Can You Close Your Balcony in Romania? Rules, Approvals and Cost
Citeste articolul in romana → Poti sa-ti inchizi balconul? Reguli, aprobari si costuri in 2026
Yes. Since 25 August 2026, closing a bloc balcony or loggia needs a notification to the city hall, not a building permit, as long as the closure matches the rest of the building. Merging the balcony into the room is a different, structural job that needs a permit, and we advise against it. A balcony already closed without approval can be regularised; do it now.
In short
Closing the balcony the same way as the rest of the building: a notification (Law 169/2026, art. 294 alin. (2) lit. b) pct. (iv)).
"The same way" is the hard part. Façade changes must be uniform across the whole building (Law 196/2018, art. 32(2)). In buildings with decades of mismatched closures, what that means is decided case by case.
No neighbours' signatures are required for a notification. The code asks for a form, a simplified technical project and the fees (art. 295 alin. (4)).
Cost: roughly 350–600 lei/m² for insulated PVC, 800–1,500 lei/m² for frameless sliding glass. A standard 6 m² PVC closure is about 3,200–5,200 lei.
Merging the balcony into the room: a permit, a structural assessment and the association's vote. It brings both structural and thermal problems.
Already closed without approval? Balcony closures can be regularised (art. 301 alin. (2)). Don't wait: the building tax doubles once the city hall finds it (art. 301 alin. (11)).
Which approval does closing a balcony need?
A notification, if the closure matches the building. A permit for anything beyond that.
Closing a balcony or loggia uniformly with the rest of the building: notification. The code lists "closing loggias and balconies in a uniform way" in apartment buildings under the notification route (art. 294 alin. (2) lit. b) pct. (iv)).
A closure that doesn't match the building: not covered by the notification route. Assume it needs a permit until your city hall says otherwise. It may also break the façade-uniformity rule (Law 196/2018, art. 32(2)).
Merging the balcony into the room: a structural change. Permit, structural assessment, and the agreement of two thirds of the association and of all directly affected owners (Law 196/2018, art. 39).
Protected areas and historic-monument zones: the notification route doesn't apply as-is; extra approvals are needed (art. 294 alin. (3)).
What does "the same way as the rest of the building" mean?
There's no general answer. Most blocs have had decades of different closures, so uniformity has to be worked out for each building.
What the law says:
Façade changes in apartment buildings must be uniform across the whole building, whatever the number of associations or staircases, and based on technical documentation by an architect (Law 196/2018, art. 32(2)).
Before the façade is changed, the association's president asks the city hall in writing for any restrictions on colour, look and materials set by local planning rules (art. 32(3)).
What that means in practice:
If the building already has a closure model or façade documentation, follow it: the same profile colour, divisions, glass and parapet finish.
If it doesn't, and most don't, an architect looks at your building and defines what "uniform" means for it in the technical project you file with the notification.
Ask the association first whether a model exists. It saves you from ordering windows that don't match.
Do you need your neighbours' consent?
Not for a notification. The code doesn't list it. What it asks for is a closure that matches the building.
A notification is a form, a simplified technical project by an architect or engineer, and the fees set by law (art. 295 alin. (4)). The code doesn't list neighbours' or association consent for it.
Neighbours' consent in authentic form applies to building permits where the works need safety measures for neighbouring buildings (art. 261 alin. (1)). A standard balcony closure isn't that.
Merging the balcony into the room is different: two thirds of the association and all directly affected owners must agree (Law 196/2018, art. 39).
How do you close a balcony legally, step by step?
Five steps. The paperwork adds about five weeks before the fitter can start.
Ask the association whether the building has a closure model or façade documentation, and check whether the building is in a protected area.
Choose a system that matches the building (see "Insulated glazing or frameless sliding glass?" below).
Get the simplified technical project. An architect prepares it and defines the uniform closure for your building (art. 295 alin. (4)).
File the notification with the city hall: the form, the project and the fees. The city hall has 15 working days to respond; if it doesn't, the notification counts as approved (art. 296 alin. (1)). You can start 15 calendar days after that (art. 296 alin. (6)).
Install, then sign the completion report, which is registered in the national register of constructions (art. 298 alin. (6)).
The notification stays valid for three years (art. 296 alin. (5)). Skipping it can mean a fine of 5,000–50,000 lei (art. 357 alin. (4) lit. a)).
What does closing a balcony cost?
For a standard bloc balcony of about 6 m² of glazing, roughly 3,200–5,200 lei in white insulated PVC, more for coloured profiles or frameless glass.
