Berlin and Hamburg extended the §250 BauGB permit regime to 31 Dec 2030. Hesse’s statewide rule expired on 1 Jan 2026. Here’s how the permit works and the key risks if you plan to split and sell.
Germany’s federal “Bau‑Turbo” law (Gesetz zur Beschleunigung des Wohnungsbaus und zur Wohnraumsicherung) extended the states’ power to require permits for condo conversions in tight markets under §250 BauGB until December 2030. The federal ministry confirms that Länder can keep using §250 and the related §201a BauGB designations through 2030. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/rbmskzl/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2025/pressemitteilung.1615174.php?utm_source=openai))
Berlin adopted a new citywide Umwandlungsverordnung on 11 November 2025. It applies from 1 January 2026 and is scheduled to expire on 31 December 2030. The rule requires a permit to convert rental buildings with more than five apartments into condominiums. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/sen/wohnen/rechtliches/umwandlungsverordnung/))
Hamburg first introduced its §250 BauGB ordinance on 13 November 2021 and renewed the permit requirement for a further five years, running to the end of 2030. The city states the permit typically won’t be granted where the resident mix would be endangered; official guidance confirms the citywide scope. ([hamburg.de](https://www.hamburg.de/resource/blob/52894/d55b8a49ebe105e453ac261de48b5231/merkblatt-zum-genehmigungserfordernis-250-baugb-data.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Hesse did not extend its statewide §250 BauGB ordinance. Multiple official city pages state that the §250 permit requirement ended on 31 December 2025; since 1 January 2026, only local conservation areas under §172 BauGB (Milieuschutz) still trigger a permit, if designated. Frankfurt and Wiesbaden both say the statewide §250 regime no longer applies. ([bauaufsicht-frankfurt.de](https://www.bauaufsicht-frankfurt.de/service/umwandlung-von-wohn-und-teileigentum?utm_source=openai))
The Hessian government also recorded the expiry schedule in parliament: §250‑based conversion permits ended on 31 December 2025; other elements of the state regulations continue longer (e.g., certain §172‑based provisions) but do not reinstate a blanket, statewide conversion permit. Investors should not assume a permit is needed anywhere in Hesse in 2026 unless the property lies in a defined §172 conservation area. ([starweb.hessen.de](https://starweb.hessen.de/cache/PLPR/21/5/00005.pdf))
Scope. In designated “tight market” areas (§201a BauGB), converting existing rental buildings into condominiums requires a permit if the building existed on the date the state ordinance first took effect, and if it has more than five apartments. Berlin explicitly restated this from 1 January 2026; Hamburg applies the same threshold. New living space areas and buildings with five or fewer apartments are outside the permit. ([gesetze-im-internet.de](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bbaug/__250.html?utm_source=openai))
Exceptions. The law lists narrow cases where the permit must be granted, including: division of an estate, intra‑family owner‑occupation, sale to at least two‑thirds of tenants, economic hardship, or to honor pre‑registered rights (Vormerkung). Berlin’s guidance adds that applications relying on the two‑thirds‑tenants route need signed purchase contracts for the required quota. These are statutory exceptions; “business plans” are not enough. ([gesetze-im-internet.de](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bbaug/__250.html?utm_source=openai))
Priority over §172 areas. Where a building lies in a social preservation area, §250 takes precedence for houses with more than five units; §172‑based ordinances continue to apply only up to five units. Hamburg states this interplay expressly. ([hamburg.de](https://www.hamburg.de/resource/blob/1085280/36f52309b69ace62e88879a2681fc09f/d-begruendung-zum-erlass-der-sozerhvo-barmbek-nord-data.pdf?utm_source=openai))
No entry without proof. The land registry (Grundbuchamt) may only record a division if the permit or a non‑requirement (Negativattest) is shown. This is in §250(5) BauGB and repeated in Hamburg’s guidance. A notary will not be able to complete a WEG split in covered areas without this proof. ([gesetze-im-internet.de](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bbaug/__250.html?utm_source=openai))
Which date counts. Courts and notarial guidance confirm that the decisive date is the filing of the WEG application at the Grundbuchamt. If a complete application reached the registry before the ordinance took effect, §878 BGB can protect the entry; if an application is rejected and later re‑submitted after the ordinance is in force, the new filing falls under §250. Recent notes highlight this even for cases won on appeal. ([dnoti.de](https://www.dnoti.de/entscheidungen/details/?cHash=dba5b43d8b2619a5a7deaa60bd478abe&tx_dnotionlineplusapi_decisions%5Bnodeid%5D=ff6e8b0f-6267-49c1-9192-5a53ee1f2582&utm_source=openai))
Proof standards for exceptions. Berlin’s courts require concrete evidence for exceptions, especially for the “two‑thirds tenants” path: commitments are insufficient; authorities can insist on actual contracts to ensure the statutory goal is met. ([de.openlegaldata.io](https://de.openlegaldata.io/case/ovgbebb-2023-09-07-13-k-36822?utm_source=openai))
Berlin and Hamburg. For existing buildings with more than five units, expect a permit process running through 31 December 2030. Unless you fit a statutory exception, approvals are rare. Business models that rely on pre‑sales to tenants must show signed contracts hitting the two‑thirds threshold. Failure to do so risks refusal, sunk marketing costs, and delays. Berlin’s official guidance and case law set a high bar. Consult a Notar and a public‑law real‑estate lawyer before you commit to a split‑and‑sell plan. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/sen/wohnen/rechtliches/umwandlungsverordnung/))
Hesse. From 1 January 2026, there is no statewide §250 BauGB hurdle. Outside §172 conservation areas, you can generally record a split without a §250 permit. However, if the property lies in a municipal preservation zone, a different permit under §172 may still be needed. Frankfurt’s and Wiesbaden’s official pages explain the new position from 2026. Always get a written zoning check from the municipality and a notarial assessment of filing strategy. ([bauaufsicht-frankfurt.de](https://www.bauaufsicht-frankfurt.de/service/umwandlung-von-wohn-und-teileigentum?utm_source=openai))
Grundbuch timing. If you bought with a split‑and‑sell strategy in late 2025, be careful: only WEG applications filed at the registry before the new ordinance dates benefit from §878 BGB. Later re‑filings, even after a successful appeal, can be treated as new applications and need a §250 permit. This can make pre‑agreed sales impossible to complete on schedule. ([zfir-online.de](https://www.zfir-online.de/heft-8-2024/zfir-2024-350-erforderliche-genehmigung-gem-250-baugb-nach-erfolgreicher-grundbuchbeschwerde-bei-zwischenzeitlichem/?utm_source=openai))
Nothing on this page is investment, tax or legal advice. Price bands are indicative asking prices and disagree between sources by design. Verify every figure with a qualified German notary, tax adviser (Steuerberater) or lawyer before committing capital.
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