Condo Transfer Taxes & Fees in Thailand: A Complete Guide

Most buyers focus entirely on the purchase price and forget that the Thai government collects several taxes and fees the moment ownership changes hands. These are paid in cash (or cashier's cheque) at the Land Office on the day of transfer, and there is no way to register the new owner until they are settled. Knowing the numbers in advance lets you budget properly and negotiate who pays what.

The good news is that the system is predictable. There are only four costs to understand, each is calculated from a clear formula, and most of them are open to negotiation between buyer and seller. Read this guide before you sign a sale agreement and you will walk into the Land Office knowing exactly what to expect.

The four costs at transfer

Every condo transfer in Thailand involves up to four separate charges. Whether all four apply depends mainly on how long the seller has owned the unit, because the tax system is designed to discourage quick speculative flips.

1. Transfer fee — 2%

The transfer fee is the core registration charge. It is set at 2% of the official appraised value of the property (the government valuation, which is often lower than the actual sale price). This fee always applies to every transfer, and it is by far the most common item that buyers and sellers split.

2. Specific business tax — 3.3%

Specific Business Tax (SBT) is charged at 3.3% of the higher of the appraised value or the sale price. It applies when the seller has owned the property for less than five years, or is not registered in the house book. If the seller has held the unit for more than five years, SBT is waived and only stamp duty applies instead.

3. Withholding tax

Withholding tax is effectively the seller's income tax on the gain. For an individual seller it is calculated on a progressive scale based on the appraised value and the number of years of ownership, so the exact figure varies. For a company seller it is a flat 1% of the appraised or sale price, whichever is higher.

4. Stamp duty — 0.5%

Stamp duty is 0.5% of the registered value. Crucially, it is only payable when Specific Business Tax does not apply. You never pay both SBT and stamp duty on the same transaction — it is one or the other depending on how long the seller has owned the unit.

Who pays what: buyer vs seller

Thai law does not strictly assign each tax to one party, which means almost everything is negotiable and should be written clearly into the sale and purchase agreement. That said, there are common conventions in the market:

• Transfer fee (2%) — usually split 50/50 between buyer and seller, though buyers sometimes agree to pay it all to close a deal.
• Specific business tax (3.3%) — conventionally paid by the seller, since it relates to the seller's holding period.
• Withholding tax — always the seller's responsibility, as it is the seller's income tax on the gain.
• Stamp duty (0.5%) — typically paid by the seller when it applies.

For new units bought directly from a developer, the developer may legally pass only half of the transfer fee to the buyer; the rest of the taxes are the developer's burden. Always confirm the split in writing before you commit.

A worked example on a 3,000,000 THB condo

Imagine a resale condo with both an appraised value and a sale price of 3,000,000 THB, owned by an individual for three years (so SBT applies, not stamp duty). The approximate costs look like this:

• Transfer fee at 2% of 3,000,000 = 60,000 THB (often split, so 30,000 each).
• Specific business tax at 3.3% of 3,000,000 = 99,000 THB (seller's side).
• Withholding tax (individual, three years' ownership) = roughly 25,000–35,000 THB, depending on the progressive bands.
• Stamp duty = 0 THB, because SBT applies on this transaction.

In this case the total government take is roughly 185,000–195,000 THB. If the seller had instead owned the unit for more than five years, SBT of 99,000 THB would be replaced by stamp duty of just 15,000 THB — a large saving that shows why the five-year mark matters so much.

Required documents

Bring originals plus copies of everything. Missing paperwork is the single most common reason a transfer is delayed. You will generally need:

• The original title deed (Chanote) for the unit.
• ID cards and house registration (Tabien Baan) for Thai parties, or passports for foreign parties.
• The signed sale and purchase agreement.
• For a foreign buyer, the Foreign Exchange Transaction form (FET) proving funds were transferred into Thailand in foreign currency.
• A debt-free certificate from the condominium's juristic person, confirming all common-area fees are paid.
• Powers of attorney, if anyone is signing on behalf of another party.

At the Land Office: the process

The transfer itself is usually completed in a single visit if your documents are in order. Both parties (or their representatives) attend together. An officer reviews the paperwork, calculates the exact taxes from the appraised value, and issues a payment slip. You pay at the cashier, the officer registers the new owner on the title deed, and you walk out with the updated Chanote in your name. Allow a few hours, and arrive early — Land Offices get busy.

Tips to reduce costs

• Check the seller's ownership period: passing the five-year mark replaces 3.3% SBT with 0.5% stamp duty.
• Negotiate the split in writing before signing, not on transfer day.
• Use the official appraised value where it is lower than the sale price, as several fees are based on it.
• Bundle the debt-free certificate request early so it does not hold up your transfer date.

Key takeaways

• Four possible costs: transfer fee (2%), SBT (3.3%), withholding tax, and stamp duty (0.5%).
• You pay either SBT or stamp duty, never both.
• Most fees are negotiable — agree the split in advance and put it in the contract.
• On a 3,000,000 THB condo the total can land near 185,000–195,000 THB, so budget for it.

This guide is for general information only. Tax rates, reductions and temporary government measures change from time to time, so always confirm the current figures with the Land Office or a licensed lawyer before you transfer.