Notary fees (acquisition costs)
All the sums paid to the notary on purchase: transfer duties collected by the state, disbursements and the notary's fees. They run to roughly 7–8% of the price for existing property and 2–3% for new builds. Often paid from the contribution, they must be anticipated from the financing plan.
Key points
- Comprise three components: fiscal transfer duties, notary disbursements and regulated fees.
- Run to roughly 7–8% of the price for existing property, 2–3% for new builds.
- Generally paid from the personal contribution; banks rarely finance them without sufficient contribution.
- Can be known precisely before signing via the official simulators of the notaries' chambers.
Frequently asked questions
Why are notary fees so different between new and existing property?
For existing property, transfer duties, collected by the state and local authorities, make up the majority of fees and amount to around 5.80% in most departments. For new builds, VAT is already included in the sale price and transfer duties are reduced to a significantly lower flat rate. It is this fiscal gap that explains the difference, not the notary's fees.
Are notary fees negotiable?
The majority of fees, transfer duties and disbursements, are not negotiable as they are set by law or reimbursed to third parties. Only the notary's own fees, which represent a minor fraction of the total, can be subject to a reduction for transactions exceeding a certain threshold. The broker must manage client expectations on this point.
What mistakes should be avoided when integrating notary fees into the financing plan?
The first mistake is estimating them on the all-inclusive price (agency fees included) rather than the net seller price, which overstates the taxable base. The second is forgetting new-build-specific costs: reservation contract fees, VAT share on undelivered fittings. The broker must always indicate to the bank the fees estimated to the nearest euro, documented by a notarial simulation.
In practice
On an existing-property purchase at €320,000 in Île-de-France, notary fees amount to approximately €24,000 (7.5%). The broker incorporates this item from the very first client meeting to ensure the declared €30,000 contribution genuinely covers these fees and leaves a remainder for guarantee and brokerage costs.
Official sources
- Computing acquisition costs (notary fees) · Service-Public.gouv.fr
- Obtaining a mortgage loan · Service-Public.gouv.fr
- Mortgage credit (official guide) · Service-Public.gouv.fr