Land Title Transfer Cost Calculator 2026 (Philippines)
Compute the true cost of transferring a Philippine land title. Includes Capital Gains Tax, Documentary Stamp Tax, Transfer Tax, Registration Fee, notarial, and BIR CAR fees — split between buyer and seller.
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Total transfer cost
Total Transfer Cost
₱0
for ₱3M residential
Fee Breakdown
The 6 fees when transferring a PH title
- Capital Gains Tax (CGT): 6% of higher of price/zonal/FMV. Paid by SELLER within 30 days of sale (BIR Form 1706).
- Documentary Stamp Tax (DST): 1.5% of same tax base. Paid by BUYER (BIR Form 2000-OT).
- Transfer Tax: 0.5-0.75% depending on LGU. Paid to city/province treasurer within 60 days.
- Registration Fee: ~0.25-0.4% + fixed base. Paid to Register of Deeds (RoD).
- Notarial Fee: Deed of Absolute Sale notarization. 1-2% typical, or flat rate for simple deeds.
- BIR CAR + processing: Certificate Authorizing Registration + minor fees (~₱500 total).
Total ballpark: 8-10% of property price for buyer + seller combined.
The 7-step transfer process
- Sign Deed of Absolute Sale at a notary public.
- BIR filing (30 days): pay CGT + DST at BR Form 1706 / 2000. Get Tax Clearance.
- BIR CAR issuance: receive Certificate Authorizing Registration.
- Pay Transfer Tax at LGU treasurer with CAR.
- Register of Deeds: pay registration fee, submit CAR + tax clearances + deed for new title.
- Get new Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) under buyer’s name.
- Update Tax Declaration at LGU Assessor for future real property tax.
Typical timeline: 60-120 days if papers are clean. Often 6+ months in practice.
Common cost-splitting scenarios
Standard PH practice:
- Seller: CGT + Notarial (~7% of price)
- Buyer: DST + Transfer Tax + Registration + BIR CAR (~2.5-3%)
Buyer pays all (rare): Sometimes negotiated for lower price. All 6 fees on buyer side, but seller usually gives 5-8% discount to offset.
Split all fees 50/50: Common in family transfers or where both parties want flexibility.
Zonal value vs Selling price: BIR uses whichever is HIGHER for CGT/DST. If you declare a low selling price, you still pay tax on the zonal value.
Common mistakes that cost more later
- Under-declaring price: Saves nothing (BIR uses zonal value), and creates a paper trail for future capital gains issues.
- Missing the 30-day CGT deadline: 25% surcharge + 12% annual interest.
- Not verifying title with RoD: Encumbrances, liens, or lost owner’s duplicate can freeze the transfer.
- Skipping title investigation: Always order a Certified True Copy (CTC) from RoD before signing.
- Forgetting Tax Declaration transfer: Buyer still pays real property tax under old owner’s name until Assessor is updated.
- Handshake deals: Verbal price agreements without notarized deed have no legal force.