By system, Bucharest, 2026:
Insulated PVC (termopan): roughly 350–600 lei/m².
Aluminium: roughly 400–700 lei/m².
Frameless sliding tempered glass: roughly 800–1,500 lei/m².
Typical totals for a 6 m² closure:
Standard PVC: roughly 3,200–5,200 lei.
Premium PVC: roughly 5,500–8,000 lei.
Coloured profiles: usually 20–30% more than white. If the building's model is coloured, you'll need them anyway.
Fitting time: one to two days for PVC, two to three days for sliding glass.
On top: the technical project and the city hall fees, which vary by city hall. Ask for both before you budget.
Want to close your balcony and not sure what "uniform" means for your building? Book a free 45-minute Office Hours session, show us your balcony and the building's façade, and we'll go through what the closure needs to match, the paperwork, and what to ask the window company before you sign.
Insulated glazing or frameless sliding glass?
It depends on how you'll use the balcony.
Insulated PVC or aluminium (double glazing): if you'll use the balcony as extra space in winter, or store things that must stay dry. Warmer and quieter.
Frameless sliding glass: if you want protection from dust, rain and some noise, and the balcony stays an outdoor space. It isn't insulated: expect cold and condensation in winter.
Either way, keep it ventilated. A closed balcony traps moisture from the room behind it. Ask for opening sashes or a ventilation setting.
Can you merge the balcony into the room?
We advise against it unless a proper structural inspection says it's safe. It introduces both structural and thermal problems.
Structural: in panel blocs, the wall and parapet under the window can be part of the building's structure. The perimeter walls are common property (Law 196/2018, art. 35(1)(e)).
Approvals: a building permit, a structural assessment by a certified expert, and the agreement of two thirds of the association and of all directly affected owners (Law 196/2018, art. 39).
Thermal: the balcony slab becomes part of the room's floor. It's a cold bridge: expect a cold floor, condensation and mould at the edge unless it's properly insulated.
The radiator: the one under the window usually has to move. Changing heating elements needs a technical report from the provider and the association's executive committee decision, with the agreement of all directly affected neighbours (Law 196/2018, art. 37(7)).
Without a permit, the fine is 50,000–1,000,000 lei (art. 357 alin. (4) lit. b)), plus restoring the original state at your cost.
What if the balcony is already closed without approval?
Regularise it now. Balcony closures have a permanent regularisation route, but the tax penalty starts as soon as the city hall finds the closure.
Balcony closures that don't extend over public land can get a regularisation permit (autorizatie de regularizare). Unlike most other unauthorised works, they aren't limited to the one-year window (art. 301 alin. (2) and (7)).
Until it's regularised, the building tax is doubled from the moment the city hall finds the closure (art. 301 alin. (11)).
How it works: you apply to the city hall (art. 301 alin. (1)). Expect technical expert reports (art. 301 alin. (9)), and the city hall can require corrective works first (art. 301 alin. (10)).
If the balcony was also merged into the room, that part isn't just a closure. It can be regularised only if you apply within one year of 25 August 2026, at ten times the normal fees (art. 301 alin. (7) and (8)). After that, the city hall can demolish it or ask a court to (art. 301 alin. (12)).
If you're buying, ask the seller to regularise before the sale, or price the cost and risk into your offer.
What about the ground floor and the top floor?
Both are special cases. Check with an architect before you order anything.
Ground floor: a closure that extends onto the land around the building goes beyond a balcony closure. It's also excluded from the permanent regularisation route (art. 301 alin. (2)).
Top floor: a balcony with no roof above it needs one before it can be closed, which changes the building's volume.
What should you ask the window company before signing?
Hold every offer against this list.
Does it match the building's model: profile colour, divisions, glass, parapet finish?
Who prepares the technical project and files the notification? "No paperwork needed" is no longer true for a balcony closure.
Profile system and glass: number of chambers, double glazing, low-E glass.
Opening sashes for ventilation.
Fixing and sealing: how the frame is fixed to the parapet and sealed against rain, and the sill (glaf) outside.
What's included: removing the old closure, sills, foam and silicone, finishing inside.
Timeline, warranty in writing and an invoice.
Check your balcony's route before you order the glazing
In a free, 45-minute Office Hours call, an architect looks at your balcony with you: which approval it needs, what "uniform" means for your building, whether merging is worth looking into at all, and what to ask the window company.
Bring: photos of your balcony and of the building's façade (including other closed balconies), a floor plan, and any rules or model the association has.
No pitch, no obligation. Pick a time below; it shows in your local time.
