The Civil Code of Belarus was adopted by the House of Representatives on 28 October 1998, approved by the Council of the Republic on 19 November 1998, and came into force on 7 December 1998 as Law No. 218‑З. Major recent amendments were introduced by Law No. 312‑Z of 13 November 2023, which brought comprehensive revisions—including modernization of corporate law, branch and representative office regimes for foreign entities, escrow contracts, intercreditor agreements, and extension of copyright terms to 70 years after the author’s death.
The Code is divided into the following Sections: I) General provisions (including scope, principles, rights, obligations, property, inheritance, limitation, and private international law); II) Ownership and other rights in rem; III) Law of obligations (general part); IV) Individual types of obligations; V) Intellectual property rights; VI) Inheritance law; VII) International private law; VIII) Final provisions.
OWNERSHIP AND PROPERTY RIGHTS. The Code provides a comprehensive framework for ownership and real rights, including usufruct, servitudes, pledges, and superficies. Real rights must be registered per law for validity (e.g. land, buildings). Adverse possession or prescription rights are recognized under limitation rules. The Code includes special provisions applicable to the ownership of peasant (farming) household (see article 260 and subsequent provisions).
INHERITANCE. Inheritance rules are contained in Section I and later Chapters. They include succession upon death, wills and legacies, and statutory rules. Reserved shares ensure certain heirs can’t be disinherited entirely. Succession can be accepted or declined within prescribed periods. Foreign element inheritance is regulated in private international law (under choice of law rules).
The Code includes general principles on contracts (freedom of contract, form and interpretation), tort, unjust enrichment and other sources of obligations under Section III. Specific provisions apply to certain types of contract, including purchase-sale (art. 424), rent (art. 554), lease (art. 577), work (art. 656) and insurance (art. 817). See also article 505 on contract of agricultural procurement, by which the producer of agricultural products shall be obliged to transfer the agricultural products grown (produced) by him to the person carrying out the purchase of such products for processing or sale (the procurer).