Transfer Cost Calculator
See the full upfront cost of buying a home in South Africa — transfer duty plus conveyancer fees, Deeds Office, bond registration, and the disbursements no one tells you about. All-in number, itemised so you can see where every rand goes.
Loan amount: R 1 350 000
Total upfront transfer cost
R91 611.10
Approximately 6.1% of the purchase price · with bond
SARS rates 2026/27 · LSSA scale Aug 2025 · Deeds Office Apr 2026 · Verified May 2026
Transfer side
SARS transfer duty
Statutory tax, paid to SARS. No VAT.
R 8 700
Transfer attorney fee (incl. VAT)
R31 520 excl. VAT — LSSA recommended scale
R 36 248
Deeds Office transfer fee
Statutory, set by Government Gazette. No VAT.
R 1 738
Disbursements (FICA, lodgement, post & petties)
Typical attorney admin charges. Varies by firm — incl. VAT.
R 2 509
Bond side
Bond registration attorney fee (incl. VAT)
R29 470 excl. VAT — same LSSA scale, applied to loan amount
R 33 891
Deeds Office bond registration fee
Statutory, no VAT.
R 1 738
Bank initiation fee
Paid to the bank. NCA-capped, most lenders charge close to this.
R 6 038
Bond admin disbursements
Bank sundries + extra Deeds Office lodgement (incl. VAT).
R 750
What this includes — and excludes
Includes: SARS transfer duty (statutory), conveyancer + bond attorney fees (LSSA scale + 15% VAT), Deeds Office statutory fees (Apr 2026), bond initiation fee, and a typical disbursements bundle. Excludes: estate agent commission (paid by the seller), building inspection, occupational rent, pro-rata levies and rates settled at registration, and any non-standard sundry charges. The attorney fees are guideline figures — real quotes can be 5–15% below the recommended scale at competitive firms.
Want just the SARS transfer duty figure on its own with the full bracket breakdown?
See the transfer duty calculatorData: Effective 1 April 2026 · SARS Transfer Duty Act · LSSA conveyancer fee guideline · Deeds Office fee schedule · See methodology
What goes into SA transfer costs
When you register a property in South Africa, the buyer pays a cluster of once-off costs that sit on top of the purchase price. They split into four buckets:
- SARS transfer duty — a statutory tax. Zero below R1,210,000; sliding from 3% up to 13% above that. Paid to SARS within six months of the offer being signed. No VAT.
- Attorney fees— the conveyancer who handles the transfer charges per the LSSA recommended scale. If you're bonding, the bank's bond attorney charges separately on the loan amount, using the same scale. Both fees attract 15% VAT.
- Deeds Office fees — statutory registration fees set by Government Gazette. There are two: one for the transfer (charged on purchase price) and, if applicable, one for the bond (charged on loan amount). Flat amounts per band, no VAT.
- Disbursements — FICA, deeds search, post & petties, lodgement (R52/document), bank sundries. Small individually, but add up to R3,000–R5,000 per transaction. VAT-able.
Add the bank's once-off bond initiation fee (currently capped at R6,037.50 by the NCA) and you have the full upfront cash requirement on top of your deposit.
Transfer cost at common SA price points
Indicative figures assuming a 10% deposit and a bond on the balance. Drag the calculator above to your specific price, deposit and bond mix for an exact figure.
| Purchase price | Transfer duty | Total transfer costs |
|---|---|---|
| R 800 000 | R 0 | R ~ 61 000~7.6% |
| R 1 210 000 | R 0 | R ~ 78 000~6.5% |
| R 1 500 000 | R 8 700 | R ~ 92 000~6.1% |
| R 2 000 000 | R 33 786 | R ~ 126 000~6.3% |
| R 3 000 000 | R 107 356 | R ~ 225 000~7.5% |
| R 5 000 000 | R 327 356 | R ~ 490 000~9.8% |
“Total transfer costs” assumes a 10% deposit and a bond. Cash purchases skip the bond attorney + Deeds Office bond fee + bank initiation fee, saving R20,000–R45,000 in the typical range. Figures rounded to nearest R1 000.
Frequently asked questions
What are transfer costs in South Africa?
Transfer costs are the once-off fees a buyer pays at registration of a property, on top of the purchase price itself. They typically run 8–12% of the home price and break into four buckets: (1) SARS transfer duty (a statutory tax — zero below R1.21m, sliding up to 13% on high-value homes); (2) conveyancing attorney fees (LSSA recommended scale, plus 15% VAT); (3) Deeds Office statutory fees (set by Government Gazette); (4) disbursements like FICA, lodgement, post & petties (small but add up). If you're getting a bond, add bond registration attorney fees, the Deeds Office bond fee, and the bank's initiation fee.
