Reference Guide

Conveyancing Fees Guide South Africa 2026

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership. Conveyancing attorneys follow the Legal Practice Council (LPC) guideline tariff — but these fees are not fixed by law and can be negotiated. This guide explains how fees are calculated and what they cover.

LPC Guideline Tariff Table (2026 Projection, excl. VAT)

The LPC publishes a recommended fee schedule each year. Attorneys are not legally required to charge exactly these amounts — they are a professional guideline. In practice, most attorneys charge at or near the guideline.

Property Value Range	Base Fee (excl. VAT)	Calculation Method
Up to R100,000	R6 906	Fixed: R6,906
R100,001 – R500,000	R6 906	R6,906 + R1,102 per R50,000 above R100,000
R500,001 – R1,000,000	R15 725	R15,725 + R2,132 per R100,000 above R500,000
R1,000,001 – R5,000,000	R26 385	R26,385 + R2,132 per R200,000 above R1,000,000
Above R5,000,000	R69 025	R69,025 + R5,366 per R1,000,000 above R5,000,000

Fees shown are the LPC guideline (professional fees only, excluding VAT, disbursements, and Deeds Office fees). Projected 2026 tariff based on historical annual increases.

Fee Examples Including VAT

The table below shows the total professional fee including 15% VAT for typical property values. This is the attorney's professional fee only — Deeds Office fees and other disbursements are charged separately.

Property Value	Professional Fee	VAT (15%)	Total Incl. VAT
R800 000	R23 057	R3 458	R26 515
R1 200 000	R28 649	R4 297	R32 946
R1 500 000	R34 913	R5 237	R40 150
R2 000 000	R42 249	R6 337	R48 586
R3 000 000	R56 921	R8 538	R65 459
R5 000 000	R69 025	R10 354	R79 379

Excludes Deeds Office registration fee, lodgement fees, and other disbursements (FICA compliance, DOTS, electronic lodgement charges). Add R1,500–R3,000 for disbursements.

Transfer Attorney vs Bond Registration Attorney

Most property purchases involve two separate attorneys, each with their own fee. Many buyers are surprised by this — here is the breakdown:

Transfer Attorney

Appointed by: Seller (or seller's agent)
Represents: Both parties' interests in the transfer
Paid by: Buyer (included in transfer costs)
Handles: Transfer duty to SARS, Deeds Office transfer registration, rates clearance, title deed

Bond Registration Attorney

Appointed by: The bank
Represents: The bank's interests
Paid by: Buyer (included in bond costs)
Handles: Bond registration at Deeds Office, mortgage bond documentation, bank instructions

Both fee accounts are calculated on the same LPC tariff, both based on the property value (or bond amount for the bond attorney). Both include VAT. Both are payable to the respective attorney before registration.

What Is Included in the Fee

The professional fee (per LPC tariff) covers:

Reviewing and vetting all transfer/bond documents
Conducting FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act) compliance checks on all parties
Drafting and preparing the deed of transfer or bond documentation
Liaising with all parties: seller, buyer, bank, municipality, estate agent
Attending to rates clearance with the municipality (transfer attorney)
Lodging documents at the Deeds Office and attending to registration
Paying over proceeds to the seller (transfer attorney) or reporting to the bank (bond attorney)

Not included in the professional fee: Deeds Office registration fee, lodgement fees, transfer duty, FICA verification costs, electronic lodgement platform charges, and postage/courier costs. These are disbursements charged at cost.

VAT on Conveyancing Fees

Conveyancing attorneys are VAT vendors and charge 15% VAT on their professional fees. VAT is not charged on:

Transfer duty (this is a tax, not a fee)
Deeds Office fees (government charge, VAT-exempt)
Rates clearance advance (municipal charge)

VAT is charged on:

Attorney's professional fee
Electronic lodgement platform charge (e-filing levy)
FICA compliance fee
Any other professional service component

VAT-registered buyers: If you are purchasing property in your company's name and your company is VAT-registered, the VAT on attorney fees may be reclaimable as an input tax credit. Consult your tax advisor.

Are Conveyancing Fees Negotiable?

Yes — the LPC tariff is a guideline, not a regulated minimum or maximum. Attorneys may:

Charge below the guideline tariff (common on high-value properties or for repeat/developer clients)
Charge above the guideline tariff (less common, but must be agreed to in writing)
Offer a flat-fee structure (popular for investors with multiple transactions)

On a R3,000,000 property, the professional fee at guideline is approximately R65,000 including VAT. Negotiating a 10% discount saves R6,500. On portfolios or developments, discounts of 15–20% are not uncommon.

Tip: You cannot choose the transfer attorney — the seller's estate agent typically nominates them. However, you can ask that the bond registration attorney be a firm you have a relationship with (the bank may or may not accommodate this).

How to Get Quotes

Ask your estate agent for a cost estimate using the LPC tariff calculator before signing the OTP
Request an itemised quote from the transfer attorney within 5 business days of instruction
Use our online calculator below to get an instant estimate based on LPC tariff rates
For new developments, the developer often provides a cost estimate that includes conveyancing