In Belgium

“Notary fees” is a misnomer commonly used to describe the total costs of a property purchase. In reality, the notary’s personal fee is a small fraction — the bulk consists of registration duties paid to the Region and various administrative costs.

The total costs break down as follows:

  • Registration duties: the main cost, varying by Region
    • Brussels: 12.5% (reduced to 0% on the first 200,000 EUR for owner-occupied homes since 2025)
    • Wallonia: 12.5% (reduced rates for modest homes)
    • Flanders: 3% for owner-occupied homes (reduced from 6% since 2022), 12% for other properties
  • Notary’s fee: regulated by law, based on a sliding scale linked to the property price (typically 1 to 2%)
  • Administrative costs: searches, certificates, transcription fees (approximately 1,000 to 1,500 EUR)
  • Mortgage-related costs: if applicable, additional duties and fees for the mortgage deed

How it works

Calculation. On a 250,000 EUR apartment in Brussels (non-first purchase): registration duties 31,250 EUR + notary fee approximately 3,500 EUR + admin costs 1,200 EUR = total approximately 36,000 EUR (14.4%).

First-time buyer reductions. Each Region offers reduced rates for first-time buyers purchasing their primary residence, significantly lowering the entry cost.

i
Good to know
The notary’s fee is identical regardless of which notary you choose — fees are fixed by law. You can freely choose your notary without cost differences. You can also have two notaries (buyer’s and seller’s) without additional cost — they share the fee.

Practical example

Yasmine buys her first apartment in Flanders for 280,000 EUR. As a first-time buyer for her primary residence, she benefits from the 3% rate: registration duties 8,400 EUR + notary fee 3,200 EUR + admin 1,200 EUR = 12,800 EUR total (4.6%). Had she bought in Brussels at the standard rate, the total would have been approximately 40,000 EUR.

Key considerations

i
Warning
Reduced registration duty rates come with conditions: the property must be your primary residence, you must move in within a specified period, and you must maintain residence for a minimum duration. Failing these conditions can result in a clawback of the benefit.