Foreign companies and individuals wishing to carry out design, audit, construction or supervision work in North Macedonia must obtain a certificate from the competent state administration body. The rules are set out in Article 42 of the Construction Law and apply to both EU and non-EU entities, with some differences in the required documentation. This page is part of our practice in real estate and construction law. For questions about property ownership by foreign nationals, see our guide on property ownership in North Macedonia.

In accordance with the amendments to the Construction Law, a foreign legal entity may perform the activities of design, audit, construction, and supervision over construction of buildings prescribed in the Republic of North Macedonia, if it receives a certificate for performing the stated works from the body of the state administration responsible for performing the works in the area of spatial planning.

Required documentation to obtain the certificate

Based on Article 42 (2) of the Construction Law, in order to obtain a certificate, all foreign legal entities – whether from an EU member state or a non-EU country – must submit a request stating the activity and type of construction and provide the following documentation:

• Proof confirming that the entity is registered to perform the respective activity in the country in which it is based;
• Proof that there is a permit or license for performing the appropriate works for the type of construction for which confirmation is required, or proof from a competent authority that in the country where the entity is based no such permit or license is issued for those works;
• Authorization for one of the employees for the matters for which the certificate is requested, confirmed by the Chamber of Authorized Architects and Authorized Engineers (Комора на овластени архитекти и овластени инженери), and proof that the employee is employed by the applicant.

Foreign legal entities from countries that are not members of the European Union must additionally submit: certificates for successfully performed works appropriate to the works and type of construction for which the certificate is required.

Certificate issuance and validity

The state administration body responsible for spatial planning, if it determines that the submitted documentation is complete, is obliged within 15 working days to issue a certificate authorizing the foreign legal entity to perform the stated works.

The certificate is issued with a validity period of two years. If the license or permit issued by the state in which the foreign legal entity is based has a shorter validity period, the validity of the North Macedonia certificate cannot exceed that shorter period.

Foreign natural persons

A foreign natural person who holds an authorization from another country may perform works on design, audit, construction, and supervision over construction of buildings in North Macedonia if the authorization is confirmed by the Chamber of Authorized Architects and Authorized Engineers. When confirming the authorization, it is assessed whether the foreign person’s authorization corresponds to the authorizations prescribed under the Construction Law. If it is confirmed as corresponding, the Chamber issues a certificate of authenticity and for the type of authorization that the foreign natural person acquires in North Macedonia.

A foreign natural person may perform construction activities as an employee of a legal entity registered in the Central Register for performing those activities.

As an exception, both domestic and foreign natural persons may independently perform design, audit, and supervision works in North Macedonia if selected in a public procurement procedure for a project funded by an international organization and/or the European Union.

As a further exception, foreign legal entities and natural persons may perform construction activities if an interstate reciprocity agreement has been concluded under the conditions determined by that agreement.

Nostrification of foreign-designed projects

An additional requirement that foreign entities often overlook: if you are using project documentation designed according to foreign regulations for a construction project in North Macedonia, that documentation must be validated (nosrtified) to confirm it meets Macedonian construction standards. This process, set out in Article 55 of the Construction Law, is carried out by the Chamber of Authorized Architects and Engineers through a commission of at least three members, and must be completed within 60 days. The project must be submitted translated into Macedonian, together with the original foreign-language text.

2026 Practical Checklist

Foreign companies planning construction activities in North Macedonia should verify the following: (1) Certificate required before starting – you cannot begin design, audit, construction or supervision work without first obtaining the certificate from the state administration body for spatial planning. (2) Employee authorization – ALL foreign legal entities (EU and non-EU alike) must include an authorization for at least one employee, confirmed by the Chamber of Authorized Architects and Engineers. This is frequently missed. (3) Non-EU entities: extra document – if your company is not from an EU member state, you must also submit certificates proving successfully completed works of the relevant type. (4) Certificate validity is 2 years – renew in time; if your home-country license expires sooner, the Macedonian certificate expires with it. (5) Foreign-drafted projects need nostrification – project documentation prepared under foreign standards must be validated by the Chamber before use in North Macedonia (Article 55, up to 60 days). (6) Fines for non-compliance – hiring a foreign professional without a confirmed Chamber authorization can result in fines of EUR 6,000–9,000 for the employing company (Articles 154, 156 of the Construction Law). For assistance with the certification procedure, contact our real estate and construction lawyers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the employee authorization requirement apply only to non-EU companies?

No — this is a common misconception. Under Article 42(2) of the Construction Law, ALL foreign legal entities, whether from EU or non-EU countries, must submit an authorization for at least one employee confirmed by the Chamber of Authorized Architects and Authorized Engineers. Non-EU entities have one additional document requirement: certificates for successfully performed works.

How long does it take to get the certificate?

If the documentation submitted is complete, the competent state administration body must issue the certificate within 15 working days. Preparing the documentation (especially the Chamber authorization for your employee) may take additional time.

Can a foreign architect work independently in North Macedonia?

Only in limited circumstances. A foreign natural person can generally only work through a legal entity registered in the Central Register. Independently, a foreign individual may only perform design, audit or supervision work if selected in a public procurement procedure for a project funded by an international organization or the EU.

What is nostrification and do I need it?

Nostrification is the process of validating project documentation prepared under foreign regulations to confirm it meets Macedonian construction standards (Article 55). If your project was designed abroad, nostrification by the Chamber of Authorized Architects and Engineers is required before the project can be used in North Macedonia. The process takes up to 60 days.

What are the fines for non-compliance?

A company that employs a foreign professional without a confirmed Chamber authorization faces fines of EUR 6,000 to 9,000 (in denar equivalent). The responsible individual within the company faces an additional fine of EUR 500.

Need legal guidance?

If you have questions about construction law requirements for foreign companies in North Macedonia, the team at Lalicic & Partners is at your disposal. Contact us through our website.