Notary Fees and Purchase Costs in Italy

The purchase price is only part of what buying property in Italy costs. On top of it come the notary's fee, several state taxes, and — depending on the situation — an agency commission, an interpreter, or a geometra's survey. A flat estimate such as "add ten percent" is usually misleading: several of the taxes that matter most are not calculated on the price paid at all, but on the property's cadastral value (valore catastale), a figure that is often well below the market price. What the total actually comes to depends on whether the seller is a private individual or a company, whether the buyer qualifies for the "prima casa" first-home relief, and whether an agent is involved. The full sequence, from first contact to signing, is covered in the How Buying Property Works in Sicily guide.

The notary's fee

The notary (notaio) drafts and executes the deed, checks the property's legal title, and registers the transfer with the land registry and cadastre. Notary fees have been freely negotiable since Italy's 2006 liberalisation (the "Bersani" decree) — there is no statutory fee table any more. A buyer can, and generally should, compare quotes from more than one notary; there is no obligation to use one an agent recommends, and any Italian notary can handle a purchase anywhere in the country.

The fee typically covers drafting and executing the deed, its registration, and the notary's handling of the taxes due alongside it.

As a rough indication, as of August 2026: notary fees for a straightforward purchase commonly fall somewhere around €1,500–2,500 for mid-priced property, rising for higher-value or more complex cases. This is a freely set market price, not a fixed charge — a current quote from the chosen notary is the only reliable figure.

Registration tax (imposta di registro) — or VAT

Buying from a private individual generally triggers registration tax: 9% as the standard rate, reduced to 2% where the buyer meets the conditions for the "prima casa" first-home relief.

What matters is the base the tax is calculated on: at the buyer's request, the notary can apply the property's cadastral value instead of the purchase price — the cadastral income (rendita catastale), revalued by 5% and multiplied by a statutory coefficient (110 for a first home, 120 for any other residential property). For most existing homes that figure sits well below the actual price paid, which is exactly why "a percentage of the price" is not a reliable estimate of the tax due.

In every case, registration tax cannot fall below €1,000 (as of August 2026).

The 2% first-home rate depends, among other conditions, on:

• the buyer establishing residency in the property's municipality within 18 months of the purchase,
• the buyer not already owning another home in the same municipality bought under the same relief,
• the property not falling into one of the cadastral categories treated as luxury (A/1, A/8, A/9).

Mortgage tax and cadastral tax

Alongside registration tax come the mortgage tax (imposta ipotecaria) and the cadastral tax (imposta catastale). When buying from a private individual — under the registration-tax regime — both are fixed amounts, not percentages: €50 each, regardless of price. Where VAT applies instead (see below), both rise to €200 each (as of August 2026).

Buying from a company: VAT

When a construction or renovation company sells a property within five years of completing it, VAT applies instead of registration tax, and registration, mortgage, and cadastral tax each become a fixed €200. The VAT rate depends on the property and its use:

• 4% where the first-home conditions are met,
• 10% for other residential property without a luxury classification,
• 22% for the luxury cadastral categories A/1, A/8 and A/9.

Which regime applies in a given case depends on the seller and the property's history, and is established by the notary from the cadastral records (as of August 2026).

The taxes that apply after the purchase, above all IMU, are covered separately in the Ongoing Property Taxes in Italy: IMU, TARI and Rental Income guide; this page deals only with the one-off costs of the purchase itself.

Agency commission, where an agent is involved

If the listing came through a local agent, a commission (provvigione) is due on top of the taxes above. It is not set by law — the agent and the client agree it freely, usually as a percentage of the price plus VAT, and it is common for buyer and seller to each pay their own agent.

As a rough indication, as of August 2026, agency commissions in Italy typically fall somewhere between 2% and 5% of the price plus 22% VAT, vary by region, and should always be confirmed in writing before signing anything.

Interpreter and geometra

A notarial deed is drawn up in Italian. If a party states that they do not understand the language, either the notary and witnesses must be fluent in the language the party does understand, or a sworn interpreter is brought in to translate at the signing (Article 54 of Italy's notarial law). In practice the buyer bears this cost, and it depends on the language and location.

A geometra (a licensed technical surveyor) is commonly engaged before the notary appointment to check the property's cadastral conformity — whether the floor plan on file at the cadastre actually matches what is built. The fee depends on the property's complexity and is only meaningfully quoted on the spot, not as a general figure.

Current listings across Sicily can be browsed on the Properties in Sicily page. Owners who want to present their own property can find out how on the List your property page.

Questions about notary and purchase costs

Is registration tax calculated on the price actually paid?

When buying from a private individual, the buyer can ask the notary to apply the property's cadastral value instead, which is usually lower than the market price. That option does not apply where VAT is charged instead, or in certain other cases the notary checks for.

Can the notary's fee be negotiated?

Yes. Since the 2006 liberalisation, notary fees in Italy are freely agreed — there is no fixed statutory charge. Comparing more than one quote is common practice.

What happens if a first-home property is resold before five years are up?

The relief is generally lost retroactively, with a 30% surcharge on the tax difference plus late-payment interest (as of August 2026). Buying a new main home within one year of the sale can preserve the relief — what counts is the date of the final purchase deed, not a preliminary agreement.

Is it enough that the buyer speaks a little Italian?

What matters is whether a party states they do not understand the deed's content. In practice, it is worth settling this with the notary well ahead of signing day rather than deciding it on the spot.