Real Estate
French Notary Fees Calculator
Estimate French notary fees (frais de notaire) for an existing or a new home: transfer taxes by département, the notary’s regulated pay and the other costs.
Notary fees, existing home
$20,273
8.1% of the price
Transfer taxes
$15,796
6.32% of the taxed price
Notary's pay
$2,927
regulated scale, VAT included
Security contribution
$250
land registry, 0.1%
If the home were new
$5,925
2.4% of the price
On a $250,000 existing home, notary fees come to about $20,273, 8.1% of the price.
Most of it is tax: $15,796 of transfer taxes at 6.32%. The notary's own pay, set by decree, is $2,927 including VAT, plus $250 of property security contribution and about $1,300 of documents and formalities.
For a new home at the same price, the total would be closer to $5,925 (2.4%), because transfer tax falls to 0.715% of the price before VAT.
Furniture sold with the home, such as a fitted kitchen or appliances, can be listed separately in the deed: that part is not subject to transfer taxes.
Your numbers
5% in most départements since 2025; 4.5% for first-time buyers and where the rate was not raised.
+Advanced options
Where the money goes
Existing home
$20,273
New home
$5,925
The notary keeps only the gold part. The rest goes to the département, the commune and the state, or pays for the documents the sale needs.
How the fees are calculated
Notary fees = Transfer taxes + Notary’s pay + Security contribution + Documents
Transfer taxes = taxed price × (département rate + 1.2% + 2.37% of the département rate); the taxed price excludes furniture listed in the deed. For a new home, the transfer tax is 0.715% of the price before VAT.
Notary’s pay follows the scale in article A444-91 of the Code de commerce: 3.87% of the first slice of the price, then 1.596%, 1.064% and 0.799% of the following slices, plus 20% VAT. Security contribution = 0.1% of the price, with a small minimum. Documents and formalities are an estimate you can change.
French notary fees, explained
In France the buyer pays “notary fees” on top of the price, at signing. The name misleads: most of the money is tax, which the notary collects for the département, the commune and the state. Lenders usually expect your own contribution to cover these fees, so they belong in the savings plan from the start.
Worked example. On a $250,000 existing home in a département charging 5%, transfer taxes come to $15,796, the notary’s pay to $2,927 including VAT, the security contribution to $250 and documents to about $1,300: $20,273 in all, 8.1% of the price. At the 4.5% rate, the total would be 7.6%. For a new home at the same price, it would be about $5,925, or 2.4%.
To see what you can borrow once these fees are paid, use the France borrowing capacity calculator, and read French notary fees: how much to budget for the ways to lower the bill.
French Notary Fees FAQ
How much are notary fees in France?+
About 7–8% of the price for an existing home and 2–3% for a new one. Most of it is transfer tax paid to the département, the commune and the state; the notary’s own pay is usually around 1% of the price.
How are they calculated?+
Transfer taxes are the département’s rate (4.5% or 5%) plus 1.2% for the commune and a state collection fee of 2.37% of the département’s share: 5.81% or 6.32% in all. The notary’s pay follows a decreasing scale set by decree, from 3.87% down to 0.799% of the price, plus 20% VAT. A property security contribution of 0.1% and the cost of documents complete the bill.
Why did notary fees go up in 2025?+
The 2025 budget allowed départements to raise their transfer tax from 4.5% to 5% for sales signed between April 2025 and March 2028, and most did. First-time buyers of their main home are excluded and keep the 4.5% rate.
Can notary fees be negotiated?+
The taxes cannot. Notaries may grant a discount of up to 20% on their own pay for the part of the price above a threshold set by decree, which is worth asking about on a larger purchase. Listing furniture separately in the deed, at a realistic value, legally lowers the transfer taxes.
Is the result the exact amount I will pay?+
It is a close estimate for mainland France. The notary’s quote gives the exact figure, including the documents your sale needs; the official simulator on Service-Public.fr also gives an estimate by département.
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Educational tool, not advice. This calculator illustrates a standard formula using the numbers you enter. It does not account for your full financial picture, taxes, or local market conditions, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset. Speak with a licensed professional before making investment decisions.
See our full disclaimer and how we calculate.
Last reviewed 2026-11-10 by the Yield Analyst team