How to Apply
Competence to Grant Benefits Payable under Pension Insurance and Right to Appeal
In the process of deciding on pension insurance rights, there is a two-instance system of decision-making.
In the first instance, the regional organizational unit of HZMO decides upon the entitlements under pension insurance.
A person may appeal against the first instance decision on the rights and obligations under the pension insurance to the central organizational unit of HZMO, i.e. to the Central Office in Zagreb.
Judicial protection of rights in an administrative dispute before the competent Administrative Court has been ensured by filing a lawsuit against the second instance decision of the Central Office in Zagreb.
In the first instance, the regional organizational unit of HZMO decides upon the entitlements under pension insurance.
A person may appeal against the first instance decision on the rights and obligations under the pension insurance to the central organizational unit of HZMO, i.e. to the Central Office in Zagreb.
Judicial protection of rights in an administrative dispute before the competent Administrative Court has been ensured by filing a lawsuit against the second instance decision of the Central Office in Zagreb.
Old Age Pension / Early Age Pension / Old Age Pension for Long-Term Insurees / Early Age Pension Due to Bankruptcy
An application for an old age and early age pension may be filed a month before the termination of the insurance at the earliest.
You can download the forms of application for old-age pension / early age pension / old-age pension for long-term insurees / early age pension due to the bankruptcy of the employer from this website or buy them in an Official Gazette store (Narodne novine). The required documentation is specified in the application.
According to the Pension Insurance Act (ZOMO), a person may acquire pension entitlement upon cessation of the mandatory pension insurance. If the person files his application within six months after the end of insurance, the pension entitlement starts the day following the end of the insurance. In case more than six months have elapsed since the end of insurance, the pension entitlement starts from the first day of the month following the application date. Such entitlement refers to a period of six months retroactively.
You can download the forms of application for old-age pension / early age pension / old-age pension for long-term insurees / early age pension due to the bankruptcy of the employer from this website or buy them in an Official Gazette store (Narodne novine). The required documentation is specified in the application.
According to the Pension Insurance Act (ZOMO), a person may acquire pension entitlement upon cessation of the mandatory pension insurance. If the person files his application within six months after the end of insurance, the pension entitlement starts the day following the end of the insurance. In case more than six months have elapsed since the end of insurance, the pension entitlement starts from the first day of the month following the application date. Such entitlement refers to a period of six months retroactively.
Disability Pension and Temporary Disability Pension
You may download the pension application form on these web pages or buy it in an Official Gazette store (Narodne novine). The required documents are specified in the application.
In the case of a temporary disability pension, a person must attach a certificate issued by the competent employment service showing the period(s) of unemployment following the occupational rehabilitation and the fact that a disabled person accepted the job offer at the invitation of the competent employment service without delay, i.e. that the person rejected the job offer. During employment or another form of insurance basis, a person may start the disability pension procedure based on the reduced working capacity with the remaining working capacity or partial or complete loss of working capacity at the proposal of the selected primary care physician as well.
In the case of a temporary disability pension, a person must attach a certificate issued by the competent employment service showing the period(s) of unemployment following the occupational rehabilitation and the fact that a disabled person accepted the job offer at the invitation of the competent employment service without delay, i.e. that the person rejected the job offer. During employment or another form of insurance basis, a person may start the disability pension procedure based on the reduced working capacity with the remaining working capacity or partial or complete loss of working capacity at the proposal of the selected primary care physician as well.
Survivor’s Pension
If the survivor's pension is claimed after the death of the insured person, the application is filed to the competent regional service/office of HZMO according to the place of residence, i.e. domicile of the applicant.
If the survivor's pension is claimed after the death of the pension beneficiary, the application is filed to the competent regional service/office of HZMO that paid the pension.
If the person from whom the entitlement derives resided abroad, the application is filed to the competent regional unit of HZMO covering the territory of the last insurance registered in the Republic of Croatia.
You may download the application form for survivor's pension on this website or buy the from in the Official Gazette’s point of sale. The required documentation is provided in the application form.
If the application for survivor's pension is filed by a child or on behalf of a child having the status of a disabled person with residual working capacity (determined according to the regulations on occupational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities), the application must be accompanied by the final decision by which the competent authority approved the right to training for work or by the decision approving the right to special education programs according to special regulations.
A family member is entitled to a survivor's pension from the day he meets the eligibility conditions, provided that he applied within six months from the day he met the eligibility conditions. If a family member applies more than six months after the date of eligibility, he will be granted entitlement from the first day of the month following the application date, for the period of six months retroactively.
Exceptionally, in the event of the death of a pension beneficiary, the right to a survivor's pension may be acquired at the earliest from the first day of the month following the month in which the pension beneficiary died.
If the survivor's pension is claimed after the death of the pension beneficiary, the application is filed to the competent regional service/office of HZMO that paid the pension.
If the person from whom the entitlement derives resided abroad, the application is filed to the competent regional unit of HZMO covering the territory of the last insurance registered in the Republic of Croatia.
You may download the application form for survivor's pension on this website or buy the from in the Official Gazette’s point of sale. The required documentation is provided in the application form.
