Glossary, tax and fees

Transfer fee in Thai property

ค่าธรรมเนียมการโอน

The transfer fee is the Department of Lands' charge for registering a change of ownership: 2% of the property's official appraised value, paid at the land office on the day of transfer.

The fee is charged on the appraised value, not the contract price. Appraised values are usually below market prices, so the fee is often less than 2% of what you actually pay.

Who pays is a matter for the contract. On resales the fee is commonly split equally between buyer and seller. Developers often pass half or all of it to the buyer, so check the sale and purchase agreement before comparing prices between projects.

A temporary cut to 0.01% for homes priced at up to THB 7 million has been extended to 30 June 2027, but it applies only to buyers who are Thai nationals. Foreign buyers pay the full rate.

Registering a lease is charged differently: 1% of the total rent over the term, plus 0.1% stamp duty.

The transfer fee is collected at the land office alongside specific business tax or stamp duty and the seller's withholding tax. See property taxes and buying costs, or estimate the total with the purchase cost calculator.

General guidance, not legal or tax advice. Take independent legal advice before you commit to a purchase.

Terms related to transfer fee

Appraised value: The appraised value is the official value that the Treasury Department assigns to land, buildings and condominium units as the base for government fees and taxes. It is usually lower than the market price.
Specific business tax (SBT): Specific business tax is a 3.3% tax on the sale of property by a company or developer, or by an individual who has owned it for less than five years. It is charged on the higher of the sale price and the appraised value.
Stamp duty: Stamp duty on a Thai property sale is 0.5% of the higher of the sale price and the appraised value. It is charged only when specific business tax does not apply, so a seller pays one or the other, never both.
Withholding tax: Withholding tax is income tax deducted from a payment before it reaches the person who earned it. On a Thai property sale the land office collects it from the seller at transfer: 1% for a company and a sliding-scale amount for an individual. Rent paid from Thailand to a non-resident owner carries 15% withholding.