Who owns what in a marriage in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
In Bosnia and Herzegovina the family laws of the entities make property acquired by work during the marriage joint, but each entity has its own law.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
What applies by default
Property acquired by work during the marriage is joint, and personal property stays personal. The Federation and Republika Srpska each have their own family law, and Brčko District has another.
When the marriage ends in divorce
The joint property is divided, in principle equally, and the rules differ by entity.
A marriage contract
A marriage contract can be made, and the form depends on the entity.
What stays your own, and gifts
Property from before the marriage, gifts and inheritances stay personal.
If one spouse is a foreigner
Which entity's law applies can matter, so get local advice.
Understand the legal system first
Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the Civil law family. Family law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.
Read the Bosnia and Herzegovina legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Official sources
Take it further
The family and property rules of a European country in one PDF, with questions for a local lawyer.
Set the property rules before the marriage, in your own terms.
For couples who live together without marrying.
Marriage, divorce, custody and support, step by step.
Divide property and settle the terms in writing.
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s marital property guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.
