Changes to Flemish registration fees in 2024

March 2024 - At the start of a new year, we give you an overview of changes to the registration duties on real estate in Flanders.

·      A landlord or leaseholder must pay registration fees on the total fees it pays to the landlord or leaseholder. Since Jan. 1, 2024, this fee has increased from 2% to 5%. (To refresh, the right of superficies is the right to have ownership of buildings or plantings on someone else's land for a period of up to 99 years. The right of emphyteusis is the right to have full enjoyment of a property belonging to someone else, for a period of a minimum of 15 to a maximum of 99 years).

·      The registration fee for leases (0.2%) remains unchanged.

·      The method of portability of the sales right in the Flemish Region will be abolished for all new purchases from January 1, 2024. This system of portability by return or set-off allowed buyers who met certain conditions to set off part of the sales right on a previous purchase against the sales right on a new purchase.

Overview of 2024 sales law rates in the Flemish Region:

Standard rate: 12%

Undeveloped agricultural land and natural assets: 10%

Reduced rates

Only owner-occupied dwelling: 3%

Only owner-occupied dwelling with major energy renovation: 1%

Only own home qualifying as a protected monument: 1%

Purchase by professional sellers: 4%

Purchase of social housing: 1.5%.

Purchase of a dwelling for social rental

Purchase of protected monuments: Half the normal rate (unless sole owner-occupied dwelling)

Special regime of sales duty for exchange of unbuilt estates: Exempt, 6% or 10%

·      If you want to qualify for an additional reduction, then the conditions for the reduced rate of a sole owner-occupied dwelling must first be met. A modest dwelling is one with a maximum purchase price.

For homes that are not located in core cities or the Vlaamse Rand around Brussels: Max. ? 220,000 (Purchase deeds as of 1/1/2022)

For properties located in core cities or the Vlaamse Rand around Brussels: Max. ? 240,000 (Deeds of purchase as of 1/1/2022)

Additional reduction

For homes subject to the sole owner-occupied home rate: ? 2,800

For dwellings subject to the sole owner-occupied dwelling rate with a major energy renovation: ? 960

·      The division duty is a registration tax payable when a property belonging to several co-owners is divided. The general rate is 2.5%. That rate reduces to 1% in transactions between married couples and legal cohabitants upon divorce or termination of legal cohabitation.

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