Tax refund in Croatia: do you get money back? What to do before the end of February

Most employees never fill in a tax return, because the Tax Administration does the yearly calculation itself. But one form, ZPP-DOH, can still bring money back. Who it is for, and what to prepare now.

Published 2026-10-31 · Source checked 2026-10-30

Every month your employer takes income tax from your pay. At the end of the year the Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) compares what was paid with what you really owed. If you paid too much, you can get money back.^[1][2]

Good news first: if you only have a salary, you normally do not file a return. The Tax Administration runs a yearly calculation for employees on its own, using the data your employer reports every month. A full annual return (form DOH) is compulsory only for people with self-employed income, seafarers on international ships, and anyone the office asks to file.^[1][3]

Also read:Work & SalaryCroatia sets the 2027 minimum wage: €1,130 gross. 5 things that change for you on 1 January

So where does the refund come from? Your personal allowance (osobni odbitak) is the part of income that is not taxed. If the Tax Administration has no data about a right you have, for example a child or a dependent family member, the system cannot apply it. Then you can request it yourself with form ZPP-DOH.^[3][4]

The deadline is the end of February of the following year. For 2026 income that falls on 28 February 2027, a Sunday, and one reviewer of the law reads the rule as moving it to Monday 1 March. Do not rely on that day: aim for mid-February.^[5]

1. Collect your payslips and the annual summary from your employer. 2. Log in to ePorezna (the state login, NIAS) or the mPorezna app. 3. Check the "Moj JOPPD" view to see the pay and tax reported for you. 4. Try the official information calculator (kalkulator.porezna-uprava.hr). 5. If a right is missing, file ZPP-DOH online or at your local Tax Administration office. 6. Make sure your bank account (IBAN) is registered, so the refund can be paid.^[2][3][4]

What to do: put a reminder in your phone for 1 February. Even if you think you have no refund, check the calculator once a year, it takes 15 minutes. Your employer's payslip guide is a good start, see our payslip overtime guide and the 2027 minimum wage changes. Have you ever got a tax refund in Croatia? Tell us how it went on our Facebook page.

Read next

Work & SalaryWhat do Croatian employers offer foreign workers? From €1,055 gross on farms to €1,356 for cooksLife in CroatiaDalmatian dogs: named after a Croatian region, born without spots