How do you pay for a property in Albania and move the money legally?
By bank transfer. An Albanian notary may not handle more than 150,000 ALL (about €1,630) in cash in a deal (Law 110/2018), cash of 1,000,000 ALL or more must be declared at the border (Law 9917/2008, Art. 17), and notaries and estate agents must identify the buyer and report suspicious transactions. Keep the bank record of where the money came from: it is what the notary and the bank will ask for.
Data compiled by Fedir AlpatovUpdated
The rules on paying
| Rule | Threshold | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Price stated in the deed with the payment method | — | Law 110/2018 |
| Cash handled by the notary | Max 150,000 ALL | Law 110/2018 |
| Cash declaration at the border | From 1,000,000 ALL | Law 9917/2008 Art. 17 |
| Notaries, lawyers, estate agents identify the client | Every deal | Law 9917/2008 Art. 3 |
| Cadastre reports large transfers | 6,000,000 ALL or more, within 72 h | Law 9917/2008 Art. 19 |
Sources · 3
- DATA-LEGAL-0009A property deed must state how the price is paid; the technical payment procedure is set by joint instruction of the Ministers of Justice and Finance, and the notary's special bank account can hold the funds. A notary may not handle cash above 150,000 ALL in notarial transactions.Payment of the price: stated in the deed; notary cash limit 150,000 lekConfidence: HIGHPeriod: Law 110/2018 Art. 105(4), Art. 68(3)verified 2026-09-09Law No. 110/2018 "Për noterinë" (On the notary), official text
- DATA-AML-000110867.2 EUR equivalent (threshold)Cash of 1,000,000 ALL or more must be declared at the borderConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2011–2026verified 2026-10-19Law No. 9917 of 19.05.2008 on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, consolidated with Law 10391/2011
- DATA-AML-0002Law 9917/2008 Art. 3: notaries and lawyers when they prepare or carry out the transfer of immovable property, and real-estate agents involved in a purchase or sale, must identify the client, keep records for 5 years and report suspicions. Art. 19: the cadastre reports within 72 hours every transfer of 6,000,000 ALL or more.Notaries, lawyers and real-estate agents are anti-money-laundering reporting entitiesConfidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2011–2026verified 2026-10-19Law No. 9917 of 19.05.2008 on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, consolidated with Law 10391/2011
How buyers pay in practice
- A deposit under a preliminary contract, by bank transfer to the seller or developer, against a receipt.
- The balance at the deed, by transfer to the seller or through the notary's special bank account, which can hold the funds until the deed is signed.
- An Albanian bank account is practical but not required by law.
- Keep proof of the source of funds (salary, sale of a property, savings): the bank and the notary will ask for it on a large transfer.
- Convert at the bank or before sending: the Bank of Albania fixing was 92.02 ALL per euro on 9 September 2026.
Questions and answers
No. The notary may not handle more than 150,000 ALL in cash; the price goes by bank transfer.
Any amount, but from 1,000,000 ALL (about €10,900) you must declare it at the border with its purpose and documents.
Notaries are anti-money-laundering reporting entities: they identify you and must report anything suspicious, so expect questions on a large deal.
Sources
- Law No. 110/2018 "Për noterinë" (On the notary), official text, 2018-12-20 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Law No. 9917 of 19.05.2008 on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, consolidated with Law 10391/2011. Parliament of Albania (Partners Albania copy), 2011-03-03 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Albanien: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Einreise und Zoll). Auswärtiges Amt, 2026-10-15 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Bank of Albania — Official exchange rate (via r.jina.ai mirror; direct URL returns 403), 2026-09-09 (accessed 2026-09-09)
What is missing
Gaps we know about: questions we have no reliable data for yet.
- Law 9917/2008 was read in its 2011 consolidated text; the 2017 and 2021 amendments (Law 120/2021) may change thresholds and obligations.
- The joint Justice–Finance instruction on paying the price through the notary's account was not read.