When purchasing property in France, every buyer must pay a mandatory tax known as the frais de notaire (notary fees). These fees include state taxes and duties collected during the transfer of ownership.
In practice, they cover all formalities related to the conveyance of property rights (droits de mutation à titre onéreux — DMTO), as well as the work of the notary, who acts as a state-appointed official and guarantees the legal security of the transaction.
These fees are paid on the day the deed of sale (acte de vente) is signed and are transferred by the notary directly to the state treasury.
What Notary Fees Include
Notary fees consist of:
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Droits de mutation — the transfer tax applied to property ownership.
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Taxe de publicité foncière — the fee for registering and publishing the deed.
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Notary’s fee (émoluments) — regulated by the French government.
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Various administrative costs — copies, archives, document checks and other formalities.
Important: the term frais de notaire does not mean that all fees go to the notary — approximately 80 % of the amount represents state taxes and duties.
Notary Fee Amounts
The total notary fees depend on the type of property and the department in which it is located.
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Resale property (ancien) — approximately 7–8 % of the purchase price (including taxes and the notary’s fee).
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New-build (neuf, less than 5 years old) — approximately 2–3 % of the price.
This difference is primarily due to the lower transfer tax (DMTO) applied to new properties.
How Notary Fees Are Calculated
Notary fees consist of three main components:
- Departmental transfer tax (DMTO) — 3.8 % to 4.5 % of the transaction value.
As of 2025, most departments apply the maximum rate of 4.5 %, though small variations may exist. - Notary’s fee — 1 % to 2 %, based on the official tariff set by the state.
- State and administrative fees — approximately 0.1–0.3 %.
Examples:
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For a resale apartment priced at € 300,000, total notary fees will be around € 21,000.
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For a new-build property of the same value — approximately € 6,000–9,000.
To obtain an exact figure, you can use our registration fee calculator.
How to Reduce Notary Fees
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List the value of furniture separately — furniture is not included in the taxable base for DMTO.
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Specify agency fees separately — these are also excluded from the tax calculation.
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Purchase a new-build property (VEFA) — this automatically provides access to reduced fees (around 2 %).
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Request a preliminary estimate (devis) from your notary before signing — this ensures transparency and avoids unexpected costs.
Important to Know
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Notary fees are not included in the property price and are generally not financed through a mortgage; they must be paid from personal funds.
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Fees may vary between departments. In some areas, the DMTO rate has already increased to 4.7 %.
