The complete breakdown of notarial fees for foreign buyers in Mauritius in 2026: registration duty, notary fees, and disbursements, with examples.
When you buy a property in Mauritius, the notarial process adds a layer of costs on top of the purchase price. Foreign buyers are often surprised that the additional fees are not a single line item but a combination of registration duty, notary fees, and small disbursements. Here is what they actually cover and how to budget for them.
The Three Cost Components
Notarial costs in Mauritius break down into three components. Together they typically represent between 6% and 8% of the purchase price for a foreign buyer in 2026. The first is registration duty, paid to the State.
The second is the notary's fees, paid to the notary for handling the transaction. The third is disbursements, which cover small administrative items (stamps, certified copies, registration searches, EDB filing fees).
Registration Duty
Registration duty is the principal tax at acquisition. It is paid by the buyer at the time of the notarial deed of sale.
The current rate for a foreign buyer purchasing under PDS, SCS, or G+2 is 5% of the purchase price.
For a property at USD 500,000, the registration duty is therefore USD 25,000. The amount is collected by the notary and transferred to the Mauritius Revenue Authority within the legal deadline.
Notary's Fees
The notary's fees are regulated in Mauritius. They follow a declining scale: the percentage charged decreases as the purchase price increases. In practice, the effective rate is typically between 1% and 1.5% of the purchase price for a foreign buyer.
For a property at USD 500,000, expect notary fees of approximately USD 5,000 to USD 7,500.
The fees cover the drafting of the deed of sale, the verification of title, the registration of the transaction with the Land Registry, the management of the EDB file in coordination with the developer, and the handling of escrow funds.
Disbursements
Disbursements are the small administrative items the notary advances on the buyer's behalf and then bills back at cost. They typically include:
Mauritian stamp duty on the deed of sale.
Certified copies of the title and registration documents.
Land registry searches to confirm clean title.
EDB filing fees and clerical work on the residency application.
Total disbursements usually fall in the range of USD 500 to USD 1,500, depending on the complexity of the file.
Total Cost Calculation Example
For a foreign buyer purchasing a property under PDS at USD 500,000, total notarial costs typically work out as follows:
Registration duty (5%): USD 25,000 Notary's fees (approximately 1.2%): USD 6,000 Disbursements: USD 1,000
Total notarial costs: approximately USD 32,000, or 6.4% of the purchase price. When You Pay
Registration duty and notary's fees are due at the time of the notarial deed of sale, alongside the balance of the purchase price. For off-plan VEFA purchases, this means the costs are due once construction has reached the contractual stage for signing the deed.
For delivered properties, the notarial costs are due at the same moment as the full purchase price.
What The Fees Do Not Cover
Notarial costs do not include the costs of obtaining a Mauritian residence permit (which are separate fees paid to the EDB), the cost of opening a Mauritian bank account, or the cost of any independent legal advice you may engage in addition to the notary.
They also do not include the syndic, municipal tax, and utility connections that begin once you are the owner.
Reducing Costs Where Possible
Notarial costs are largely regulated and cannot be negotiated. However, the choice of notary can have a small impact on the total, since disbursement management and EDB filing efficiency vary in practice.
The Hub works with a short list of specialised notaries on every project. We assign the right notary based on the scheme, the buyer's nationality, and the complexity of the purchase. There is no upcharge to the buyer for this coordination, and our involvement typically reduces the time to keys by several weeks.
For a detailed cost simulation on a specific property, contact our team.