Buying
What buying property in Cameroon costs on top of the price
The asking price is not what you will pay. In Cameroon, purchase costs add a large share to the price, and they often catch diaspora buyers by surprise at signing.
Registration duties
This is the biggest item. The duties are paid to the tax office and calculated on the sale price. The 2025 Finance Act lowered them:
- 10% for a built property in an urban area, down from 15%;
- 5% for undeveloped urban land or a built rural property;
- 2% for undeveloped rural land.
The Land Registry
Registering the sale on the land title gives rise to a duty proportional to the price, plus fixed fees such as the certificate of ownership. The rate has changed several times in recent years, so ask the notary for the exact figure when you sign.
The notary
A notary is compulsory: without a notarial deed, the sale cannot be registered on the land title. Notary fees follow an official sliding scale, with a percentage that falls as the price rises. Stamps and copies of the deed come on top.
Other possible costs
- The surveyor, if the land has to be marked out or subdivided.
- A land title check before you commit.
- Transfer fees from your bank abroad.
What the seller pays
The seller pays a 5% tax on the capital gain, withheld by the notary. The rate rises to 10% if the sale is paid in cash, one more reason to pay by bank transfer. Any arrears of property tax must also be settled before the sale.
Under-declaring the price is a false saving
The temptation is common: write a lower price in the deed than the real one to pay less in duties. The tax administration can reassess a price below the property’s value, and the minimum values it sets act as a floor. A reassessment comes with penalties. And when you sell later, your capital gain will be calculated from that artificially low price.
An order of magnitude
For a house in town, expect costs well above 10% of the price once registration duties, the Land Registry and the notary are added up. Ask the notary for a written breakdown before signing and keep it with the deed.
These rates are those in force in October 2026. Finance Acts change them regularly.
Preparing a purchase? Send us the property and the price offered. We’ll check the title and give you an estimate of the costs before you commit.
This article gives general information. It does not replace advice from a notary or a lawyer on your own file.
Manfred Gabriel Njoh
Founder of Henser Group, consultant in Douala since 2011. He follows each file himself, from the first visit to signing at the notary’s office.