How much does it cost to buy a R1.5m home in South Africa?
On a R1.5m property with a 10% deposit (R150,000) and a R1.35m bond, expect about R92,000 in upfront transfer costs. That breaks down as: transfer duty R8,700 (3% on the value above R1.21m), transfer attorney fee about R36,250 incl. VAT (LSSA scale), Deeds Office transfer fee R1,738, bond attorney fee about R33,890 incl. VAT, Deeds Office bond fee R1,738, bank initiation fee R6,038, plus around R3,260 in FICA and disbursements. Add the deposit and you need roughly R242,000 cash on hand for a R1.5m purchase.
Are conveyancer fees fixed or negotiable?
The LSSA recommended scale is just that — a guideline. Conveyancer fees are negotiable and competitive firms routinely charge 5–15% below the recommended scale, especially on higher-value properties where the absolute saving is meaningful. Some firms offer fixed-fee conveyancing for sub-R2m properties. You can also shop conveyancers — buyers are entitled to pick their own attorney (subject to bank approval if there's a bond involved). Asking two or three firms for quotes on the same matter often saves R3,000–R10,000 on a typical home purchase.
What is the bond initiation fee?
The bond initiation fee is a once-off charge the bank levies for setting up your home loan. It is paid to the bank, not the attorney, and is regulated by the National Credit Act with a current cap of R6,037.50. Most major SA banks (FNB, Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank) charge close to the cap; some originator-driven specials waive or discount it during promotions. The fee covers the bank's admin costs for credit assessment, valuation, and loan setup — and is not the same as the bond registration fee paid to your bond attorney.
Can I add transfer costs into my bond?
Generally no. SA banks lend against the property's value, so the bond is capped at (typically) 100% of the purchase price for qualifying buyers — not 110%. Transfer costs must come from your savings. A few non-bank specialist lenders (or short-term personal loans) will fund transfer costs separately, but you'll pay a much higher rate on that portion. The cleaner approach is to budget transfer costs as part of your total cash requirement upfront: deposit + transfer costs = typical 15–25% of the home price, depending on your bond size.
Who pays transfer costs — buyer or seller?
In South Africa, the BUYER pays the transfer costs. The seller pays estate agent commission (typically 5–8% incl. VAT), bond cancellation fees on their existing bond (if any), rates clearance certificate, and any compliance certificates required for the sale (electrical, beetle, plumbing, gas, electric fence). This is set in the standard Offer to Purchase template and rarely varies. If a seller agrees to 'cover transfer costs' as part of a price negotiation, they're effectively reducing the sale price by that amount — the costs themselves remain the buyer's legal liability to settle.
What if I'm buying from a developer?
If the seller is a VAT-registered developer (typical for new builds and sectional title developments), the price is VAT-inclusive and no transfer duty is payable. The 15% VAT is built into the developer's quoted price, so a R2m new-build sectional title unit is fully VAT-inclusive (the R2m already contains R260,870 of VAT). You still pay conveyancer fees, Deeds Office fees, and bond costs — only the SARS transfer duty falls away. Always check the offer to purchase for the words 'VAT inclusive' or 'plus transfer duty' to confirm which scenario applies.
Are these fees up to date for 2026?
Yes. SARS transfer duty rates are the SARS 2026/27 brackets, confirmed unchanged from 1 April 2025 by National Treasury in the February 2026 Budget Speech. Conveyancing fees use the LSSA recommended scale effective 1 August 2025 (the next annual increase is expected April–August 2026 and we'll update when it's announced). Deeds Office fees are from Government Gazette 54225 published 27 February 2026, effective 1 April 2026 to 28 February 2027. Bank initiation fee uses the current NCA-regulated cap of R6,037.50.
Sources: SARS Transfer Duty rates table — sars.gov.za/tax-rates/transfer-duty/ (effective 1 April 2025, unchanged 2026/27 per Treasury 25 Feb 2026). Conveyancing fees: Legal Practice Council / LSSA recommended guideline, effective 1 August 2025. Deeds Office fees: Government Gazette 54225, 27 February 2026, effective 1 April 2026 – 28 February 2027. Bond initiation fee: National Credit Act Regulation 42(1)(d), current cap R6,037.50. Disbursements are typical mid-market figures; actual quotes vary 10–25% by firm and province. Calculator is for planning only — get a written quote from your conveyancer before transferring funds. Not financial or legal advice.
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