Article

Buying costs in France: what do you really pay?

The asking price is not the whole picture

British and international buyers searching for the real buying costs in France quickly run into the term "notaire fees". That name is misleading: most of this amount is not the notaire's own fee, but tax that the notaire collects on behalf of the state, the département and the commune.

Below we walk through what these costs actually consist of, the 2025–2026 rates for Dordogne, Lot and Corrèze, and the expenses that follow after completion. Including a worked example you can check yourself.

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Notaire fees: 7 to 8% for an existing property

For an existing (resale) property, French notaires themselves give around 7 to 8% of the purchase price as a general indication of the buying costs. [1] This is neither a fixed rate nor a guaranteed ceiling: the real amount depends on the price, the département and your situation as a buyer. For new-build property, this percentage is much lower, around 2 to 3%, because a reduced tax rate applies. [1] A fairly new property resold by a private individual does not automatically qualify for that reduced rate: what matters is the tax regime of the transaction, not simply the age of the building.

These costs are, in principle, payable by the buyer. [2] They consist of four elements:

The taxe de publicité foncière (transfer tax/droits de mutation): the largest part. It is made up of a departmental tax, a communal tax of 1.20%, and a state collection levy ("frais d'assiette et de recouvrement" of 2.37% of the departmental share). [3]
The contribution de sécurité immobilière: 0.10% of the price, with a minimum of €15. [3]
The notaire's statutory fee (émolument): a regulated, sliding-scale percentage set by decree (the higher the price, the lower the rate per band), plus VAT. This scale is the same at every notaire's office, though a discount may legally apply to the portion above €100,000, so the final bill can still vary. [4]
Disbursements (débours): amounts the notaire advances on your behalf, for example for land-registry information, administrative documents, or a surveyor. These vary case by case. [1]

2025–2026 departmental rates: Dordogne, Lot and Corrèze

Since the 2025 finance law, French départements may temporarily raise their share of the taxe de publicité foncière from 4.50% to a maximum of 5.00%, applicable from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028. [5] This increase does not apply when the buyer is making a first purchase of their main home; in that case the rate stays capped at 4.50%. [5] Whether you qualify for that exception depends on your personal situation — have this checked case by case with the notaire.

According to the official tax authority table, updated as of 1 June 2026, all three départements in our working area have adopted the higher rate:

Dordogne (24): departmental rate of 5.00% (4.50% for a first purchase of a main home). [6]
Lot (46): departmental rate of 5.00% (4.50% for a first purchase of a main home). [6]
Corrèze (19): departmental rate of 5.00% (4.50% for a first purchase of a main home). [6]

Adding the 1.20% communal tax, the 2.37% state levy on the departmental share, and the contribution de sécurité immobilière, the total taxe de publicité foncière at this higher rate comes to roughly 6.3% of the purchase price. [3] Add the notaire's fee and disbursements, and you arrive at the familiar overall total of around 7 to 8%.

Well-maintained stone house with blue shutters and a green front garden — Rates differ by property and département; have the notaire calculate the exact figure for your purchase.

Worked example: a €400,000 property

Say you buy an existing property in the Dordogne for €400,000, not as a first main-home purchase. An indicative breakdown looks like this:

Taxe de publicité foncière (around 6.3% at the higher rate): approximately €25,200
Notaire's fee under the statutory sliding scale, including VAT: approximately €4,300 to €5,500, depending on any discount applied
Disbursements (land registry, administrative documents, possible surveyor): typically €800 to €1,500
Total buying costs: approximately €28,000 to €32,000, i.e. 7 to 8% of the price

This is a worked example, not a quote: the notaire calculates the exact amount for your purchase, based on the final price, the département and your situation as a buyer. Financing costs, any buying-agent support, removals and renovation work are not included.

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Who pays the estate agent's commission?

In France, a listing must generally state clearly who bears the agent's commission: under "honoraires charge acquéreur", the buyer pays this commission on top of the net price for the seller, while under "honoraires charge vendeur", the commission is already built into the displayed price. [7] Both figures must appear in the listing and in the agreement between seller and agent. [7] [8] For any property you are seriously considering, check how the displayed price is made up, so you do not count the commission twice in your budget.

The technical file (DDT) is not a valuation

At the point of sale, the seller provides a dossier de diagnostic technique (DDT). This is a set of mandatory technical surveys — energy performance (DPE), lead, asbestos, termites in designated areas, gas and electrical installations, and risk information — showing the condition of certain elements of the property. [9] The DDT is not a valuation and not a figure set by the notaire, nor is it a full structural survey of the roof, foundations or load-bearing structure. [9] If you have doubts about the structural condition, bring in an independent surveyor.

Property tax (taxe foncière): who pays what after completion?

A common misconception is that the buyer themself starts paying taxe foncière from the date of the deed. In tax terms this is not the case: the owner on 1 January of the tax year remains liable for the entire annual bill, even if the property is sold later that year. [10] Buyer and seller can agree, in the notarial deed, a private pro-rata split based on the period of ownership; this is a private arrangement and does not change who is legally liable to the tax authorities. [10] [11] Ask for this split to be explicitly recorded in the deed if you want one.

Taxe d'habitation has been abolished for main homes but can still apply to a second home; here too, the situation on 1 January is what counts.

Ochre-stone villa with terrace, pool and a view over the valley — After completion, costs such as insurance, any renovation work and septic-system compliance come into play.

Costs beyond the deed: insurance, works and the septic system

Once the deed is signed, several costs continue outside the 7 to 8%:

Home insurance (assurance habitation): an ordinary buildings and contents policy, comparable to what you would arrange at home. This is different from the construction insurance below.
Assurance dommages-ouvrage: a mandatory, specific insurance for anyone having certain works carried out under this regime, whether building or renovating; it does not replace ordinary home insurance. [12] Have this assessed for each planned project.
Renovation works: obtain written quotes before making an offer, with clarity on VAT and what is or is not included. There is no official reserve percentage for unforeseen costs; treat any margin you set aside as your own cautious estimate, not an official rule.
Septic system (SPANC): for a property not connected to mains drainage, the non-collective wastewater inspection report must be less than three years old at the signing of the deed. [13] Where non-compliance requires works, the buyer generally has one year from the deed to bring the system up to standard; get a tradesperson's quote beforehand and discuss cost-sharing with the seller. [13]
Mortgage-related costs: a French mortgage carries its own registration and bank fees, separate from the property's buying costs.

Checklist: costs to know before making an offer

Do I have an up-to-date notaire estimate for this property, this département and my situation?
Is it clear whether the displayed price includes the agent's commission, and who pays it?
Does this purchase fall under the standard rate (around 5% departmental) or, as a first main-home purchase, the reduced rate?
Do I have written quotes for necessary works, including VAT?
Is the DDT complete, and do I understand it is not a valuation or a structural survey?
Have I seen the latest taxe foncière bill, and is any agreed split with the seller recorded in the deed?
Is there a SPANC report less than three years old, with any required works and costs discussed?
Have I considered home insurance and, for building plans, any dommages-ouvrage insurance?

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