# Bond Registration Costs vs Transfer Costs: What You Actually Pay When Buying a Home in South Africa - Canonical URL: https://bond.co.za/guides/bond-registration-vs-transfer-costs-south-africa - Author: Neil B - Published: 2026-08-24 - Last updated: 2026-09-29 1. [Home](https://bond.co.za/) 3. [Guides](https://bond.co.za/guides) 5. [Costs & fees](https://bond.co.za/guides/costs-and-fees) 7. Bond registration vs transfer costs [Costs & fees](https://bond.co.za/guides/costs-and-fees) Buying a home in South Africa means two separate sets of upfront costs: transfer costs to get the property into your name, and bond registration costs to register your home loan. Here is exactly what each one includes, who charges it, and when it is due — with no hard-coded estimates. [Get your personalized cost estimate](https://bond.co.za/bond-and-transfer-cost-calculator)[Download the checklist](#cost-checklist) Free · No obligation · No spam. Transfer dutyBond registrationAttorney feesNo guaranteed outcome The big picture ## Two separate buckets of costs Transfer costs sit on the property side. Bond registration costs sit on the loan side. Most buyers pay both. Transfer costs What you pay to transfer ownership of the property from the seller to you. These are charged by the government and the transfer attorney, regardless of whether you use a bond. - SARS transfer duty - Transfer attorney (conveyancing) fee - Deeds Office transfer fee Bond registration costs What you pay to register your home loan as a bond over the property. These are only due if you borrow money to buy. - Bond registration attorney fee - Deeds Office bond fee - Bank initiation fee Transfer side ## What transfer costs actually cover These costs are triggered by the purchase itself, not by the bond. SARS transfer duty A government tax on property transfers, calculated on a sliding scale based on the purchase price. The first R1 210 000 is currently zero-rated for properties acquired on or after 1 April 2025. Source: South African Revenue Service (SARS). Last verified 2026-09-06. Transfer attorney (conveyancer) fee The seller usually appoints the transfer attorney, but the buyer pays the fee. It covers preparing the transfer documents, attending to compliance, and lodging at the Deeds Office. VAT is added to the quoted fee. Source: Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) recommended conveyancing fee guideline. Last verified 2026-09-06. Deeds Office transfer fee A fixed government fee based on the property value, paid to the Deeds Office to register the transfer into your name. Source: South African Deeds Office Schedule of Fees of Office. Last verified 2026-08-15. Bond side ## What bond registration costs actually cover These costs are triggered by the home loan, not by the purchase. Bond registration attorney fee The bank appoints a bond registration attorney to prepare and register the mortgage bond over the property. The buyer pays this fee, which is based on the bond amount and also attracts VAT. Source: Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) recommended conveyancing fee guideline. Last verified 2026-09-06. Deeds Office bond fee A separate Deeds Office fee to register the bond itself. It is based on the bond amount and is charged in addition to the transfer fee. Source: South African Deeds Office Schedule of Fees of Office. Last verified 2026-08-15. Bank initiation fee A once-off fee the bank charges to open the home loan account. It is capped by the National Credit Act and is often capitalised into the loan, so you may not pay it in cash upfront. Source: National Credit Act, No. 34 of 2005, Reg 42(2) Table B, as substituted by GN 1080 / Government Gazette 39379 (fee tables effective 6 May 2016). Last verified 2026-10-15. At a glance ## Who pays what and when A clear table of every major cost, when it is due, and who receives it. Table of transfer and bond registration costs, who pays, and when they are due. | Cost | Who pays | Who receives it | When it is due | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Transfer duty | Buyer | SARS | Before registration | | Transfer attorney fee | Buyer | Transfer attorney | Before registration | | Deeds Office transfer fee | Buyer | Deeds Office | On registration | | Bond attorney fee | Buyer | Bond registration attorney | On registration | | Deeds Office bond fee | Buyer | Deeds Office | On registration | | Bank initiation fee | Buyer | Bank | Often capitalised into loan | VAT of 15% is added to quoted attorney fees unless otherwise stated. Figures verified from the sources noted above. Example ## What it looks like on a R 1 500 000 home Based on the verified tariffs and a bond of R 1 200 000. Your actual quote may differ. ### Transfer side SARS transfer dutyR 8 700 Transfer attorney fee (incl. VAT)R 37 530,25 Deeds Office transfer feeR 1 738 Transfer-side totalR 47 968,25 ### Bond side Bond attorney fee (incl. VAT)R 32 654,25 Deeds Office bond feeR 1 738 Bank initiation feeR 6 037,5 Bond-side totalR 40 429,75 Estimated total upfront cash required R 88 398 That is 5.89% of the purchase price. Use the calculator below to run your own numbers. Save over the life of the loan ## How to lower your total monthly cost Upfront costs are only part of the picture. The interest