Rai & Co. / Property Legal Fee Calculator

Property Legal Fee Calculator

Stamp duty, legal fees, and valuation costs for Malaysian property transactions, using the current SRO 2023 scale.

Transaction Details

Enter your purchase price and loan amount. All fees update instantly.

RM
RM 50KRM 5M
RM
RM 0RM 5M

Auto-set to 90% of price. Adjust if your LTV differs.

Yes, First Property
No, 2nd or More
First-time buyer exemption may apply. Properties ≤ RM 500,000 may qualify for full MOT stamp duty exemption. Verify with LHDN or your solicitor.
0% (full rate)80% off
MOT Stamp Duty, Stamp Act 1949
First RM 100,0001%
RM 100,001 – RM 500,0002%
RM 500,001 – RM 1,000,0003%
Above RM 1,000,0004%
Loan agreement stamp duty: flat 0.5% of loan amount (no exemptions).
SPA & Loan Legal Fee, SRO 2023 (Table A)
First RM 500,0001.25%
Next RM 7,000,000 (up to RM 7.5M)1.00%
Above RM 7,500,000Negotiable, max 1%
Minimum feeRM 500
+ 8% SST on all legal fees. Discount of up to 25% may be offered. HDA (developer) projects use Table B (35–65% of Table A).
Valuation Fee, BOVAEP Scale
First RM 100,0000.25%
Next RM 1,900,000 (up to RM 2M)0.20%
Next RM 5,000,000 (up to RM 7M)0.167%
Next RM 8,000,000 (up to RM 15M)0.125%
Minimum feeRM 500
+ 8% SST. Valuers may discount below scale. Valuation is on bank's assessed market value, not purchase price.
Total Fees & Duties
RM 0
Stamp duties + legal fees + valuation
Stamp Duties
MOT Stamp Duty 1% + 2% + 3% bands RM 0
Loan Agreement Stamp Duty 0.5% of loan amount RM 0
Legal Fees (incl. 8% SST)
Full rate After 30% off
SPA Legal Fee RM 0 RM 0
Loan Agreement Legal Fee RM 0 RM 0
Subtotal Legal Fees RM 0 RM 0
Valuation Fee (incl. 8% SST)
Professional Valuation BOVAEP scale · required by banks RM 0
Stamp DutiesRM 0
Legal Fees (discounted)RM 0
Valuation FeeRM 0
Total Fees & DutiesExcl. down payment
RM 0

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Stamp duty: Stamp Act 1949 (Malaysia). Legal fees: Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023, Table A (minimum scale; solicitors may offer up to 25% discount; HDA developer projects use Table B). Valuation fees: BOVAEP scale under the Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act 1981. SST at 8% on professional fees. First-time buyer MOT exemption subject to LHDN eligibility. Results are estimates and do not constitute legal or financial advice.

Common Questions

Property Buying Costs FAQs

Everything you need to know before you sign, and when the numbers alone aren't enough, our advisors are one message away.

MOT (Memorandum of Transfer) stamp duty is the government tax you pay when property ownership is officially transferred to your name. It is calculated on a tiered scale under the Stamp Act 1949: 1% on the first RM 100,000; 2% on the next RM 400,000 (up to RM 500K); 3% on the next RM 500,000 (up to RM 1M); and 4% on anything above RM 1M. On a RM 600,000 property, MOT stamp duty = RM 1,000 + RM 8,000 + RM 3,000 = RM 12,000. This is typically one of the largest individual cash costs in any purchase.

This is a separate stamp duty on your loan agreement, charged at a flat 0.5% of the total loan amount. On a RM 540,000 loan, this is RM 2,700. Unlike MOT stamp duty, there is no first-time buyer exemption for loan stamp duty; it is always payable regardless of how many properties you own. It is typically settled by the solicitor on loan disbursement.

First-time buyers may qualify for a full exemption of MOT stamp duty on properties priced RM 500,000 and below. The exemption must be claimed through your solicitor and verified by LHDN. It does not apply to the loan agreement stamp duty (0.5% of loan); that remains payable regardless. Eligibility conditions can change year to year with budget announcements, so always confirm with your solicitor before assuming you qualify.

Under the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023 (Table A), legal fees for both the SPA and the loan agreement are calculated on a two-tier scale: 1.25% on the first RM 500,000 of the transaction amount, then 1.0% on the next RM 7,000,000 (up to RM 7.5M total). Above RM 7.5M, fees are by negotiation but capped at 1%. A minimum fee of RM 500 applies. SST at 8% is added to all legal fees. Both the SPA legal fee (on purchase price) and the loan legal fee (on loan amount) use the same scale.

Yes, and you should always ask. The SRO 2023 scale is a minimum regulated rate, but solicitors may offer up to 25% discount off the standard Table A scale at their discretion. This is most common for higher-value transactions or clients with repeat business. For developer projects (HDA properties), Table B applies by default and already provides discounts of 35–65% off Table A, depending on the property price tier. Use the discount slider in this calculator to model different scenarios.

