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Legal fees for buying property in Malaysia (2026): scale and calculator
Rules checked against official sources on .
Quick answer
Legal fees for a sale and purchase agreement and for a loan agreement follow the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023: 1.25% of the first RM500,000 (minimum RM500) and 1% of the next RM7,000,000. When you buy a new home from a developer under the Housing Development Act, a lower scale applies: 75%, 70%, 65% or 50% of that fee depending on the price. Service tax of 8% is added, and disbursements are charged separately.
The standard scale (subsale and non-HDA purchases)
| Part of the price or loan | Fee |
|---|---|
| First RM500,000 | 1.25% (minimum RM500) |
| Next RM7,000,000 | 1% |
| Above RM7,500,000 | Negotiable, not more than 1% of the excess |
The developer scale (new homes under the Housing Development Act)
| Price or loan | Fee |
|---|---|
| RM50,000 or less | RM500 |
| RM50,001 – RM250,000 | 75% of the standard scale (minimum RM500) |
| RM250,001 – RM500,000 | 70% of the standard scale |
| RM500,001 – RM1,000,000 | 65% of the standard scale |
| Above RM1,000,000 | 50% of the standard scale |
What that comes to, including 8% service tax
| Price (or loan amount) | New home from a developer | Subsale |
|---|---|---|
| RM300,000 | RM2,835 | RM4,050 |
| RM500,000 | RM4,725 | RM6,750 |
| RM800,000 | RM6,494 | RM9,990 |
| RM1,000,000 | RM7,898 | RM12,150 |
| RM1,500,000 | RM8,775 | RM17,550 |
| RM2,000,000 | RM11,475 | RM22,950 |
The same scales apply twice: once to the sale and purchase agreement (on the price) and once to the loan agreement (on the loan amount). These are the full scale fees; a lawyer may reduce the standard scale by up to 25%, and may not reduce the developer scale. Disbursements such as searches, registration and stamping are extra.
Work out your own figure
| Item | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|
Stamp duty is charged on the price or the market value, whichever is higher. Legal fees are the full scale fees (a lawyer may reduce the standard scale by up to 25%, and nothing else) and exclude disbursements such as search and registration fees. Your loan is set by your bank, so type in your own figure.
Frequently asked questions
How much are legal fees on a RM500,000 property?
For the sale and purchase agreement: RM6,250 on the standard scale for a subsale, RM6,750 with 8% service tax; for a new home from a developer the fee is 70% of that, RM4,375, or RM4,725 with tax. The loan agreement fee is worked out separately on the loan amount.
How are legal fees worked out when buying from a developer?
New homes under the Housing Development Act use the developer scale in the Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023: 70% of the standard scale for RM250,001–500,000, 65% for RM500,001–1,000,000 and 50% above RM1,000,000, plus 8% service tax.
Can a lawyer charge less than the scale fee?
Yes, by up to 25% on the standard scale. The developer scale may not be reduced.
Is service tax charged on legal fees?
Yes — 8% since 1 March 2024.
What do legal fees not include?
Disbursements: search fees, registration fees, stamping and travel are charged on top of the scale fee.
Official sources
- Solicitors' Remuneration Order 2023 — Bar Council Circular 258/2023
- Rules on reducing scale fees — Bar Council Circular 295/2023
- Service tax rate — Royal Malaysian Customs Department
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