Taxes and fees on Vietnamese property β complete reference
Every tax and fee that applies to buying, owning, renting out, and selling a Thu Thiem apartment in 2026. Written for foreign individual buyers; corporate buyers follow a different framework.
Taxes and fees at purchase
The buyer-side costs at acquisition:
- VAT (10 percent): Applied to new apartments sold by developers. Developer-quoted prices include VAT β the headline price is the price you pay. Secondary-market resale apartments are typically VAT-exempt.
- Registration tax (0.5 percent): 0.5 percent of property value, paid by the buyer when registering the ownership certificate. Valuation basis is the higher of actual transaction price or state-set price.
- Notarisation fees: Typically modest β a few million VND for standard apartment contracts.
- Building maintenance fund: One-time payment of 2 percent of the apartment\'s pre-tax sale value, contributed to the building\'s long-term maintenance fund.
- Legal fees (if you engage a lawyer): Typically 0.3β0.7 percent of unit price.
- Brokerage fees (if applicable): Typically 1β3 percent of unit price on secondary-market transactions, customarily paid by the seller but negotiable.
Costs during ownership
Vietnam does not have a recurring per-year property tax on residential apartments. The annual costs are:
- Building management fees: Typically 10,000β25,000 VND per square metre per month, depending on project tier and amenity provision. For a 100 mΒ² apartment in a premium building, this is roughly 1.5β3 million VND per month.
- Utilities: Electricity, water, internet, gas if applicable. Vietnamese electricity rates are tiered; high-consumption residents may see meaningful monthly bills.
- Insurance: Building insurance is typically covered by management fees; contents insurance is the resident\'s option.
Tax on rental income
If you rent out your apartment, rental income is taxed at the individual level:
- VAT (5 percent): On gross rental, with an exemption threshold for owners earning under 100 million VND annual rental (threshold revisable).
- Personal income tax (5 percent): On gross rental, separately from VAT.
- Combined effective rate: Roughly 10 percent of gross rental income for individuals above the exemption threshold.
For overseas owners, engaging a Vietnamese property management firm typically includes the tax administration as part of the service. See our rental yields and management guide for the operational details.
Taxes at sale
When you sell:
- Personal income tax (2 percent of gross sale value): Simplified flat-rate tax payable by the seller. Note this is on gross sale value, not gain β Vietnamese tax law applies the simplified rate regardless of whether the unit appreciated or depreciated.
- Notarisation fees: Modest.
- Brokerage fees (if applicable): Customarily paid by seller, typically 1β3 percent of sale value.
Cross-border considerations for foreign owners
Sale proceeds may be repatriated abroad subject to Vietnam\'s foreign-currency controls. In practice, this is a clean process when:
- The original purchase funds were remitted through a Vietnamese bank from a documented overseas source.
- The sale tax obligations have been settled.
- The transfer paperwork shows the chain of ownership clearly.
Buyers planning for cross-border movement of funds should maintain clean documentation throughout the holding period.
Taxes and fees FAQs
What is VAT on Vietnamese property?
VAT is typically 10 percent on new apartments sold by developers. In practice, developer-quoted prices include VAT β the headline price you see is the price you pay before other fees. Secondary-market resale apartments are typically VAT-exempt.
What is the registration tax in Vietnam?
Registration tax (sometimes called "lα» phΓ trΖ°α»c bαΊ‘") is 0.5 percent of the property value, paid by the buyer when registering the ownership certificate. The valuation basis is the higher of the actual transaction price or the state-set land price for the area.
Are there annual property taxes in Vietnam?
Vietnam does not currently have a recurring residential property tax of the kind common in many other countries. Owners pay one-time taxes at acquisition and at sale, plus building management fees, but there is no ongoing per-year tax on apartment ownership. Various property tax proposals have been discussed in policy circles; none have been enacted as of 2026.
What tax do I pay on rental income?
Rental income is subject to two layers of tax for individual owners: 5 percent VAT on the gross rental, and 5 percent personal income tax on the gross rental β a combined 10 percent on gross. Owners with under 100 million VND annual rental are exempt from VAT, with the threshold revisable.
Is there capital gains tax on selling property?
Personal income tax on residential property sale by an individual is 2 percent of the gross transaction value (not the gain), payable by the seller. This is a simplified flat-rate basis. Capital gains for corporate sellers are taxed differently under corporate income tax.