If the application for survivor's pension is filed by a child or on behalf of a child having the status of a disabled person with residual working capacity (determined according to the regulations on occupational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities), the application must be accompanied by the final decision by which the competent authority approved the right to training for work or by the decision approving the right to special education programs according to special regulations.
A family member is entitled to a survivor's pension from the day he meets the eligibility conditions, provided that he applied within six months from the day he met the eligibility conditions. If a family member applies more than six months after the date of eligibility, he will be granted entitlement from the first day of the month following the application date, for the period of six months retroactively.
Exceptionally, in the event of the death of a pension beneficiary, the right to a survivor's pension may be acquired at the earliest from the first day of the month following the month in which the pension beneficiary died.
Compensation for Physical Impairment
You may download the form of application for the compensation for a physical impairment on this web site or you can buy the form in the Official Gazette store. The required documents are specified in the application.
Notification of Intention to Apply for Old Age or Early Age Pension (Pre-Compiling)
Twelve months in advance, insured persons may notify HZMO of their intention to apply for old age pension or early age pension.
The procedure starts by sending a Notification of intention to apply for old age or early age pension to the competent regional service/office or through our e-services (e-usluge).
The filled-in notification should be accompanied by:
The procedure starts by sending a Notification of intention to apply for old age or early age pension to the competent regional service/office or through our e-services (e-usluge).
The filled-in notification should be accompanied by:
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A certified copy of the employment record book,
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A statement or evidence of insurance periods completed abroad if the insured person worked abroad
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Other evidence of insurance periods that have not been fully identified or entered in the employment record book.
The regional service/office of HZMO in whose territory the applicant has a domicile or place of residence is the competent service/office. If the applicant resides abroad, he should send the notification to the regional service/office of HZMO covering the territory of his last insurance. The insuree’s notification is not considered an application. Pre-compiling of data enables faster acquisition of entitlement and more accurate informative calculation of pension.
Informative Calculation of Pension Amount
You may file a request for an informative pension calculation to the regional services and offices of HZMO. This service costs HRK 70.00 (9.29 euro) and if you file an online request via e-services (e-usluge), the service is free of charge.
Money order information for the payment of informative calculation fee:
Recipient (Naziv računa): Drzavni proracun RH
IBAN: HR1210010051863000160
Model: HR26
Payment reference (Poziv na broj primatelja): 5908-558-OIB (Croatian personal identification number)
Purpose of payment (Svrha uplate): Informativni izracun mirovine
Money order information for the payment of informative calculation fee:
Recipient (Naziv računa): Drzavni proracun RH
IBAN: HR1210010051863000160
Model: HR26
Payment reference (Poziv na broj primatelja): 5908-558-OIB (Croatian personal identification number)
Purpose of payment (Svrha uplate): Informativni izracun mirovine
Determining the Pension-Qualifying Periods
The applicant files a request to the competent regional service/office of HZMO in whose territory he has a place of residence or domicile. If the applicant resides abroad, he should apply to the regional service/office competent for his last registered insurance in the Republic of Croatia. The request should provide periods to be taken into consideration for determination of the pension-qualifying periods and contain available attachments proving such periods. The required documents are specified in the request.
Pensions According to EU Regulations and International Social Security Agreements
The procedure starts by applying to the regional service/regional office/local office of HZMO according to the place of residence or domicile of the applicant. If the applicant resides abroad, he should apply to the regional service/office competent for his last registered insurance.
Old age and early age pension may be applied for no earlier than one month before the eligibility conditions prescribed by Croatian legislation are met. However, it is also necessary to take into account that the regulations of other Member States may impose different time limits, shorter or longer than the one mentioned above. The required documents are available in the application form.
In the case of no proof of work abroad or Croatia, the applicant shall specify in the application the name of the employer, the registered seat and business address of the company, including the period of employment with the particular employer.
Insured persons residing abroad shall enclose to their pension application a request for the remittance of their Croatian pension through a bank.
HZMO pays pension benefits in convertible currency to the beneficiaries abroad after conversion of kuna amount into a foreign currency, according to the following principles:
Old age and early age pension may be applied for no earlier than one month before the eligibility conditions prescribed by Croatian legislation are met. However, it is also necessary to take into account that the regulations of other Member States may impose different time limits, shorter or longer than the one mentioned above. The required documents are available in the application form.
In the case of no proof of work abroad or Croatia, the applicant shall specify in the application the name of the employer, the registered seat and business address of the company, including the period of employment with the particular employer.
Insured persons residing abroad shall enclose to their pension application a request for the remittance of their Croatian pension through a bank.
HZMO pays pension benefits in convertible currency to the beneficiaries abroad after conversion of kuna amount into a foreign currency, according to the following principles:
- To the beneficiary’s account opened in a foreign commercial bank
- Through a competent social security institution in another country, if so requested by the competent institution
- By sending a check to the address of the pension beneficiary.
In order to receive the regular payment of pension benefits, beneficiaries must provide: their personal identification number (OIB); timely renewed power of attorney if their pension is received per post; life certificate; certificate of regular education; notification of changed address and any other information relevant for the continuous payment of pension benefits; or a document requested by HZMO in case it cannot be obtained officially.
