Costs of Buying Property in Uruguay (2026)

What are the closing costs when buying property in Uruguay?

Direct answer: for a cash purchase through a real-estate agency, a prudent budget often sets aside about 8%–10% in addition to the price, but this is not a single statutory rate. It includes the buyer's ITP on the cadastral assessed value, notary fees and contributions, commission where applicable, certificates, stamps and registration. Without a commission, or when financing is involved, the total changes.

Official basis: DGI — ITP.

The real total: what buying costs beyond the price

The asking price is not the total amount you will spend. A purchase involves transfer tax (ITP), notary fees, real-estate commission if there was brokerage, registration and other documents; if financing is involved, bank-specific costs are added.

As an order of magnitude, a USD 150,000 property may end up costing around USD 163,000–166,000 in a cash purchase through a real-estate agency. Under comparable assumptions, a USD 200,000 property may approach USD 218,000–220,000. These are illustrative scenarios, not a rule: the result changes with the cadastral assessed value, the fee agreed with the notary, real-estate brokerage, document complexity and the way each bank charges its costs.

Many buyers discover these costs after placing a reservation deposit. To avoid that, request written quotations before transferring the deposit. For the full process, see our step-by-step guide to buying an apartment in Uruguay.

Quick summary: how to build your budget

Type of purchase	Budgeting guide
Cash, without real-estate brokerage	Add ITP, notary fees, registration, certificates, stamps and the other costs applicable to the case. An extra 5%–6% may be a useful first estimate, not a guarantee.
Cash, through a real-estate agency	An extra 8%–10% can be a reasonable planning guide when using the 3% + VAT commission reference and the usual notarial fee schedule.
With a mortgage	Start with the purchase costs and add the selected bank's itemized quotation. There is no universal 2%–4% bank charge across the market.

These percentages are planning tools. The final number comes from identifying each item and its calculation basis.

1. ITP: Property Transfer Tax

ITP is one of the usual costs of a property sale, unless an exemption or a non-taxable case applies. It is not accurate to say that it “always applies.”

How much does each party pay?

In an arm's-length sale of real estate, the rate is:

• 2% for the buyer.
• 2% for the seller.

The parties may agree on who ultimately bears certain amounts, but that agreement does not change who is the legal taxpayer before the DGI. The acting notary serves as withholding and collection agent.

What amount is it calculated on?

For a property sale, the DGI establishes the taxable amount as the assessed value set by the National Cadastre Directorate, current and adjusted by the Consumer Price Index. The official ITP rule does not replace that basis with the transaction price when one exceeds the other.

Do not confuse this calculation with the seller's IRPF or certain rules in the notarial fee schedule, where comparisons between price and assessed value do appear.

Hypothetical example

Assume a USD 150,000 purchase and an updated cadastral assessed value equivalent to USD 90,000. That value is used only to illustrate the calculation; it does not imply that Cadastre normally represents 60% of the price.

• Buyer's ITP: 2% of USD 90,000 = USD 1,800 equivalent.

Ask your notary for the updated assessed value and tax calculation before making an offer.

Promoted housing

The first transfer of a unit included in a declared promoted project may be exempt from ITP. Law 18,795, Article 4(E), authorizes the benefit for the seller, the buyer or both.

It is therefore not enough for the unit to be new or advertised as “promoted housing.” Your notary must check the declaration, the benefits actually granted to the project and whether the specific transaction is covered.

2. Notary fees

A property sale requires a public deed. Article 1664 of the Civil Code states that a real-estate sale is not considered perfected by law until that deed has been executed.

The 3% reference and the 4.23% calculation

For an ordinary sale, the notarial schedule uses 3% of the applicable basis as its reference. The AEU provides rules comparing price and updated assessed value, as well as minimums, caps and reductions. “3% of the price” works in many cases but is not a universal legal formula.

When the price is the basis, the full fee is used and the notarial social-security contribution is passed through in the quotation, the usual estimate is:

• Professional fee: 3%.
• VAT on the fee: 22%, equivalent to 0.66% of the basis.
• Caja Notarial contribution: 19% of the fee, equivalent to 0.57% of the basis.
• Arithmetic total: approximately 4.23% of the basis.

For a USD 150,000 basis: USD 4,500 fee + USD 990 VAT + USD 855 contribution = USD 6,345.

What happens if you negotiate the fee?

The amount actually charged by the professional may be agreed. However, Law 17,437, Article 29, provides that the contribution base is calculated on the full fees under the Official Fee Schedule, regardless of any waiver or reduction the notary may grant.

In practical terms, negotiating the professional fee can save money, but it does not necessarily reduce the Caja contribution in the same proportion. Ask for a quotation separating the fee, VAT, contribution and expenses.

What work and documents may be included?

• Title review and chain of ownership; examining the preceding 30 years is a criterion used in practice and also appears in Judiciary instructions.
• Requesting and reviewing the registry, tax and administrative certificates required for the property, its owners and the transaction.
• Checking debts, liens, restrictions and building status.
• Drafting and executing the public deed.
• Calculating and withholding taxes where applicable.
• Submitting the deed for registration.

