Who pays the transfer fees and taxes in Thailand?

By law the transfer fee can be paid by either side, while specific business tax, stamp duty and withholding tax are the seller’s taxes. In practice the contract decides; a common split is the transfer fee 50/50 and the seller paying their own taxes.

How much are the total transaction costs?

For a resale, the combined costs for buyer and seller are usually around 6–8% of the price (transfer fee, SBT or stamp duty, withholding tax). With the customary split, the buyer’s share is usually about 2–4%.

How do new-build and resale costs differ?

On a new build the developer usually pays SBT and withholding tax, so the buyer pays part of the transfer fee, the sinking fund and prepaid fees. On a resale everything has to be negotiated with the seller.

Do foreigners pay annual property tax in Thailand?

Yes, land and building tax, but it is small: a second-home condo pays 0.02% of appraised value a year (about ฿600 on ฿3m), and a registered main home is exempt up to ฿10m.

Do I have to be at the Land Office in person?

No. You can appoint a representative using the Land Department’s standard power of attorney; if signed abroad it must be notarised and legalised or signed at a Thai embassy.

Thailand Property Taxes & Fees for Foreigners 2026

TL;DR: When you buy a resale condo in Thailand there are four main costs: ① a 2% transfer fee on the official appraised value, usually split 50/50; ② 3.3% specific business tax (if the seller has owned it under 5 years) or 0.5% stamp duty — never both; ③ withholding tax (1% for company sellers, progressive for individuals); ④ a one-off sinking fund and prepaid common area fees paid by the buyer. Foreigners do not qualify for the 0.01% transfer fee discount that Thai buyers get.

Thai law says whose tax each item is, but who actually pays is negotiable in the sale contract — that is where most of the money is won or lost. Below: what each item is, a worked example, running costs, and the full process.

What taxes and fees do you pay when buying property in Thailand?

Item	Rate	Based on	Paid by (law / custom)
Transfer fee	2%	Land Department appraised value	Negotiable, often split 50/50
Specific business tax (SBT)	3.3% (3% + 10% local surcharge)	Higher of appraised value and sale price	Seller; exempt after 5 years’ ownership or 1 year on the unit’s house registration
Stamp duty	0.5%	Higher of appraised value and sale price	Seller; only when SBT does not apply
Withholding tax	1% for companies; progressive for individuals	Companies: higher of the two; individuals: appraised value	Seller
Sinking fund	One-off, about ฿300–600 per m²	Unit size	Buyer, at first transfer
Common area fee	About ฿30–80 per m² per month	Unit size	Buyer, usually 6–12 months in advance

Key facts

SBT and stamp duty are either/or.
For an individual seller, withholding tax depends on years held and often works out at roughly 1–3% of the price.
New builds: the developer normally pays SBT and withholding tax; the buyer pays part of the transfer fee, the sinking fund and prepaid fees.

Do foreigners get the 0.01% transfer fee discount?

No. Thailand cut the transfer and mortgage registration fees to 0.01% for homes priced and appraised at ฿7m or less, extended to 30 June 2027 — but only for Thai-national individual buyers. Foreigners and companies pay the standard 2% transfer fee.

Worked example: a ฿3 million resale condo

Assume a sale price of ฿3,000,000, an appraised value of ฿2,500,000, a 35 m² unit and an individual seller who has owned it for 3 years:

Transfer fee: ฿2.5m × 2% = ฿50,000 (split, so ฿25,000 for the buyer)
Specific business tax: ฿3m × 3.3% = ฿99,000 (seller)
Withholding tax: progressive, typically tens of thousands of baht (seller)
Sinking fund: 35 × ฿500 = ฿17,500 (buyer)
One year of common fees in advance: 35 × ฿50 × 12 = ฿21,000 (buyer)

Here the buyer’s one-off extras come to about ฿60,000, around 2% of the price. If the contract says “buyer pays all fees and taxes”, that figure grows several times. Spell out every item in the contract.

What are the annual running costs?

Common area fees: about ฿30–60 per m² per month in Pattaya and ฿40–80 in Bangkok; more in luxury buildings.
Land and building tax: if the condo is your registered main home, the first ฿10m of appraised value is exempt; a second home is taxed from the first baht at 0.02%. A condo appraised at ฿3m pays about ฿600 a year.
Utilities: billed at public utility rates, though some buildings add a markup — ask before you buy.
If you rent it out: rental income is taxable in Thailand (flat 30% deduction, then progressive rates of 0–35%), and management typically costs 10–30% of the rent.

The buying process step by step

Reservation: a booking deposit of ฿50,000–200,000. Since 31 January 2025 condo reservation contracts are consumer-protected: if, for example, the environmental approval fails or the developer misses the contract deadline, the deposit must be refunded within 15 days.
Due diligence: check the unit title (Or Chor 2) at the Land Office, that the project land has a full title deed (Chanote), and that there is no mortgage or seizure; confirm the foreign quota and any unpaid fees with the juristic office.
Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA): for resale, usually a 10% deposit and transfer within 30–60 days; for off-plan, staged payments. The SPA should state who pays which fees, the handover standard and penalties.
Send foreign currency from abroad in the buyer’s own name, quoting the unit; the bank issues an FET form (USD 50,000+ per transfer) or a credit advice letter.
Documents from the building: a debt-free letter (usually valid 7–30 days) and a foreign quota letter.
Land Office transfer: the buyer brings the passport, FET forms or bank letters and the SPA; the seller brings the title, ID and debt-free letter. Fees are paid by cashier’s cheque and the new title is usually issued the same day.

If you cannot attend, use the Land Department’s standard power of attorney; signed abroad it must be notarised and legalised or signed at a Thai embassy. Land Offices generally refuse custom-drafted POAs.

Can foreigners get a mortgage in Thailand?

Yes, but options are limited. A handful of lenders lend to foreigners, typically requiring a work permit or documented foreign income, a 30–50% down payment and floating rates of around 5.5–7.5%; some non-bank lenders charge around 12%. Terms change often, so ask the bank directly. Most foreign buyers pay cash.

What do you pay when you sell, and can you take the money out?

The seller pays SBT or stamp duty and withholding tax, with the transfer fee split as agreed. If you have been on the unit’s house registration (for foreigners, the yellow Tor Ror 13 book) for at least a year, SBT does not apply and you pay 0.5% stamp duty instead.

Sale proceeds can be sent abroad: with the original FET forms or bank letters, the sale and transfer documents and proof of tax paid, the bank can remit up to the amount you originally brought in, in foreign currency. Amounts above that need supporting documents and the bank’s approval.

New to the Pattaya market? Start with how to buy a condo in Pattaya as a foreigner, or browse our listings for sale.

Sources

Thai property transfer taxes: Siam Legal, terms.law
0.01% fee extension: HLB Thailand
Land and building tax rates: Lex Bangkok
Condo reservation contract rules: Tilleke & Gibbins
Transfer documents: Property 101 Thailand

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rates and rules are set by the Land Department and Revenue Department on the day of transfer.

Thailand Property Taxes and Fees (2026): What Foreign Buyers Pay