Updated August 2026
The advertised price is not what you pay. In canton Vaud, an acquisition adds between 3.75 and 4% in costs, payable in cash on the day of the deed: they cannot be financed by the mortgage. On a two-million property that means 75,000 to 80,000 francs out of your own pocket, on top of your equity.
Transfer duty: 3.3%
This is by far the largest item. The cantonal tax on property transfers stands at 3.3% of the sale price in canton Vaud. It falls on the buyer unless the deed provides otherwise. On two million, that is 66,000 francs.
Land registry: about 0.2%
Registering the transfer of ownership in the land register attracts fees of around 0.2% of the price. It is that registration, not the signature, that makes you the legal owner.
The notary: 0.1 to 0.5%
Under Swiss law a property sale must be executed before a notary. Their fees vary with the complexity of the file and the amount at stake, within a range of 0.1 to 0.5%. The notary is a public officer: they stand for the legal security of the transaction, not for one party against the other.
The mortgage certificate: 0.2 to 0.3%
If you finance the purchase with a loan, the bank will require a mortgage certificate: the instrument securing its claim on the property. Creating one costs 0.2 to 0.3% of the amount secured. An existing certificate can sometimes be taken over and transferred, which avoids the cost: ask the seller whether the property carries one.
And on the seller’s side
The seller pays the tax on real estate capital gains, calculated on the gain realised. The rate falls with the length of ownership: heavy on a quick resale, moderate after several years. In French-speaking Switzerland the brokerage commission is also borne by the seller, unless agreed otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
- Can acquisition costs be financed by the mortgage?
- No. Banks finance the price of the property, not the costs added to it. Those must be covered by your own funds, on top of the 20% deposit usually required. It is the main unpleasant surprise for first-time buyers.
- Who pays the brokerage commission in canton Vaud?
- The seller, in the usual practice of French-speaking Switzerland. It is agreed in writing in the mandate, before the property goes on the market, and is due only if a transaction is actually concluded.
- Is transfer duty negotiable?
- The rate is not: it is set by cantonal law. How it is split between buyer and seller, however, is a matter of contract and is sometimes negotiated, particularly in a buyer’s market. Any such agreement must appear in the deed.
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