Notary fees refer to all the sums paid at the signing of a real estate sale deed. For a purchase of 200,000 euros in the old market, these fees amount to approximately 16,000 euros. The majority of this amount does not compensate the notary: it finances taxes paid to the State and local authorities.
Departmental disparities on transfer duties since 2025
The finance law for 2025 has opened the possibility for departments to temporarily raise the rate of transfer duties on onerous title (DMTO). This measure has not been applied uniformly across the territory. Depending on the department where the house is located, the final amount of acquisition fees for the same property priced at 200,000 euros can vary by several hundred euros.
See also : Which oil to choose for a gas lawn mower?
This local variable changes the game for buyers comparing properties located in neighboring departments. Before signing a preliminary agreement, checking the DMTO rate applied by the relevant department allows for a more accurate overall budget. Updated information can be found on the tax administration’s pages.
When looking into notary fees for a house priced at 200,000 euros, this departmental dimension is often overlooked in favor of an average national percentage that masks the real discrepancies.
Related reading : The main technical difficulties encountered on the Playstation 5 - A complete guide for gamers
Taxes, disbursements, fees: anatomy of the total amount
The term “notary fees” encompasses three distinct items. Understanding their respective weight allows one to know where the money goes and what can be acted upon.
- Transfer duties constitute the heaviest portion, accounting for about four-fifths of the total. These are taxes collected by the notary on behalf of the State, the department, and the municipality.
- Disbursements correspond to the expenses advanced by the notary’s office to carry out administrative procedures: urban planning certificate, publication of the sale to the land publicity service, potential surveyor. Their share represents a modest fraction of the total.
- Notary fees represent the notary’s actual remuneration. They are calculated according to a regulated scale, in brackets proportional to the sale price. For a purchase of 200,000 euros, this remuneration does not exceed one-fifth of the total fees.
The real estate security contribution, paid to the public treasury for the registration of the deed, is added to these three items. Its amount remains limited compared to the transfer duties.
Notary fees in new properties: a reduced rate that deserves nuance
For a new property, acquisition fees are around 2 to 3% of the sale price, compared to 7 to 8% in the old market. This difference is explained by the tax structure: the buyer pays VAT on the price of the property, which reduces the transfer duties.
A new purchase at 200,000 euros thus shows significantly lower notary fees than an old purchase at the same price. The difference can reach several thousand euros, which alters the personal contribution required by the bank.
Beware of additional costs in new properties
Several guides merely contrast the reduced rate of new properties with the full rate of old ones. This comparison overlooks one point: guarantee fees related to financing (mortgage or lender’s privilege) and any taxable annexes can increase the overall acquisition cost. The reduced notary fee rate does not always reflect the actual total cost of the transaction.
Notary fees: a tiered scale applicable in 2025
Notary fees are set by decree and apply uniformly across all notary offices in France. The scale operates in proportional brackets: the rate applied decreases as the sale price increases.
For a property priced at 200,000 euros, the calculation passes through several successive brackets, each with its own percentage. The notary cannot freely charge this part: it is strictly regulated.
Possible discounts on fees
Since 2021, the notary can grant a discount on their fees for the highest sale price bracket. This discount, capped by regulation, must be applied uniformly to all clients of the office during a given period. Asking whether the office offers this discount before signing remains the only lever for direct negotiation on notarial remuneration.
Acquisition budget: include fees from the financing plan
Banking institutions consider notary fees as an item to be financed from personal funds. For a purchase of 200,000 euros in the old market, this means mobilizing a significant sum even before discussing the price of the property.
Not incorporating this item from the first loan simulation exposes one to a gap between the estimated budget and the actual budget. A buyer aiming for 200,000 euros all-inclusive will actually need to target a cheaper property to absorb the acquisition fees or have additional funds available.
Notary fees are not recoverable in case of quick resale. Unlike the price of the property, which can appreciate, the taxes and fees paid at signing are definitively settled. This point weighs particularly heavily for buyers considering a short-term resale.
The exact amount depends on the type of property (old or new), the department, and the applicable fee scale. Rather than relying on a generic percentage, using an updated simulator with the DMTO rate of the relevant department remains the most reliable method to anticipate the actual bill.