The Croatian Parliament has adopted amendments to the Crafts Act (Crafts and Trades Act), published in Narodne novine 114/2026 and proclaimed on 1 October 2026. The law takes effect on 1 January 2027 and brings several changes that craftsmen and small business owners will feel directly — from combining a pension with running a craft to less paperwork for apartment landlords.
The amendments are not a revolution, but they fix issues that have annoyed craftsmen (obrtnici) for years. Here is a rundown of the most important changes — with deadlines and conditions, the way we like it.
1. Pension + craft without suspension: from age 65, no more “freezing”
The biggest news for older craftsmen: the new Article 37(1) of the Act states that a craftsman who qualifies for an old-age pension after reaching 65 years of age may continue running his craft without suspension of pension payments.
In other words — you no longer have to choose between your pension and your craft. Until now, many craftsmen faced a legal trap: pension payments were suspended while the craft was being operated. From 2027 that is no longer the case, with one important caveat — the conditions from the pension insurance legislation (ZOMO) also apply, so it is always worth checking your individual status with the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO).
2. Landlords, relax: no manager required for apartments, rooms and holiday homes
Under the new paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 23, a craftsman is no longer obliged to appoint a manager (poslovođa) or professional manager if he performs an activity:
- through self-service machines,
- in warehouses intended for storage of goods and other warehousing activities,
- by providing accommodation services in catering facilities — rooms, apartments, studio apartments and holiday homes — where no meals, drinks or beverages are prepared or served.
For all small landlords (Airbnb and similar) who run their craft alone, this means less administration and lower costs — no extra person to hire and fewer forms to file.
3. The family craft finally gets a legal definition
The new Article 30a introduces the notion of a family craft: a craft in which members of the family household help the craftsman without an employment relationship. The goal is clear — to encourage family involvement and the continuation of the craft as a family tradition. For traditional and artisan trades, this is an important signal.
4. Heirs: 3 years to pass the master craftsman exam
An heir without a master craftsman exam will be able to take over a regulated craft (vezani obrt) if they have the appropriate secondary vocational education — but only on the condition that they pass the master craftsman exam within 3 years of the transfer being registered in the Crafts Register (Article 40).
What if they miss the deadline? They lose the right to run the craft — this is now explicitly added as a new ground for deletion from the register (Article 47, item 9). So inheritance is not an automatic “transferable” craft, but an obligation with a deadline.
5. A joint craft ends when the agreement is terminated
The new paragraph 4 of Article 33 makes it clear: when the joint craft agreement between two natural persons is terminated, the joint craft ceases to exist. Less legal uncertainty when partners go their separate ways.
6. What else is coming: Master Craftsmen’s School, e-Apprenticeship and EU alignment
The remaining changes are more technical, but worth knowing:
- Master Craftsmen’s School: the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK), alone or with partners, will establish a Master Craftsmen’s School providing education at levels 2 and 5 of the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF).
- Apprenticeship goes digital: the record of apprenticeship agreements via the e-Naukovanje application will be kept by the vocational education institution, with verification by the HOK.
- EU terminology: “persons with appropriate higher education” becomes “persons with the appropriate qualification in higher education” — alignment with EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications.
- Master exam: competency assessment for the master craftsman title (CROQF level 5) requires at least completed formal education at CROQF level 4.1.
Deadlines to remember
- 1 January 2027 — the amendments to the Crafts Act take effect (published in Narodne novine 114/2026 of 7 October 2026)
- 3 years from the transfer registration — deadline to pass the master craftsman exam for heirs of a regulated craft
- 6 months from entry into force — deadline for the HOK, regional chambers and craft associations to align their statutes and acts
In short: if you run a craft and are approaching retirement, if you rent out an apartment or plan to take over a family craft — 2027 brings concrete relief. And we will keep an eye on the implementing regulations that are yet to come.