What it costs to buy property in France
A foreign buyer should budget roughly 6.1%–7.8% of the purchase price on top of the price itself. No licence or permit is required.
What you pay
- Transfer duties (droits de mutation)5.1%–6.3% of the price$25,450–$31,600
- Notary emoluments, security contribution and disbursements1.0%–1.5% of the price$5,000–$7,500
| On a purchase of | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer duties (droits de mutation) | $12,725 – $15,800 | $25,450 – $31,600 | $50,900 – $63,200 |
| Notary emoluments, security contribution and disbursements | $2,500 – $3,750 | $5,000 – $7,500 | $10,000 – $15,000 |
| Total on top of the price | 6.1%–7.8% | 6.1%–7.8% | 6.1%–7.8% |
Who carries the taxes and fees
What the seller pays — not you
- Agency commission — 4%–6%Customarily the seller's and already inside the advertised price, which is why French listings are quoted FAI — frais d'agence inclus. Occasionally written as the buyer's instead, so check which the mandate says.
Guides that add every tax together and present the total as a buyer's bill overstate the cost. These are the seller's.
Can you buy as a foreigner?
No licence required
No permit, no restriction and no surcharge: France taxes a foreign buyer exactly as it taxes a French one, and nationality does not enter the transaction. The notary is a public officer acting for the sale rather than for either side, which is why a separate lawyer is optional here in a way it is not further east.
No approval to wait for
With no permission to obtain, the timeline is set by conveyancing rather than by a government queue.
Take it with you
These figures as a PDF, worked out at the price you enter, with every source and the date it was checked.
Watching France?
We'll email you when new listings come up here.
Nearby markets compared
What a foreign buyer pays on top of a $500,000 price, here and in the markets around it nearest in cost.
An estimate for budgeting, not legal or tax advice. These rates are traced to published sources but have not been reviewed by a practitioner in this jurisdiction. Confirm the current position with an attorney before you commit.
The departmental range is sourced to the government's own notice on the 2026 increase, but the rate that applies is the one for the property's département — there are over ninety and they no longer agree. Notary emoluments are a published statutory scale; the range here approximates it across normal prices rather than reproducing it. Not reviewed by a French notaire.