What income a bank will accept for a mortgage
The parental allowance counts in full, maternity benefit doesn't. Rent counts, but not all of it. And the cap of "repayment at most half of income" that you'll find on most mortgage websites doesn't hold today as a rule. We've set out what banks actually count.
Which income does a bank count?
More than just your pay. Besides employment and self-employment, banks also take into account income that most people don't know can be proven.
- The parental allowance. In most cases, in full.
- Rent. Not all of it: a bank only accepts part of the rent, because it allows for vacancy and maintenance.
- Old-age and disability pension. For an old-age pension, the bank checks by what age the loan has to be repaid.
- A length-of-service allowance.
- Child support and a foster carer's allowance.
- An agreement for part-time work (DPČ). Usually with a longer history required than for a main employment contract.
- Per diems and travel allowances. For occupations where they form a substantial part of income, say drivers.
Česká spořitelna lists among income it accepts "rental income", "the parental allowance", "child support or a foster carer's allowance", "a length-of-service allowance", "per diems and travel allowances" and "income from an agreement for part-time work (DPČ)". Checked on 21 September 2026.
What won't a bank count?
Benefits that serve a different purpose. A bank doesn't count them, because they aren't there for repaying a loan.
- Maternity benefit in full. It lasts 28 weeks, and a mortgage runs for decades.
- Child benefit.
- Unemployment benefit.
- A housing allowance.
An agreement for occasional work (DPP) is a separate case: banks usually don't take it as a main income, because no social or health insurance is deducted from it and it can end overnight. Some will count it as a supplement to a main income, others won't.
Can I get a mortgage while on parental leave?
More likely yes on the parental allowance, more likely no on maternity benefit. The difference is in how long each lasts: maternity benefit is 28 weeks, the parental allowance runs for years.
The parental allowance alone may not be enough for a mortgage. Banks treat it as a supplement to income from employment, self-employment or rent, not as the sole source. The practical consequence: on the parental allowance, it makes sense to apply with a co-applicant who has a stable income.
Česká spořitelna writes on this that the parental allowance is "recognised and counted in full in the majority of cases". Maternity benefit doesn't appear in the list of income it accepts above. Have the specific bank confirm in advance how it treats it; it's that bank's own rule, not a regulation.
Is it true the repayment can't exceed half of income?
No, no such blanket limit applies today. The indicator that tracked the ratio between repayment and income has been switched off by the Czech National Bank (CNB) for mortgages on your own home since July 2023, and it confirmed this again in 2025.
You'll still find it on most mortgage websites as a "CNB rule". It isn't. Banks still keep an eye on the ratio between repayment and income, but it's their own lending policy, not a binding cap, so it varies from bank to bank. And that's good news: what doesn't pass at one bank can pass at another.
What does remain binding is LTV, meaning how much you may borrow against the value of the property.
How long do I need to have been in my job?
Past your probation period and outside your notice period. How many extra months each bank wants to see differs, and for a fixed-term contract they want a longer history with the same employer. It's their own rule, not a regulation, so ask about it before you submit an application.
One practical thing follows from this, and it costs people money: if you know you'll be changing jobs around the same time as sorting out a mortgage, deal with the mortgage first. A notice given halfway through approval can bring the application down.
For the self-employed, it works differently, and that's its own page, see Mortgage for the self-employed. If you have income from abroad or aren't a Czech citizen, other rules apply; we've set them out on our page Mortgage for foreigners.
Frequently asked questions
Will a bank count income from abroad?
Some will. What decides it is the currency, how easily it can be proven, and whether the employer is in a country the bank accepts. The bank converts income in a foreign currency at the exchange rate, and usually accepts only part of it, because it carries exchange-rate risk. More detail is on our page Mortgage for foreigners.
How much of rental income counts?
Not all of it. The bank allows for the flat not being let every month and for money you'll need to put into it, so it only accepts part of the rent you can prove. Exactly how much varies from bank to bank, so it's worth comparing several banks when rental income is a substantial part of what you earn.
Does it help to have a co-applicant who already has loans of their own?
They bring their own income, but also their own repayments. The bank assesses the household as a whole, so a co-applicant with a consumer loan or a lease can make the result worse. It's worth working it out both ways, with and without the co-applicant.
How does a bank find out about my other repayments?
From the credit registries. The bank and non-bank registries share active loans and repayment history, so it can be traced. There's no point leaving them off the application, it will only slow down approval.