There is no universal number of “8 to 12 certificates”: the set depends on the parcel, owners, title history and transaction.

Preliminary agreement and final deed

The AEU publishes a fee of 1.5% of the price for a private preliminary sale agreement. When the final sale is executed in fulfillment of the preliminary agreement within one year, the schedule provides for calculating 3% on the applicable basis and deducting the 1.5% preliminary-agreement fee, subject to the relevant rules and minimums.

Consequently, “1.5% now and 1.5% later” may describe a common case, but it is not automatic for every agreement, time period or structure. Confirm it in the notary's quotation.

3. Real-estate commission

The reference published by the Uruguayan Real Estate Chamber for a sale brokerage is:

• 3% + VAT = 3.66% of the sale price.
• It is commonly agreed with each party: buyer and seller.

On USD 150,000, 3% + VAT equals USD 5,490 for the party that agreed to that commission.

This is not a rate imposed by law. Law 20,380 regulates real-estate activity in a framework of free competition, requires client authorization and recognizes a licensed operator's right to collect fees. The amount, scope and time of payment should be clear in writing.

Does buying directly mean zero commission?

In a genuinely direct transaction, without brokerage or a prior commitment, there is no real-estate commission. But do not assume that if an agency introduced the property or buyer, or if an authorization, exclusive listing or brokerage agreement exists. Review those documents before closing outside the agency.

4. Registration, certificates and stamps

Separate the registry charge from the other items. The General Registry Directorate publishes UYU 2,530 as the filing charge for a purchase, preliminary sale agreement or mortgage at the Real Property Registry.

That charge is not the entire documentation bill. Depending on the case, the following may be added:

• priority reservation;
• registry and administrative certificates;
• stamps and notarial paper;
• copies, certified copies and administrative work;
• other procedures specific to the property.

There is no official all-inclusive charge of USD 300–800. If such an amount is used for planning, it must be identified as an assumption grouping several items, not as the registration price.

5. Bank costs when buying with a mortgage

Banks structure their costs very differently. An item may be paid upfront, deducted from the disbursement, added to financed principal or debited during the loan. Nor is there a universal maximum financing percentage: depending on the product and guarantees, some offerings may reach 95%.

Institution	Examples of published costs
BHU	No origination commission, but it publishes a 3,700 UI document-review charge when the application is submitted. The optional preliminary appraisal costs 2,500 UI and may be credited if a loan on that property is requested within 90 days.
Santander	Publishes 1.5% of principal for loans of USD 30,000 or more, capped at USD 1,500; for smaller amounts, 2.5%. In a primary-residence product, certain costs may be incorporated into the loan.
Itaú	Publishes a free appraisal, an administration charge of 1.5% + VAT subject to minimum and maximum amounts, and a separate formula for its notaries' fees.
BBVA	Uses an external appraisal company appointed by the bank; its product sheet leaves the origination percentage for the individual quotation and publishes notarial review subject to UI minimums and maximums.
Scotiabank	The customer pays the appraisal and is reimbursed if the loan is granted. The published real-estate sheet provides for administration of 2% + VAT added to principal and a separate notarial review charge.
HSBC/BTG	The available product sheet publishes an appraisal charge of USD 150 + VAT and mortgage review of 0.8% + VAT, subject to a minimum.

Life and fire insurance—or equivalent mechanisms such as BHU's Property Protection Fund—are common conditions of mortgage products, not an identical legal obligation for every purchase. The premium and payment method vary: monthly, prepaid for the full term or financed.

Recurring charges may also apply, including the Regulatory Control Charge and complementary levy, as well as account maintenance. Do not use “1%–2% origination” or “2%–4% of the loan” as market-wide rules. Ask the bank for a dated simulation separating:

• approved principal, amount disbursed and total principal owed;
• appraisal, origination and notarial review;
• insurance and payment method;
• recurring charges or levies;
• partial-prepayment or early-repayment costs.

The full comparison is available in hidden costs of buying with a mortgage: costs by bank.

6. Later costs worth budgeting

Not all of these are legal purchase costs, but they may arise around handover:

• Utilities: account changes, possible deposits and adjustments for UTE, OSE, gas or telecommunications.
• Moving: request quotations based on location, distance, volume, elevator access and permits. Any dollar range is only an estimate.
• Basic preparation: painting, cleaning, locks, appliances or repairs.
• Common charges: confirm the applicable start date based on acquisition, handover or possession, the contract and the condominium statement.
• Regularization: undeclared construction or renovations may require municipal, cadastral or BPS procedures. More information in BPS construction registration: what it is and how to check it.

Illustrative example: USD 150,000 cash purchase through an agency

Assumptions: updated cadastral assessed value equivalent to USD 90,000; notarial fee calculated on USD 150,000; commission of 3% + VAT; and USD 600 as an editorial allowance for registration, certificates, stamps and administrative work. This last amount is not an official charge.

