Selling Property in Thailand: Taxes, Transfer Fees and Net Proceeds

Selling Guide 9 min read By Nestenn Thailand Research Team Published October 6, 2026

When you sell property in Thailand, the agreed price is not the amount you take home. The closing budget usually needs a transfer registration fee, seller withholding tax, and either specific business tax or stamp duty. The calculation depends on the seller, acquisition history, official appraised value and transaction conditions. There is no reliable all-in percentage for every sale.

Start with a net-proceeds worksheet before accepting an offer. Record the proposed price, mortgage settlement, your agreed share of closing charges and private expenses. Ask the relevant Land Office and an independent Thai tax adviser to check the statutory calculation. A small price concession and a change in who pays a fee can produce very different results.

The four main charges are calculated differently

The official appraised value is a registration and tax reference, not a promise of the price a buyer will pay. Keep it separate from the asking price and negotiated sale price. Use the appraisal applicable on the intended transfer date, particularly if completion moves into another assessment period.

The Revenue Department's specific-business-tax guidance and stamp-duty guidance explain their interaction. DLA Piper's independent transaction-tax overview provides a separate legal interpretation of the ordinary charges. Temporary fee relief must be checked against newer official announcements.

The 0.01% transfer fee is conditional

The Department of Lands reports a reduced registration fee from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 for qualifying purchases by Thai-national individuals. It covers specified houses, commercial buildings and registered condominium units, including eligible new and resale transactions. Both the sale price and official appraised value must be no more than THB 7 million. Bare land is not one of the listed property categories.

The linked mortgage-registration reduction has its own conditions, including a mortgage amount no greater than THB 7 million and registration connected with the purchase in the same transaction. A seller does not need to assume every purchaser will use a mortgage. Confirm the exact transfer with the Land Office rather than applying a promotional headline.

A foreign buyer does not qualify for this Thai-national purchaser concession merely because the condo costs less than THB 7 million. An eligible Thai buyer may affect the seller's share of the transfer fee, but the concession does not remove withholding tax, specific business tax or stamp duty. The Department of Lands announcement states the period, property categories and continuing taxes. Budget at the ordinary rate until eligibility is confirmed.

Identify the seller before estimating withholding tax

An individual is not taxed at the company withholding rate

For an individual who bought the property, the Revenue Department's method starts with official appraised value and prescribed expense deductions. It divides the resulting amount by statutory holding years, applies the relevant income-tax calculation, then multiplies by those years. The official individual-seller guidance counts holding years by calendar year, with a ten-year cap, rather than simply counting completed anniversaries.

Inherited or gifted property can require a different deduction treatment. Co-ownership, the seller's legal status and acquisition records also need review. Withholding collected at registration should not be described as a universal tax on the seller's cash profit, nor as confirmation that every later filing obligation has disappeared.

A company needs a separate tax reconciliation

The Revenue Department's company guidance sets out 1% withholding on the higher sale price or official appraised value. That payment is separate from the company's final corporate-tax calculation. Ask the accountant to reconcile the transaction with the accounts instead of treating the closing payment as the total company tax bill.

Check the business-tax exemption, not just the purchase year

For an ordinary individual's sale outside the specified business categories, a sale within five years of acquisition can fall within specific business tax. The official guidance uses actual acquisition-to-transfer dates for this test. That is different from the calendar-year method used for individual withholding tax.

There are exemptions, including qualifying inherited property and a qualifying principal residence where the seller has the required house-registration history of at least one year after acquisition. Conditions and evidence matter. Holding a property for five years is not a universal exemption for a company or developer. If land and a building were acquired at different times, ask which acquisition date governs the test.

A worked example: do not mistake a subtotal for net proceeds

Assume an illustrative sale price of THB 5 million and official appraised value of THB 4.5 million. Assume specific business tax applies and the contract allocates half the transfer fee to the seller. This is a budgeting example, not a live offer or an assessment of an actual owner's tax.

Neither subtotal includes withholding tax, agency fees, mortgage redemption, legal costs or arrears. If specific business tax is not payable and ordinary stamp duty applies, the illustrative duty would instead be THB 25,000 on THB 5 million. Do not choose that alternative without verifying the exemption.

For the final worksheet, subtract each seller-borne item once. Account for a deposit already received when calculating the balance payable at completion; it is part of the sale price, not additional income. Keep the lender's settlement amount separate from selling expenses. Review fees, interest and any early-repayment charge in a dated bank statement.

Agree responsibilities before signing

Write the allocation of each charge into the sale agreement. A negotiated fee split does not change the statutory taxpayer or the amount collected. Avoid a clause saying only “all taxes shared” when withholding, stamp duty, business tax and registration fees require different treatment. Have the lawyer reconcile the contract with the completion statement.

Our freehold and leasehold guide helps identify the right being transferred. This article's ownership-sale examples should not be reused unchanged for a lease assignment, gift or company-share sale. For an investment disposal, the net-yield and liquidity guide explains why the asking price alone is not an exit result.

Prepare a seller's completion file

• Confirm the registered owners, title, acquisition dates and any mortgage or other registered charge.
• Obtain the applicable official appraisal and a written closing estimate using the proposed buyer and transfer date.
• Collect evidence for any exemption or fee concession. Do not rely on a verbal promise of eligibility.
• Check condominium common-charge balances and the debt-free certificate required for transfer, where applicable.
• Record agency and legal fees, any applicable tax on those services, repairs and other agreed seller expenses.
• Reconcile the deposit, lender payout, completion balance and payment instructions before handing over possession.

A realistic asking price remains a separate commercial decision. Compare relevant competing properties for sale, then review the likely buyer profile, condition and marketing period with the Nestenn Thailand selling team. A fee concession cannot establish market value or guarantee a quick sale.

To discuss a sale with Nestenn Thailand, share the property's location, type, indicative asking price, ownership status and intended timing. Mention any mortgage and the acquisition year so the team can identify the information needed for a proper closing estimate. Independent legal and tax advisers should confirm your transaction's final charges.