Buying Guide
Notaire Fees in France: The 2026 Buyer’s Guide
What the fees really are, how the April 2025 reform changed them, and what a purchase in the Valbonne–Grasse hinterland actually costs.
In This Guide
Notaire Fees in France: The 2026 Buyer’s Guide
How much are notaire fees in France in 2026?
Quick answer: On a resale ("ancien") property, total notaire fees run about 7–8% of the price; on a new-build (VEFA) they fall to roughly 2–3%. The percentage is lower on expensive homes because the largest component—the notaire’s own scale—is degressive. For a €1.5M villa in the Alpes-Maritimes, expect around 7.0%, or about €105,000.
"Notaire fees" (frais de notaire) is a misleading label. The notaire keeps only about a tenth of the sum. The official body of French notaires describes the total as roughly eight-tenths taxes, one-tenth disbursements, and one-tenth the notaire’s own regulated remuneration (notaires.fr, updated 19 March 2026). Most of what you pay is transfer tax collected for the State and local authorities.
These costs are paid on top of the purchase price and are not financed by most non-resident mortgages, so budget for them in cash. Two reforms shape the 2026 picture: the April 2025 rise in transfer taxes (which most—but not all—departments adopted) and the regulated notaire scale renewed by the order of 25 February 2026. We break down each below, with a worked example for a hinterland purchase.
Verify before you sign
This guide is general information for foreign buyers, not tax or legal advice. Rates change and depend on the property, the department and your situation. Always confirm the exact figure with the notaire handling your transaction before committing. Figures verified 29 June 2026.
What do notaire fees actually include?
Quick answer: The total has four parts: transfer taxes (DMTO, the bulk), the notaire’s regulated émoluments, disbursements (débours) for searches and documents, and the property-security contribution (CSI) of 0.10% of the price.
Breaking the components apart is the only way to see where the money goes—and where, modestly, it can be reduced:
| Component | What it is | Who receives it |
|---|---|---|
| Droits de mutation (DMTO) | Transfer tax: a departmental rate + a 1.20% communal rate + a small State assessment fee | Department, commune, State |
| Émoluments du notaire | The notaire’s regulated fee, set on a national degressive scale + 20% VAT | The notaire |
| Débours (disbursements) | Sums advanced for the land registry, surveyor, mortgage registrar and document fees | Third parties |
| Contribution de sécurité immobilière (CSI) | 0.10% of the price, for registering the deed at the land registry | State |
Taxes dominate. On a typical resale the DMTO alone is around 5.8–6.3% of the price—so the headline "7–8%" is mostly tax, not the notaire’s pay. Per impots.gouv.fr, the CSI is a flat 0.10% of the sale price.
What are the transfer taxes (DMTO) in 2026 — and did the Alpes-Maritimes raise them?
Quick answer: The 2025 Finance Law let departments lift the departmental DMTO rate from 4.50% to 5.00% between 1 April 2025 and 30 April 2028. Most departments did. The Alpes-Maritimes did not—it kept 4.50%, so total transfer tax there is about 5.80%, slightly below neighbouring Var and Bouches-du-Rhône.
Article 116 of Law no. 2025-127 of 14 February 2025 created CGI article 1594 F septies, authorising each conseil départemental to raise the departmental transfer-tax rate by up to 0.5 point, temporarily (service-public.gouv.fr, 2 April 2025). Around 27 departments adopted the rise from 1 April 2025; a handful declined.
According to the official rate table published by impots.gouv.fr (applicable 1 February 2026), the picture across the Riviera is:
| Department | Departmental rate 2026 | Approx. total transfer tax* |
|---|---|---|
| Alpes-Maritimes (06) | 4.50% | ~5.80% |
| Var (83) | 5.00% | ~6.32% |
| Bouches-du-Rhône (13) | 5.00% | ~6.32% |
| Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04) | 5.00% | ~6.32% |
*Total transfer tax = departmental rate + 1.20% communal tax + a State assessment fee of 2.37% of the departmental tax. For the Alpes-Maritimes: 4.50% + 1.20% + (2.37% × 4.50%) ≈ 5.81%.
For buyers in Valbonne, Mougins, Biot, Grasse, Opio, Le Rouret, Roquefort-les-Pins and Châteauneuf-de-Grasse—all in the Alpes-Maritimes—this is a small but real saving versus a purchase a few kilometres away in the Var.
How is the notaire’s own fee (émoluments) calculated?
Quick answer: The notaire’s regulated fee follows a national, degressive four-bracket scale—the same at every office—plus 20% VAT. On the slice above €60,000 it is just 0.814%, so on a luxury property the notaire’s share is a small fraction of the total.
For a standard sale of real estate (act no. 54, article A444-91 of the Commercial Code), the scale renewed by the order of 25 February 2026 and published by notaires.fr is:
| Price bracket | Rate (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| €0 – €6,500 | 3.945% |
| €6,500 – €17,000 | 1.627% |
| €17,000 – €60,000 | 1.085% |
| Above €60,000 | 0.814% |
The rate applies cumulatively to each slice, not to the whole price, and 20% VAT is added. Because the top bracket is only 0.814%, the émoluments shrink as a percentage on expensive homes. Notaires may also grant a discount of up to 10% on the portion of émoluments calculated on the slice at or above €150,000 (article A444-174); the discount is optional but, if offered, must apply to all clients in the same situation.
Worked example: fees on a €1.5 million villa in Valbonne
Quick answer: On a €1,500,000 resale villa in the Alpes-Maritimes, total notaire fees come to roughly €105,000, about 7.0% of the price—of which transfer tax is €87,000 and the notaire’s own fee only about €15,000.
