Farm register in Montenegro 2026: who must register, which documents are needed, what an active and a young farmer are under the amended law and how many farms are registered per municipality

The Register of Agricultural Holdings in Montenegro covers family farms and legal entities that carry out agricultural activity and have agricultural land or animals. Registration is free and possible all year round, and it is mandatory for farms seeking support from the Agro-budget and for producers who sell their products on the market, and since the June 2026 amendments expressly also for those who sell at their own farm. Under the same amendments only an active farmer entered in the Register receives support, and the law also introduces the concept of a young farmer, aged 18 to 40. Registration takes place at the regional office of the advisory service according to the farm holder's residence.

This guide explains who registers, which documents are needed, deadlines for reporting changes, the new legal concepts and how many farms are registered per municipality.

Who must register?

• Under the law a farmer can be a family farm, a company, another legal entity or a sole trader, a producer organisation or an educational or research institution engaged in agriculture.
• The holder of a family farm is chosen by its members, who are adults working on the farm permanently or occasionally and living at the same address.
• Registration is the first step towards Agro-budget support; for livestock, the animals must also be entered in the Central Register of Holdings and Animals.

What are an active and a young farmer?

The amendments to the Law on Agriculture and Rural Development (Official Gazette 83/2026) have applied since 23 June 2026 and introduce new concepts.

• Support goes to an active farmer who has applied with the required documents and is entered in the Register; the Ministry may exceptionally approve support for those performing tasks of public interest and for recipients of social transfers.
• A beneficiary who obtained support on the basis of incorrect documents or misused it must repay the amount with default interest.
• Register data are public, except personal and classified data.

Which documents does an individual submit?

1. A photocopy of the farm holder's identity card and photocopies of the farm members' identity cards.
2. A certificate of the holder's residence, issued by the Ministry of Interior.
3. A title extract or possession sheet for all plots declared and farmed, from the Real Estate Administration.
4. Certified contracts or co-owners' consents to use the plots, if the holder is not the sole owner of the land.
5. A certificate of an open current account at a bank.
6. A certificate of the number of animals from the system of the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, except for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

Instead of documents on members, a legal entity submits an extract from the Central Register of Business Entities, a specimen signature card and a statement of the number of employees, plus the same proof on land and animals.

Which changes are reported and when?

• For some 2026 Agro-budget measures a farm must have at least one hectare of land registered by 1 November 2026, otherwise the approved amount is cut by 10%.

How many farms are registered per municipality?

The Ministry published on the government portal a list of registered farms with the holder's name and municipality. We counted 14,832 entries in that list, published in 2021; this is the state of that list, not today's number.

• Four municipalities, Podgorica, Bijelo Polje, Nikšić and Pljevlja, account for more than half of all registered farms, 55.3%.
• The six coastal municipalities (Ulcinj, Bar, Herceg Novi, Kotor, Budva and Tivat) together have 1,637 farms, 11%.
• The fewest were registered in Tivat (82), Tuzi (87) and Gusinje (101).

Support amounts for 2026 are in our guide to the Agro-budget, and how to read the title extract needed for registration in the guide to the title extract. Loans for farmers are covered in the guide to the Development Bank, and registering a business in the guide to the sole trader.

Frequently asked questions

Is registration in the Register of Agricultural Holdings mandatory? It is mandatory for farms seeking support and for producers selling on the market or at their own farm; for others it is voluntary.

How much does farm registration cost? Registration is free and possible all year round.

Where do you register a farm? At the regional office of the Ministry of Agriculture's advisory service, according to the farm holder's residence or the legal entity's seat.

Who is a young farmer? Under the June 2026 amendments, a farmer over 18 and under 40 who holds a farm or is the executive director of a company and has appropriate professional knowledge or skills.

Can I register a farm if I am not the sole owner of the land? Yes, with certified contracts or consents from all co-owners on the use of the plots.

What is the deadline for reporting changes? Changes to land, animals, the holder, residence and account within 30 days, and other changes once a year, by 31 January for the previous year.

Sources

Who registers, the documents and deadlines for changes are set out on the government page Registration in the Register of Agricultural Holdings, together with the Rulebook on the form and keeping of the Register of Entities and the Register of Agricultural Holdings (Official Gazette 16/2014). The active and young farmer and the registration duty for farm-gate sales were introduced by the amendments to the Law on Agriculture and Rural Development (Official Gazette 83/2026). We counted farms per municipality from the list of registered farms published by the Ministry in 2021. Information checked on 29 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.