Thailand Property Transfer Fees: What You'll Pay in Hua Hin

Thailand property transfer fees are lower and more predictable than many first-time buyers expect. On a typical Hua Hin resale, the buyer’s share is often less than 1% of the purchase price, while the seller covers the taxes. Below, I explain each charge, who usually pays it, what changed for 2026 and 2027, and how to arrive at the Land Office with no surprises.

Key takeaways

The transfer fee is 2% of the government appraised value, usually split 50/50 between buyer and seller.
The seller normally pays either 3.3% specific business tax or 0.5% stamp duty, plus withholding tax.
The 0.01% reduced fee runs until 30 June 2027 but applies only to Thai citizens buying homes of 7 million baht or less.
Every fee split is negotiable, so agree it in writing before you pay a deposit.

What are the property transfer fees in Thailand?

Thailand charges four items when property changes hands: a 2% transfer fee on the appraised value, either 3.3% specific business tax or 0.5% stamp duty, and withholding tax on the seller’s income from the sale. All of them are paid at the Land Office on the day ownership is registered.

The transfer fee is the Land Department’s charge for recording the new owner. It is calculated on the official appraised value set by the Treasury Department, not on the price you agreed, and in Hua Hin the appraised value often sits below the market price. For buyers, that difference works in your favour.

Specific business tax and stamp duty are never charged together. Only one of the two applies, depending on who the seller is and how long they have owned the property. Withholding tax is a prepayment of the seller’s income tax, so it is the seller’s cost, collected at the same counter.

If you also take a Thai bank mortgage, a separate 1% mortgage registration fee applies to the loan amount. Most foreign buyers in Hua Hin pay in cash transferred from abroad, so the mortgage fee rarely comes up.

How much does the buyer actually pay?

On a typical Hua Hin resale, the buyer pays half of the 2% transfer fee, roughly 1% of the appraised value. Because the appraised value is usually lower than the sale price, the buyer’s real cost often lands below 1% of what you paid for the home.

No Thai law says who must pay which charge. The sale contract decides, and when the contract says nothing, the Civil and Commercial Code splits the costs of the sale equally between the parties. The common market practice is that buyer and seller share the transfer fee, while the seller pays specific business tax or stamp duty and the withholding tax.

From my experience

In more than 20 years of selling homes in Hua Hin, the question I hear most often from first-time buyers is simple: “What exactly will I pay on the day?” Many arrive having read that Thailand charges up to 6% or 7% in transfer costs, and they are relieved when I show them that most of that total belongs to the seller, not to them.

My rule is that the fee split is written into the reservation agreement before any deposit moves. When I worked in advertising in Tokyo, I learned that a clear agreement at the start prevents nearly every argument later. In property, that means nobody is negotiating fees at the Land Office counter, and my clients know their figure weeks in advance.

Some developers selling new projects ask the buyer to pay the full transfer fee, while others share it or absorb it as a sales incentive. If you are comparing new and resale homes, our guide to off-plan versus completed property in Hua Hin explains how the contracts differ.

Do foreign buyers qualify for the 0.01% transfer fee?

No. The reduced 0.01% transfer and mortgage fee, extended until 30 June 2027, applies only to Thai citizens buying a home where both the sale price and the appraised value are 7 million baht or less. Foreign buyers pay the standard 2% transfer fee.

According to HLB Thailand’s July 2026 tax update, the Cabinet extended the reduction for condominium units, detached houses, twin houses, townhouses and commercial buildings, together with their land. The mortgage registration fee on a loan of up to 7 million baht registered at the same time also drops from 1% to 0.01%.

The measure still brings good news for international owners. It keeps Thai buyers active in Hua Hin’s under 7 million baht segment, which supports demand and resale prices for townhouses, condos and smaller pool villas. If you plan to sell to a Thai buyer later, your property may be more attractive while the reduction is in place. To see what different budgets buy here, read what 5M, 10M and 20M baht gets you in Hua Hin.

When does the seller pay 3.3% specific business tax instead of 0.5% stamp duty?

A seller pays 3.3% specific business tax when selling within five years of buying, unless the property was inherited or was their principal home with their name in the house registration for at least one year. In every other case, the seller pays 0.5% stamp duty instead.

The rule comes from Royal Decree No. 342 on the Revenue Department’s website, which also makes developers and companies selling property used in their business liable for the tax regardless of how long they have held it. Both taxes are calculated on the appraised value or the sale price, whichever is higher.

For buyers, the difference matters even though the seller pays. A seller who has owned a villa for six years saves almost 3 percentage points in tax compared with one who bought three years ago, and that saving often gives you more room to negotiate on price. Hua Hin has a large stock of homes held for many years, which is one reason the resale market here offers good value. Our Hua Hin property market report covers current price trends.

What does it cost to register a leasehold villa in Hua Hin?

Registering a lease costs 1% of the total rent for the whole lease term, plus 0.1% stamp duty. For most foreign villa buyers, that is a lighter one-off cost than a freehold transfer.

Foreigners cannot own land in their own name, so many villa buyers in Hua Hin own the house and hold a registered lease on the land, usually for up to 30 years. A lease longer than three years must be registered at the Land Office to be enforceable for its full term, and the fee is paid at registration. As an example, a 30-year lease with a total rent of 5,000,000 baht costs 50,000 baht to register plus 5,000 baht stamp duty, and the parties agree who pays.

If you are still deciding which structure suits you, start with our explainers on whether a foreigner can own a house in Thailand and buying versus leasing a house in Thailand.

