Municipalities represent the second and lowest level of local government in Croatia, with 556 such units currently established across the country. These administrative divisions serve as the primary point of contact between citizens and local government, handling essential day-to-day services including local infrastructure maintenance, utility management, primary education, social welfare programs, and urban planning within their jurisdictions. Municipalities possess their own elected councils and mayors who exercise authority over local budgets, taxation, and administrative decisions affecting their communities. They function alongside cities as the two types of local self-government units in Croatia's administrative structure, with municipalities generally covering smaller population centers and rural areas. Their responsibilities encompass issuing construction permits, maintaining local roads and public spaces, organizing waste management, and delivering other public services that directly impact residents' daily lives.