A pending-change marker (plomba) warns that rights to the property are affected by a change and cadastral proceedings are underway. The office marks it no later than the working day after receiving the document and removes it only when the entry is made or a decision becomes final. While it remains, the resulting legal position is uncertain, making dealings with the property unwise.
What is a pending-change marker and when is it entered?
A marker indicating a change to property rights tells everyone consulting the title sheet that proceedings concerning the property are underway. The district office enters it no later than the working day following receipt of an agreement, official public document or other document for registration by entry or record. It also does so when error correction proceedings or proceedings on a prosecutor’s protest begin (Section 44(1) of the Cadastral Act, No. 162/1995 Z. z.).
Markers are entered in the order applications are received (Section 44(2)), reflecting the priority principle for registration.
How do you read the marker’s designation?
It consists of a letter identifying the proceedings, a sequence number and the year, for example V 778/26 or Z 256/26. The most common are:
- V — registration by entry proceedings. An agreement, such as a purchase, gift, security or easement agreement, has arrived and permission to register is being decided.
- Z — registration by record proceedings. A right arising otherwise than by contract is being recorded, typically under an inheritance certificate, judgment or enforcement order.
- X — correction of an error in the cadastral records (Section 59).
- UPo — proceedings on a prosecutor’s protest.
Proceedings to enter a note do not have a marker. Section 44(1) lists entry, record, error correction and a prosecutor’s protest, but not notes. A note is also entered very quickly: on receipt of the document, or no later than the next working day (Section 43(1)(d)), so it appears directly on the title sheet as a note.
How long can a marker remain?
It depends on the proceedings. Registration by entry is generally decided within 30 days, within 20 days for an attorney-authorised agreement and within 15 days for expedited proceedings; see how long land registration takes. Registration by record should be completed within 60 days, or 30 days where the application used the electronic form (Section 43(1)(b) and (3)).
The period runs only where the submission is free of defects. If the office suspends proceedings and requests corrections, the marker remains, often for several months.
The office removes it when entry or record is completed, or upon a final decision refusing the application, discontinuing proceedings, correcting an error or dismissing the prosecutor’s protest (Section 44(1)).
What to do if a property you are buying has a marker
A marker announces ongoing proceedings but does not tell you their outcome. This matters when buying: the title sheet you saw may no longer reflect the position in a few weeks. We recommend:
- Find out what the proceedings concern. As owner, you can access the file. As buyer, ask the seller for documents showing the proceedings and expected outcome.
- Check which property and owner are affected. If the marker concerns only a particular property or right, it is entered against that property or owner (Section 25(1) of Decree No. 461/2009 Z. z.). In co-ownership or an apartment building, it often concerns a completely different share from yours.
- Do not sign or file until the matter is resolved. If you submit an agreement while an earlier proceeding changes the data, your agreement may no longer match the cadastral records, risking suspension or refusal.
If the transaction cannot wait, the risk can be addressed in the agreement and purchase price escrow, with funds released only after the buyer is registered as owner. We check the legal position, including markers, encumbrances and notes, through our property purchase service.
This answer provides general information on the law as at 31 July 2026. It does not constitute legal services or replace an assessment of an individual case. The details of your situation may differ. Book a consultation to discuss them.