Item	Amount in the example
Price	USD 150,000
Buyer's ITP: 2% of USD 90,000	USD 1,800
Notary: 3% + VAT + 19% contribution	USD 6,345
Real-estate commission: 3% + VAT	USD 5,490
Registration, certificates, stamps and other items: assumption	USD 600
Illustrative total	USD 164,235
Additional costs as a percentage of price	9.49%

The total is correct under those assumptions. It does not prove that every USD 150,000 purchase costs the same.

Illustrative example: USD 200,000 purchase with a mortgage and agency

Assume, solely to organize the calculation, that a product finances 80% and disburses USD 160,000. That 80% is not a universal maximum. Also assume an assessed value equivalent to USD 125,000, the reference commission and USD 700 of grouped documentation costs.

Item	Amount in the example
Price	USD 200,000
Unfinanced portion of price	USD 40,000
Buyer's ITP: 2% of USD 125,000	USD 2,500
Notary: 3% + VAT + 19% contribution	USD 8,460
Real-estate commission: 3% + VAT	USD 7,320
Registration, certificates, stamps and other items: assumption	USD 700
Bank-specific costs	Add the individual quotation
Initial cash outlay before bank costs	USD 58,980
Additional costs before bank costs	USD 18,980 = 9.49% of price

The example's initial outlay represents 29.49% of the price: 20% is the buyer's own capital applied to the price and 9.49% is additional costs. Then add only the selected bank's charges, taking into account which are paid, deducted or financed.

Who pays what?

Item	Buyer	Seller
ITP	Legal taxpayer at 2%	Legal taxpayer at 2%
Purchase notary	Usually pays their notary's fees	May have separate advice and costs
Real-estate commission	If agreed with the operator	If agreed with the operator
Registration and documents	According to the quotation and transaction	May bear certificates or regularization costs that correspond to the seller
Bank costs	According to the loan and collection method	—
IRPF on the transfer	—	Potentially: 12% of taxable income, not simply 12% of “profit”

The DGI explains that taxable income for IRPF depends on the acquisition date and applicable method. For urban property acquired before July 1, 2007, there may be a choice between the actual and deemed methods; exemptions also exist, including the permanent-home exemption when all its conditions are met.

Four ways to avoid surprises

1. Verify promoted-housing status: request the promotion declaration and have your notary confirm whether the ITP exemption benefits the buyer in that transaction.
2. Document the brokerage relationship: if the purchase is direct, confirm that no authorization, exclusivity or prior intervention may generate fees.
3. Request an itemized notarial quotation: negotiating the professional fee can save money, but the Caja contribution may still be calculated on the full schedule.
4. If there is financing, compare full statements: not just rate and installment; include net disbursement, insurance, initial charges and recurring debits.

A deposit does not automatically give you a right to walk away

The costliest mistake is still making an offer at the limit of your budget without allowing for expenses. Under the assumptions in the USD 150,000 example, someone with only the purchase price would need about USD 14,235 more.

But it is also incorrect to say that you can always withdraw simply by forfeiting the deposit. Article 1665 of the Civil Code provides that a deposit or earnest money is understood as paid toward the price and as ratification of the agreement, without an automatic right to withdraw. A specific express clause is required for the parties to walk away by forfeiting or returning the earnest money.

The actual consequences depend on the reservation, offer document or preliminary agreement. Before transferring money, ask your notary to review deadlines, financing and appraisal conditions, title review, default and return of the deposit.

Does the rule of subtracting 10% from your budget work?

It may work as a conservative guide for a cash purchase through a real-estate agency. It is not a universal financial rule: it may be more than needed in a direct purchase or one with exemptions, and it may be insufficient when financing, regularization or a complex transaction is involved.

The safer method is to work backwards: available savings minus budgeted costs and a contingency reserve equals the maximum price you can offer.

Frequently asked questions

What are the closing costs when buying property in Uruguay?

There is no single rate. For a cash purchase through a real-estate agency, a prudent budget often reserves 8%–10% in addition to the price. The buyer's ITP is 2% of the updated cadastral assessed value according to the DGI; notary fees and contributions, commission, certificates, stamps and registration may also apply.

Official and professional sources

• DGI — ITP: taxpayers, taxable amount and rates; Tax Ruling 6600 on the ITP basis.
• Law 18,795, Article 4 — promoted-housing benefits.
• AEU — Application of the notarial fee schedule to real estate; Law 17,437, Article 29 — notarial contribution base.
• Caja Notarial — contribution and current 2026 values.
• Civil Code, Article 1664 — public deed; Article 1665 — deposit or earnest money.
• DGR — Filing with the Real Property Registry.
• CIU — Real-estate commission reference; Law 20,380 — real-estate operators.
• DGI — IRPF capital gains on urban property.

This guide provides general information. Commercial amounts, fee schedules, bank promotions and tax treatment may change. Before reserving, request dated quotations and review your specific case with your notary.

Planning to buy? Browse available properties or message us on WhatsApp and we will guide you through the transaction.

Related articles

• How to buy an apartment in Uruguay: step by step
• What a notary does in a Uruguay property sale and what it costs
• Buying with a mortgage: hidden costs by bank
• Mortgages in Uruguay
• Property taxes in Uruguay
• BPS construction registration: what it is and how to check it
• Common charges: what they include and how they are calculated