city of Hvar.
- For a prefabricated house – building permit + main project + occupancy permit (3–6 months + costs 500–2000 €).
- For a mobile home – start with a location permit (faster and cheaper, 100–500 €). If it is <15 m² and movable – often no permit at all is required.
- If the land is agricultural – the mobile option is better to start with, but consult an expert to avoid problems with inspections.
- Always think about infrastructure: electricity, water, septic system – these are not available everywhere on Hvar.
If you have a specific parcel in mind or want advice for a particular location – feel free to get in touch! We at MyHvar follow all the changes and are happy to share experiences.