Yes. Valuation fees are governed by the BOVAEP scale, but valuers can charge below the prescribed rate at their discretion. On higher-value properties, a 10–20% reduction is not unusual, particularly when dealing directly with a panel valuer, or introducing multiple properties at once. Always ensure your chosen valuer is BOVAEP-registered and on your bank's approved panel before engaging them.

Banks lend against the property's open market value, not the transaction price. A licensed valuer under BOVAEP prepares an independent valuation report, which the bank uses as the basis for your maximum loan amount. If the bank's valuation comes in below your purchase price, you will need to bridge the gap from your own cash. The fee is paid by the buyer, includes 8% SST, and cannot be waived by the bank. Even for new launches where the price is developer-set, banks still require their own panel valuation.

Certain fees, most commonly the loan agreement legal fee, and sometimes the valuation fee, can be rolled into your home loan rather than paid upfront. The bank disburses these amounts directly to the solicitor or valuer on your behalf at loan drawdown, and you repay them as part of your monthly instalments. This reduces your immediate cash outlay but increases your total loan balance and the interest you pay over the tenure. Whether a specific fee can be financed depends on the bank and product; confirm with your solicitor and relationship manager early in the process.

A markup loan (or over-valuation loan) occurs when the declared purchase price is set above the property's true market value, allowing the bank to lend more, with the excess used to cover fees or returned as cash to the buyer. It may seem attractive when cash is tight, but it is a misrepresentation to the bank, can violate your loan agreement terms, and may result in the facility being recalled or blacklisted if discovered. The inflated price can also make refinancing or resale harder later.

We do not recommend it. If you are struggling to bridge upfront costs, speak to an advisor about legitimate alternatives: developer rebates, fee financing (see above), renovation loans, or government first-home schemes. There are usually better options available once you know where to look.

A 100% loan finances the full purchase price; no cash down payment required. A 120% loan goes further, financing both the purchase price and additional costs such as legal fees and stamp duties. In Malaysia, these are primarily available through government-linked schemes for first-time buyers: examples include end-financing under PR1MA, selected BSN MyHome products, and Skim Rumah Pertamaku. Eligibility typically requires a household income cap, a price ceiling on the property, and first-time buyer status.

Separately, renovation loans (e.g. BSN Prihatin, Bank Rakyat) can fund up to RM 150,000–RM 200,000 in home improvements on top of a purchase loan. Our advisors can assess which scheme, if any, applies to your situation before you begin the application process.

LTV (Loan-to-Value) is the proportion of the property's assessed value that the bank will finance. For your 1st and 2nd residential properties, banks can lend up to 90%, a 10% down payment. For a 3rd property onwards, Bank Negara caps financing at 70%, requiring a 30% down payment. These thresholds are applied to the bank's valuation, not necessarily the purchase price. Some banks impose lower LTV for older buildings, certain leasehold tenures, or specific locations. Adjust the loan slider in this calculator to model different LTV scenarios.

The purchase price is what you agree to pay the seller. Market value is the independent assessment by a licensed valuer of what the property is worth on the open market. Banks lend against the lower of the two. If you negotiate a purchase price below market value (e.g. a distressed sale or motivated seller), the bank may lend against the higher market value, effectively improving your cash position at entry. If you pay above market value, your cash gap is larger than the nominal 10% implies. Knowing the likely market value before making an offer is one of the most useful things an advisor can help with.

For sub-sale (secondary market) properties, 3–5% is paid as earnest money when you sign the Letter of Offer or booking form. The remainder to reach 10% is paid upon signing the SPA, typically within 14–30 days. The remaining 90% is then disbursed by the bank in a single payment for completed properties, or progressively against construction stages for under-construction projects. Your solicitor manages the disbursement schedule and all stamp duty payments on your behalf throughout.

Yes. This calculator covers the main regulated fees. Additional costs you may encounter include: legal disbursements (land search, bankruptcy search, registration; typically RM 300–RM 1,000); building and content insurance (required by banks); quit rent and assessment rate adjustments at time of transfer; and for strata properties, any outstanding maintenance fees or sinking fund arrears from the previous owner. Property agent commissions (typically 2–3% of price) are usually borne by the seller but occasionally negotiated. New launches may have separate booking fees or developer admin charges before the SPA is executed.

Our advisors provide a complete, transaction-specific cost breakdown: fees, duties, applicable exemptions, and strategies to reduce your cash outlay. We also help with loan structuring, connect you with panel solicitors and valuers at competitive rates, and advise on what to expect at each stage of the purchase process. Whether this is your first property or an addition to a portfolio, we can walk you through every number before you sign anything. Free for our clients, and available to all buyers at no obligation.

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