Transfer duty
This is a tax paid by the buyer to SARS. From 1 April 2026, no transfer duty is charged on the first R1.21 million. Above that amount, SARS uses a sliding scale.
Transfer Cost Calculator
Calculate your estimated bond registration and property transfer costs before you buy.
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* Bank initiation fee is estimated at R6,037.50 including VAT.
** If the seller is a VAT vendor, VAT is payable on the purchase price instead of transfer duty.
*** Post, petties, FICA and other fees are approximations and may vary by attorney firm.
The simple version
What are property transfer costs?
The price of the home is not the only amount you need to budget for. Transfer costs are the once-off costs of legally moving the property into your name and, if you use a home loan, registering the bank's bond.
Transfer attorney costs
The transferring attorney handles the paperwork that puts the property into your name. Their account can include professional fees, deeds-office charges, FICA checks and smaller administration costs.
Bond registration costs
If a bank finances the purchase, a bond attorney registers the home loan against the property. This is separate from the transfer attorney's work, even when both processes happen together.
Easy way to remember it:
the deposit helps pay for the home; transfer costs pay for the tax, legal work and registration needed to complete the purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Transfer costs, without the jargon
Are transfer costs part of my deposit?
No. Your deposit reduces the amount you need to borrow for the property. Transfer costs are separate once-off expenses, so budget for both unless your bank has specifically agreed to finance some of the costs.
Do I pay transfer duty on every home?
No. There is no transfer duty on a property valued at R1.21 million or less under the rates effective from 1 April 2026. You may still have attorney, deeds-office and bond-registration costs.
Who actually pays the money to SARS?
You provide the money, but the conveyancer normally submits the declaration and makes the electronic payment to SARS for you. SARS then issues the receipt needed for the transfer process.
Can I pay both VAT and transfer duty on the same sale?
Normally, no. A property sale is generally subject to either VAT or transfer duty. If the seller is a VAT vendor and the sale forms part of that business, VAT may apply instead. Let the conveyancer confirm which treatment applies before you budget.
Tax guidance checked against the SARS transfer-duty guide and current SARS rate table.