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Property Purchase Cost Calculator: Stamp Duty & Legal Fees
Everything you pay to buy a home besides the price: stamp duty on the transfer and the loan, legal fees for the SPA and the loan, SST and disbursements, with the first-home exemption.
Rates checked 12 Nov 2026For Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak use different legal fee scales. Your lawyer's quotation and LHDN's assessment are final.
Stamp duty and legal fee rates in 2026
| Stamp duty on the transfer (MOT) | Malaysians and PRs | Duty on the band |
|---|---|---|
| First RM100,000 | 1% | RM1,000 |
| RM100,001 to RM500,000 | 2% | RM8,000 |
| RM500,001 to RM1,000,000 | 3% | RM15,000 |
| Above RM1,000,000 | 4% | 4% of the rest |
| Foreign buyers | 8% of the whole value for homes from 1 January 2026; 4% for other property | |
| Loan agreement | 0.5%: RM5 for every RM1,000 of the loan or part of it | |
| Legal fees (SPA or loan) | Scale fee | Buying from a developer |
|---|---|---|
| Up to RM50,000 | 1.25%, at least RM500 | RM500 |
| RM50,001 to RM250,000 | 1.25% | 75% of the scale fee |
| RM250,001 to RM500,000 | 1.25% | 70% |
| RM500,001 to RM1,000,000 | RM6,250 + 1% above RM500,000 | 65% |
| Above RM1,000,000 | RM6,250 + 1% above RM500,000 | 50% |
Lawyers may discount the scale fee by up to 25%, except on developer purchases. Legal fees carry 8% SST. Above RM7.5 million the fee is negotiable, up to 1%.
Questions about stamp duty and legal fees
How much is stamp duty for a RM500,000 house in Malaysia?
RM9,000 on the transfer (1% on the first RM100,000 is RM1,000, and 2% on the next RM400,000 is RM8,000). With a 90% loan of RM450,000, the loan agreement adds RM2,250 (RM5 per RM1,000). A Malaysian buying a first home at this price pays neither. A foreign buyer pays 8% on a home from 2026: RM40,000.
Are first-time home buyers exempt from stamp duty in 2026?
Yes, if you are a Malaysian citizen who has never owned a home, the home's market value is RM500,000 or less, and the SPA is signed between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2027. Both the transfer and the loan agreement are then free of stamp duty. A home worth RM500,001 gets no exemption. Budget 2027 proposes extending this to 2030 and halving the duty on the part between RM500,000 and RM750,000, so a RM700,000 first home would pay RM3,000 instead of RM15,000. That is not law yet. For service apartments and SOHO units, check with your lawyer: LHDN's form may exclude them.
How are SPA legal fees calculated?
By the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023: 1.25% of the first RM500,000 (at least RM500) and 1% of the next RM7 million. A RM500,000 house is RM6,250, and a RM1.2 million house RM13,250. Your lawyer may give up to 25% off. Buying from a developer uses a lower scale with no discount: 70% of the normal fee between RM250,000 and RM500,000, so RM4,375 for a RM500,000 home. The loan agreement is charged on the same scale, on the loan amount.
Is SST charged on lawyer fees?
Yes, 8% since 1 March 2024, on the legal fees only. Stamp duty and disbursements such as land office fees have no SST. Legal fees of RM6,250 for the SPA and RM5,625 for the loan carry RM950.00 of SST.
What other costs do I pay when buying a subsale house?
Besides the down payment (usually 10%), you pay stamp duty on the transfer and on the loan agreement, legal fees and SST for the SPA and the loan, and disbursements such as searches and land office registration, often RM500 to RM2,500. The bank may also charge a valuation fee, and many buyers take MRTA or MLTA cover. For a RM500,000 subsale home with a RM450,000 loan that is about RM25,575.00 on top of the RM50,000 down payment.
Sources
- LHDN, guidelines on stamp duty under the First Schedule of the Stamp Act 1949 (30 June 2026): hasil.gov.my
- Malaysian Bar Circular 185/2023, Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023: malaysianbar.org.my
- Malaysian Bar Circular 128/2026, first-home stamp duty exemption extended to 31 December 2027: malaysianbar.org.my
A general estimate, not legal or tax advice. Real property gains tax, valuation fees, MRTA and bank charges are not included.
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