What will you pay on a typical Hua Hin condo?

On a 4.5 million baht resale condo bought by a foreigner, the buyer’s share of the transfer fee is about 36,000 baht, or 0.8% of the price. The seller’s taxes change with the holding period, but the buyer’s figure stays the same.

The example below assumes an appraised value of 3,600,000 baht and the usual 50/50 transfer fee split. The Land Office sets the real appraised value for each unit, so treat these figures as an illustration.

Charge	Rate and base	Usually paid by	Seller held 6+ years	Seller held 3 years
Transfer fee	2% of appraised value	Split 50/50	72,000	72,000
Specific business tax	3.3% of the higher of price or appraisal	Seller	0	148,500
Stamp duty	0.5% of the higher of price or appraisal	Seller	22,500	0
Withholding tax	1% for companies, progressive for individuals	Seller	Set by Land Office	Set by Land Office
Buyer’s total	Half the transfer fee	Buyer	36,000	36,000

All amounts in Thai baht. Illustrative example: sale price 4,500,000 baht, appraised value 3,600,000 baht, individual seller, 50/50 transfer fee split.

The same logic applies to villas and townhouses. Only the appraised value and the ownership structure change, and a leasehold villa follows the lease registration costs described above.

How are the fees paid on transfer day at the Hua Hin Land Office?

The Land Office calculates the exact amounts from the title deed and the declared price, and each party pays its share on the spot, usually by cashier’s cheque from a Thai bank. For a condominium, the transfer will only go ahead once the seller provides a debt-free letter from the building management and a foreign buyer provides the FET form.

The FET form is the bank’s proof that your purchase money came into Thailand from abroad in foreign currency. It is what allows a foreigner to register a condo in their own name within the foreign freehold condo quota. For condo payments, a standard bank SWIFT transfer is the safest way to make sure the bank can issue the form.

From my experience

Many of my clients are buying property outside their home country for the first time, and the Land Office can feel unfamiliar. Before every transfer, my team checks each document before it reaches the client: the title deed, the FET form, the debt-free letter and the passport details. We also ask for the fee calculation in advance, so each party knows the exact cheque amount to prepare.

A Japanese level of service means no surprises on the day. I would rather tell a client about an inconvenient detail a month early, such as a missing bank form or a fee clause that needs fixing, than let them discover it at the counter. When the preparation is done properly, the registration itself is calm and usually finished within the day.

Before the transfer date, it is also worth confirming that the title is clean. Our step-by-step guide shows how to check a Chanote title deed in Thailand.

How can buyers keep transfer costs low?

Buyers keep transfer costs low by agreeing the fee split in writing before paying a deposit and by favouring sellers who have owned for more than five years. A well-prepared transaction rarely costs the buyer more than about 1% of the price.

Put the split in the contract. State who pays the transfer fee, taxes and any lease registration fee in the reservation and sale agreements.
Look at long-held resales. Sellers paying 0.5% stamp duty instead of 3.3% specific business tax are often more flexible on price and fees.
Ask developers about incentives. On new projects, a shared or developer-paid transfer fee is a reasonable request, especially on completed stock.
Plan your money transfer early. For condos, send funds by bank SWIFT transfer in foreign currency so the FET form is ready in time.
Request the Land Office estimate. Base your budget on the official appraised value, not on an online calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 0.01% transfer fee reduction still active in 2026?

Yes. The reduced rate applies until 30 June 2027 for Thai citizens buying homes where both the price and the appraised value are 7 million baht or less, while foreign buyers pay the standard 2%.

Is the transfer fee based on the sale price or the appraised value?

The 2% transfer fee is calculated on the government appraised value, which is often lower than the market price in Hua Hin. Specific business tax and stamp duty use the higher of the sale price or the appraised value.

Who pays withholding tax when buying property in Thailand?

The seller pays withholding tax, because it is a prepayment of the seller’s own income tax on the sale. The Land Office calculates and collects it on transfer day, at 1% for company sellers and on a progressive scale for individuals.

Can the buyer and seller split the fees differently?

Yes. Any split is valid if it is written into the sale contract, and only when the contract is silent does Thai law divide the costs of the sale equally.

Do tenants pay transfer fees when renting in Hua Hin?

No. Standard rental agreements of up to three years are not registered at the Land Office, so tenants pay only the deposit and rent, which is one reason many newcomers compare long-term rental versus buying in Hua Hin first.

How should I pay the fees at the Land Office?

Most buyers pay their share by cashier’s cheque from a Thai bank, prepared after the Land Office estimate is known. Bringing some Thai baht in cash for small extra charges is also sensible.

Do transfer fees apply when buying off-plan from a developer?

Yes, the fees are paid when the finished unit is transferred to you, not when you sign the purchase agreement. Developers always pay specific business tax as the seller, and many share the transfer fee with the buyer.

Conclusion: transfer fees should not hold you back

Thailand’s transfer costs look high when every charge is added together, but most of that total belongs to the seller. For a foreign buyer in Hua Hin, the realistic figure is half of a 2% fee on an appraised value that is often below the price you pay. With the fee split agreed early, the right ownership structure chosen and the paperwork checked in advance, transfer day becomes a formality.

Whether you are looking for a beachfront condo, a pool villa near the golf courses or a long-term rental while you get to know the area, my team at Hua Hin Japan will show you the full cost picture before you commit. Contact us in English or Japanese, and we will prepare the numbers for the exact property you have in mind.