Real estate registration fees in Egypt 2026

The short answer

Registration fees at the Real Estate Publicity Department are not a fixed amount you can read off an advert. The law calculates them on the value of the transaction, and the buyer usually pays them when the file is submitted to the registry office. This article explains what the fees cover, when they are paid, and how to check the amount before you pay. We do not quote a percentage or a sum we could not verify from an official source on the date of writing.

What governs the fees?

The legal basis is the Real Estate Registration Law No. 114 of 1946, amended by Law No. 9 of 2022, according to the published legal references we checked on 30 October 2026. We did not find a fee rate or fixed sum in those references that we could confirm from the official text, so this article quotes no figure. The fees are set by the law and its executive regulations, not by the developer, the broker or the seller.

That means any figure a third party gives you should be checked against the official text or against the receipt issued by the registry office. If the number is not in the text, ask the clerk to show the calculation in writing.

What do the fees cover in practice?

A purchase file usually involves three separate groups of costs, and it helps to keep them apart:

• The registration fee at the Publicity Department: the charge for recording the transaction, calculated on the declared value under the law.
• Notarization fees at the notary office: charged when the sale contract is authenticated, separate from the registry.
• Document and service costs: copies, survey or map requests if they are needed, and any receipts the competent office asks for to complete the file.

We do not list the amounts of these items here, because each one is set by a different authority and the schedules can change. Ask each office for its fee by name, and insist on a written receipt.

When are the fees paid?

The usual order is notarization first, then submission to the Publicity Department for the property's location. At review, the office confirms the declared value and issues an assessment receipt. You pay the amount on that receipt, and ownership is only recorded after the payment and the remaining steps are complete. The title deed is issued at the end.

So do not pay anything before you hold the assessment receipt from the office or the competent authority. If someone asks for cash without an official receipt, stop and check with the office directly.

How to check the amount before you pay

1. Ask the seller or the developer for a written statement of the value that will be registered, and compare it with the price in the contract.
2. Make sure the declared value matches what you actually pay. A mismatch can change the fee and create a problem later.
3. Ask the office to write the reference and file number on the receipt.
4. Keep every receipt together with the contract and the documents. They are part of the file.

The steps before payment

Registration is a sequence rather than a single visit. In general terms:

1. Check the seller's ownership and whether the unit carries any registered seizure or dispute.
2. Sign the sale contract and have it notarized.
3. Submit the complete file to the Publicity Department that covers the property.
4. The office reviews, inspects if needed, and assesses the fee. You pay it.
5. The registration decision is issued and the title deed is delivered.

A notarized contract alone does not transfer ownership under Egyptian law. Ownership passes through registration, so signing and notarizing are not the end of the road.

Where to look for units in the catalogue

If you are looking for a unit in a particular area, start with the area page to see which projects sell there, then check each project's details with its developer. The New Cairo page lists the projects on the site: New Cairo.

What to ask before you sign

Before you sign any agreement that makes you carry part of the fees, ask the other party and the notary office five things: who pays each item and how much it is, which value the transaction will be registered at, how long registration is expected to take, what happens if the office delays or rejects the file for a missing paper, and where the original receipt will be kept after payment. A written answer to these questions matters more than any rough figure you hear at a sales office or over the phone.

If the seller is a developer, also ask for the unit's number, its phase, the date on which handover starts, and whether the developer handles the registry procedures or you do. You do not need legal training to ask these; a clear contract answers them quickly, and a vague one shows you where to slow down.

Notarization and registration are not the same

People often use the two words interchangeably. Notarization confirms that the contract was signed by its parties and gives it weight against third parties. Registration records the right in the official property register. A contract can be notarized and still leave you unregistered as the owner, which is why registration is the step you cannot skip if you want your right protected.

Frequently asked questions

Does the buyer pay the whole registration fee?

That is decided in the contract between buyer and seller, and the law applies to whatever you agree. Write the arrangement into the contract explicitly rather than relying on a verbal promise.

Are the fees different from one city to another?

The law is national, but the file goes to the registry office that covers the property's location, and procedures and required papers can differ from one office to another. Ask the competent office before you submit.

What happens if I never register the unit?

You will not be the registered owner. That makes it hard to sell, mortgage or prove your rights against third parties. Registration is not something to postpone without cost.

Can I find the current fee on a website?

We have not put a figure in this article because we could not confirm it from an official source on the date of writing. The most reliable source is the receipt the office issues for your file.

Can the fee change after I sign?

The fee is calculated under the law in force when the assessment is made. Before you sign any agreement that makes you pay it, ask for the latest official statement.

General guidance — check with the official authority before you act.