rate you are offered has a much bigger impact over 20 years. A lower home loan rate reduces both your monthly repayment and the total interest you pay. If you apply to more than one bank — directly or through a bond originator — you can compare the rates and fees each one offers before you commit. [Compare home loan rates](https://bond.co.za/home-loan-rate-comparison-south-africa)[Bond originator vs bank](https://bond.co.za/bond-originator-vs-bank) Free download ## The Complete Home Buyer Cost Checklist Every upfront cost, who pays it, and when it is due — in a printable PDF you can take to your attorney or bank. ### Get the Complete Home Buyer Cost Checklist A printable PDF checklist of every upfront cost, who charges it, and when it is due — so nothing catches you off guard. Free to use. bond.co.za is an independent educational resource — we do not provide credit, origination, legal or conveyancing services. [About our independence](https://bond.co.za/how-we-make-money). FAQ ## Straight answers about bond and transfer costs What is the difference between transfer costs and bond registration costs?+ Transfer costs are paid to get the property into your name: SARS transfer duty, the transfer attorney's fee and the Deeds Office transfer fee. Bond registration costs are paid to register your home loan bond: the bond attorney's fee, the Deeds Office bond fee, and the bank's once-off initiation fee. You pay transfer costs because you are buying the property; you pay bond registration costs because you are taking out a bond. Who pays transfer duty in South Africa?+ The buyer pays transfer duty to SARS, unless the seller is a registered VAT vendor and the sale is zero-rated for transfer duty. Your conveyancing attorney collects the duty and pays it over on registration. Transfer duty is zero for properties up to R1 210 000 for acquisitions on or after 2026-04-01 (2026/27 SARS table). Do I pay bond registration costs if I buy cash?+ No. If you do not use a bond, there is no bond to register, so you skip the bond attorney, Deeds Office bond fee and bank initiation fee. You still pay the transfer-side costs. Can I negotiate the attorney fees?+ Conveyancing and bond registration fees are typically based on the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) recommended tariff, but firms may discount or add VAT and disbursements. Always request a written quote before you appoint the attorney. When are these costs due?+ The transfer attorney usually asks for the full transfer-side amount a few weeks before registration, so the Deeds Office and SARS can be paid. Bond registration costs are often deducted from the bond proceeds at registration, or the bond attorney may request them in advance. Bank initiation fees are usually capitalised into the loan. Are transfer and bond registration costs tax deductible?+ For most home buyers these are capital costs and are not immediately tax deductible. If you are buying the property as an income-producing investment, some costs may form part of the base cost for capital gains tax. Confirm with a tax practitioner for your specific situation. ## Informational disclaimer This guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Transfer duty brackets, Deeds Office fees, attorney tariffs and bank fees change over time and may differ from the figures used here. Always confirm your actual costs with your conveyancing attorney, bond registration attorney and lender before making an offer or signing a loan agreement. Nothing on this page guarantees a specific rate, fee, approval or savings outcome. Last updated: 2026-09-29. Transfer cost data last verified 2026-09-06. Next review expected when tariffs or tax brackets change. ## Related guides and tools [ Attorney fees when buying a houseThe 2026 LSSA tariff scale both attorneys charge on, who appoints whom, and which appointment you can influence. ](https://bond.co.za/guides/attorney-fees-buying-house-south-africa)[ Building loansProgress payments, NHBRC rules and the documents a build needs. ](https://bond.co.za/guides/building-loan-south-africa)[ Bond & transfer cost calculatorCalculate your total upfront costs for any purchase price. ](https://bond.co.za/bond-and-transfer-cost-calculator)[ Transfer cost calculatorCash buyer? Estimate transfer costs only. ](https://bond.co.za/transfer-cost-calculator)[ Home loan rate comparisonSee how a lower rate changes what you pay over time. ](https://bond.co.za/home-loan-rate-comparison-south-africa)[ Bond originator vs bankUnderstand how an originator fits into the process. ](https://bond.co.za/bond-originator-vs-bank)[ Offer to purchase explainedWhat the OTP bond clause and costs clause commit you to. ](https://bond.co.za/guides/offer-to-purchase-south-africa)[ News: initiation and registration fees explainedThe 2026 upfront cost stack on a R1.5m purchase — bank, attorney and Deeds Office lines in one table. ](https://bond.co.za/news/bond-initiation-and-registration-fees-explained)[ News: Deeds Office fees 2026The April 2026 gazetted schedule and what it adds on a typical bond registration. ](https://bond.co.za/news/deeds-office-fees-2026) Keep reading ## More in costs & fees The most recently updated guides in this category. 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