Using the verified 2026 figures above, for a €1,500,000 villa in Valbonne (Alpes-Maritimes, 4.50% departmental rate):
| Component | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax (DMTO) | ≈ 5.806% of €1,500,000 | €87,100 |
| Notaire émoluments (incl. 20% VAT) | Four-bracket scale, then ×1.20 | €15,140 |
| CSI | 0.10% of €1,500,000 | €1,500 |
| Disbursements (débours) | Searches, registry, documents | ~€1,200 |
| Total | ≈ 7.0% of price | ~€104,900 |
The same exercise on a €2,000,000 villa gives roughly €139,000, or about 6.97%—the percentage edges down again because the émoluments and fixed costs spread over a larger base. Disbursements vary by file and are reconciled after completion: the notaire takes a provision up front and refunds any surplus.
Why are notaire fees lower on a new-build (VEFA)?
Quick answer: A new-build (VEFA) carries "reduced" notaire fees of about 2–3% instead of 7–8%, because the high transfer tax is replaced by a land-publicity tax of just 0.715%. VAT of 20% is already inside the price.
On a new property—typically a first sale within five years of completion, including off-plan (VEFA)—the ordinary registration duties are replaced by a reduced taxe de publicité foncière of 0.715%, alongside the 0.10% CSI and the same regulated émoluments scale (impots.gouv.fr). The 20% VAT on a new home is built into the developer’s price, not added on top.
The result is total notaire fees of roughly 2–3% rather than 7–8%. New-build stock is scarce in the protected hinterland villages, but where it exists—contemporary villas and small programmes—the lower acquisition cost is a genuine consideration.
Can foreign buyers reduce notaire fees?
Quick answer: Yes, modestly. Deducting the value of furniture from the taxable price, asking the notaire for the optional émolument discount on the slice above €150,000, and confirming who bears the agency fee are the three legitimate levers. Nationality and residency do not change the regulated fees.
Notaire fees are the same regardless of where you live or your passport—there is no foreigner surcharge. The practical ways to trim the bill are:
- Deduct movable furniture. If the sale includes fitted kitchens, furniture or equipment, their itemised, justifiable value can be removed from the price on which transfer tax is calculated—so long as it is genuine and documented.
- Ask about the émolument discount. Many offices apply the optional 10% reduction on the portion of émoluments above €150,000. On a multi-million-euro purchase this is worth asking for.
- Clarify the agency fee. A price quoted "FAI" (frais d’agence inclus) already contains the agency commission; structuring it as borne by the seller ("net vendeur") can reduce the base on which transfer tax falls. Your notaire will advise on what is permissible.
The April 2025 relief for first-time buyers (primo-accédants) exempts them from the 0.5-point rise, but it applies only to a main residence bought by someone who has not owned their principal home in the prior two years—so it rarely helps an international buyer acquiring a second home on the Riviera (service-public.gouv.fr).
When and how are notaire fees paid?
Quick answer: Notaire fees are paid in full at the signing of the final deed (acte authentique), by bank transfer to the notaire, on top of the price. The notaire collects a provision, settles the taxes, and refunds any surplus afterwards.
The transaction completes when both parties sign the acte de vente before the notaire, usually two to three months after the preliminary contract (compromis). On that day the buyer transfers the price plus all acquisition costs to the notaire’s regulated account. The notaire then pays the transfer taxes to the State and registers the deed.
For most non-resident buyers these funds come from cash, not the mortgage—lenders typically finance a share of the price only, not the fees—so the 7% should sit in your acquisition budget from the outset. Plan the currency transfer in advance: moving €100,000+ at the wrong moment can cost more than the émoluments themselves. See our companion guides on non-resident mortgages and currency for buying in France.
This is general guidance
Notaire fees depend on the specific property, department and transaction structure, and the rules can change. Treat the figures here as a well-sourced estimate and confirm the exact total with your notaire before signing. La Reserve can introduce you to English-speaking notaires across the Alpes-Maritimes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The notaire’s regulated émoluments and the 0.10% CSI are national, but the transfer tax (DMTO) varies by department. After the April 2025 reform most departments charge a 5.00% departmental rate; the Alpes-Maritimes kept 4.50%, giving a total transfer tax of about 5.80% (impots.gouv.fr, Feb 2026).
No. The notaire’s fees and transfer taxes are identical regardless of nationality or residency. There is no foreigner surcharge on notaire fees. (Separate considerations such as a fiscal representative on resale can apply to non-EU sellers, covered in our capital-gains guide.)
On a €2,000,000 resale property in the Alpes-Maritimes, expect total notaire fees of roughly €139,000—about 7.0% of the price. Transfer tax accounts for around €116,000, the notaire’s émoluments (with VAT) about €20,000, the CSI €2,000, and disbursements the small remainder.
Usually not for non-residents. Most lenders finance only a portion of the purchase price and expect the buyer to cover acquisition costs from their own funds. Budget the full 7% in cash, alongside any deposit, and plan the currency transfer ahead of completion.
"Frais de notaire" is the whole sum you pay at completion—mostly taxes. The émoluments are only the notaire’s own regulated remuneration, roughly one-tenth of the total. The rest is transfer tax for the State and local authorities, disbursements and the CSI (notaires.fr).
No. Notaire fees are always paid on top of the price. An asking price may be shown "FAI" (agency fee included) or "net vendeur" (excluding agency fee), but in both cases the transfer taxes and notaire costs are additional. Always ask which basis a price is quoted on.
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