Thailand Property Taxes: Buying, Owning, Selling, Gifting & Inheritance
A simple step-by-step guide — from purchase to sale and family transfer
Quick summary: buying is usually low-cost for the buyer, ownership tax is a symbolic 0.02%, selling costs depend on holding period, and gifting/inheritance within family is often tax-free.
Buying a new-build from a developer
When purchasing a condo from a developer, fees and taxes are typically:
- Transfer Fee — 2% of the appraised (official) value, usually split 50/50 (about 1% each side).
- Specific Business Tax (3.3%), Stamp Duty (0.5%), Withholding Tax (~1%) — commonly included in the developer’s pricing.
- In practice, the buyer usually pays only their 1% transfer share plus minor document/transfer costs.
✅ Bottom line: for a typical new-build deal, the buyer’s “tax” part is often just 1% transfer + small technical expenses.
Owning the property
If the condo is used as a residence, the annual Land & Building Tax applies:
▫️ Rate: 0.02% of the appraised value
▫️ Roughly THB 200 per year per THB 1,000,000 of appraised value
Example: a THB 10M condo — only about THB 2,000/year.
If you rent out the condo
- Rental income up to THB 150,000/year is not taxed.
- Above that, it is taxed on a progressive scale starting around 5%.
- Example: THB 300,000/year rental income — about THB 7,500 tax (5% on the excess).
Selling the property
When selling, these costs typically apply:
- Transfer Fee — 2%, often split between buyer and seller.
- Specific Business Tax (SBT) — 3.3% if sold within 5 years and not used as your main residence.
- Stamp Duty — 0.5% if held more than 5 years (and SBT does not apply).
- Withholding Tax — withheld by the Land Office (for companies ~1%, for individuals based on personal income rules).
Example: buy at THB 10M, sell after 6 years at THB 12M.
▫️ Transfer Fee: 2% = THB 240,000 (THB 120,000 each side)
▫️ SBT: not applicable (> 5 years)
▫️ Stamp Duty: 0.5% = THB 60,000
▫️ Withholding Tax: approx. THB 20,000–30,000
Estimated total:
▫️ Buyer: ~THB 120,000
▫️ Seller: ~THB 205,000
Gifting the property
- Parents/children/spouses: up to THB 20M/year tax-free.
- Other recipients: exemption up to THB 10M, above that — 5% on the excess.
- Standard Transfer Fee 2% also applies (often split).
Examples:
▫️ A mother gifts a THB 15M condo to her daughter — tax 0
▫️ The same condo gifted to a friend — 5% on THB 5M = THB 250,000
Inheritance
- Inheritance tax applies only above THB 100M per heir.
- Rates: 5% for parents/children/grandchildren; 10% for others.
- Spouses are fully exempt.
Example: a THB 30M condo passed to heirs — tax 0 (below threshold).
Conclusion: buying is low-tax, ownership is a symbolic 0.02%, selling depends on timing, and gifting/inheritance within family is often tax-free. Thailand remains one of the most friendly countries for property ownership — now you know why.
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