Premises for a café in Lithuania: what to check before signing a lease

Before you sign a lease for a café, check three things. First, which purpose of the premises is entered in the register and whether it suits catering. Second, whether the lease clearly allows catering in the premises and lets you fit them out. Third, whether you will hold a document that proves to the State Food and Veterinary Service (Valstybinė maisto ir veterinarijos tarnyba, VMVT) your right to use the premises. It pays to settle all of this before you sign, because for the whole term of the lease neither the landlord nor the tenant may change the form and purpose of the leased property (Article 6.483(4) of the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania (CK)).

Which permits a café needs overall, and in what order, is covered on our page Café and restaurant licences. This article deals only with the premises.

What purpose the register shows

The purpose of premises is the purpose of use entered in the public register, where the premises meet the mandatory requirements that apply to them (point 18 of Construction Technical Regulation STR 1.01.03:2017 “Classification of Structures”). A canteen, restaurant, café and bar are catering premises (Annex 2 to the same regulation). So the first step is an extract from the Real Property Register (Nekilnojamojo turto registras) for the specific premises.

The user of a structure must use the structure and its premises according to their purpose (Article 47(1)(1) of the Law on Construction of the Republic of Lithuania (SĮ)). Until 31 October 2026 this duty applies with exceptions set by the Government. From 1 November 2026 the exception is worded more narrowly: under rules set by the Government, without changing the purpose, another activity may be carried on in a smaller part of the structure or premises if it meets the essential requirements for the structure. Where use other than according to purpose began before 31 October 2026 in the cases and under the procedure set by the Government, the new wording does not apply to it.

Point 18¹ of STR 1.01.03:2017 gives a similar option. In premises of another purpose, part of the floor area may have the catering purpose if that part serves the main purpose, is smaller than the area of the main purpose, and the requirements of both purposes are met. These conditions do not fit a café that takes up the whole premises, because catering is its main activity.

The Law on Construction provides for a fine for a legal person that uses a structure or premises other than according to their purpose (SĮ Article 59).

When the purpose must be changed and which documents you will need

If the register shows a different purpose, it must be changed. A permit to change the purpose of a structure or premises is a document permitting construction where the change moves the premises into a different purpose group of premises (SĮ Article 27(1)(6)). From 1 November 2026 this point is worded more generally: a permit is needed where the classification of the structure or its part into a purpose group of structures or premises changes.

Whether the group changes is decided under Annex 2 to STR 1.01.03:2017 (point 18 of the regulation). Under that annex, the catering purpose belongs to the commercial premises group together with the retail, hotel, co-living and services purposes. Administrative premises form a separate group, and so do residential premises. So turning former shop premises into catering premises does not change the group. In that case no permit to change the purpose is needed (point 18 of STR 1.01.03:2017), but the purpose is still changed. Turning office premises or a flat into catering premises does change the group, so you will need a permit to change the purpose.

Where the change of purpose involves only simple repair work or no construction work at all, a change-of-purpose design is prepared (SĮ Article 24(1)(12)). Its content is set by another regulation, STR 1.04.04:2017 (point 18 of STR 1.01.03:2017). Neither the landlord nor the tenant may change the form and purpose of the leased property during the lease (CK Article 6.483(4)). So, if the purpose has to be changed, agree in the lease, before signing, who does it and by when.

If the building is new or reconstructed, check that its construction has been completed. Licences giving the right to carry on a business activity in a new special or non-special structure may be issued only once construction has been completed under the Law on Construction (SĮ Article 47(2)).

What the lease should provide

Under a lease, the landlord gives the tenant property to possess and use temporarily (CK Article 6.477(1)). The lease must state the property or features that identify it. If they are missing and the property cannot be identified, the lease is treated as not concluded (CK Article 6.477(3)). State the address, unique number and area of the premises. If you will also use a storeroom or a yard, describe them too.

Activity. The tenant must use the property according to the lease and the purpose of the property (CK Article 6.489(1)). If the tenant uses the property other than according to the lease or its purpose, the landlord may ask a court to terminate the lease early (CK Article 6.497(1)(1)). For a fixed-term lease, the landlord must first warn the tenant in writing (CK Article 6.497(3)). So state clearly in the lease that the premises are let for catering.

Fitness for use. The landlord must guarantee that the property will be fit for the purpose for which it is let for the whole lease term (CK Article 6.483(1)). However, the landlord is not liable for defects disclosed when the lease was signed, or for those the tenant could have noticed without any further inspection (CK Article 6.485(5)). So inspect the premises before signing and record their condition in the handover deed.

Fit-out. A café may need a kitchen, ventilation and other equipment. If you improve the premises with the landlord’s permission, you are entitled to reimbursement of the necessary costs, unless the law or the lease provides otherwise (CK Article 6.501(1)). The value of improvements made without permission that cannot be removed without damage need not be reimbursed (CK Article 6.501(3)). So put the landlord’s consent and what happens to the costs into the lease.

Third-party rights. Before signing, the landlord must tell you about all third-party rights in the property, such as a mortgage or a servitude (CK Article 6.486(2)). Ask for this information in writing.

Term and registration. A lease for more than one year must be in writing (CK Article 6.478(1)). Such a lease of immovable property can be relied on against third parties only once it is registered in a public register (CK Article 6.478(2)). If the premises are sold, a registrable lease remains valid against the new owner where the lease rights have been registered (CK Article 6.494(1)). So, if you invest in fitting out the premises, it is worth registering the lease.

How to change the terms and when a lease can be ended early is covered in our article Premises lease: changing terms and early termination.

What VMVT will ask about the premises

When applying for registration, a food business operator must submit documents confirming the right to use the food handling site, as well as documents on infrastructure, equipment, compliance of the food handling process with hygiene requirements, scope of activity and the own-check system (Article 4¹(2) of the Law on Food of the Republic of Lithuania (MĮ)). If you lease the premises, your right to use them comes from the lease (CK Article 6.477(1)).

The lease still matters after registration. VMVT cancels the registration when the food business operator loses the right to use the food handling site (MĮ Article 4¹(9)(5)). An operator whose registration has been cancelled may not carry on food handling (MĮ Article 4¹(10)). So the lease term and the termination clauses decide directly whether the café can operate.

Apartment building: a separate condition for alcohol

If the premises are in an apartment building and you plan to sell alcohol, the licence will require that the residents of the building do not object to the planned activity (Article 18¹(4)(5) of the Law on Alcohol Control of the Republic of Lithuania (AKĮ)). What the residents’ consent must state and when it is not needed is covered on our page Café and restaurant licences. This is worth clarifying before you sign the lease.

Short checklist

• Real Property Register extract: is the purpose of the premises catering, and if not, will the purpose group change.
• If the building is new or reconstructed: has construction been completed.
• Is it an apartment building, and do you plan to sell alcohol.
• In the lease: catering activity, the landlord’s consent to fit out the premises, what happens to improvement costs, the term and registration.
• The landlord’s written information on third-party rights in the premises.

How to start

Send us the Real Property Register extract for the premises, the draft lease and a short description of the planned activity: whether you will sell alcohol, whether the building has flats, and what fit-out works you plan.

Phone +370 5 212 1506, email info@linden.lt

More about this service: Café and restaurant licences.