Property
Notarial transfer, a public Kadaster register, and a low transfer tax for owner-occupiers
Ownership of immovable property passes by a notarial deed of transfer registered in the Kadaster, the public land registry, which gives the system its reliability. Transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting) is 2% for a home the buyer will occupy, with a starters' exemption for qualifying young first-time buyers, and 10.4% for investment property.
Key rules
- Transfer of immovable property requires a notarial deed registered with the Kadaster.
- Transfer tax is 2% for an owner-occupied home and 10.4% for other immovable property, including buy-to-let.
- A starters' exemption removes transfer tax for qualifying buyers aged 18-34 buying a home below the annually set value cap.
- The notary checks title, mortgages and encumbrances against the Kadaster before completion.
Governing law
- Civil Code, Book 5 (property rights)Ownership, apartment rights and servitudes
- Civil Code, Book 3 (property law, general)Transfer, registration and security rights
- Legal Transactions (Taxation) Act (WBR)Transfer tax rates and the starters' exemption
In practice
The 2% owner-occupier rate and the starters' exemption both require the buyer to actually live in the property, and misuse is checked; the value cap for the exemption is adjusted each year. Apartment ownership is held through a mandatory owners' association (VvE).