How long does conveyancing take in Cyprus?

The searches and contract usually take 2–6 weeks. A resale with a clean title deed can transfer within weeks of that. A new build waits for the developer's title deeds, which can take years.

Can I use the developer's or agent's lawyer?

No. A lawyer who acts for the seller or developer cannot protect you against them. GOV.UK lists lawyers acting for both sides as a common problem for British buyers.

Do I have to be in Cyprus to buy?

No. You can sign a power of attorney so your lawyer signs and deposits documents for you. Have it drafted narrowly, for this one purchase only.

Is stamp duty still payable in 2026?

Not on contracts signed from 1 January 2026, when Law 239(I)/2025 abolished stamp duty. Documents signed by any party on or before 31 December 2025 fall under the old rules.

What is a Land Registry search certificate?

An official extract showing who owns the property and any mortgages, charges or bans on it. Since the 2023 amendment, the seller must attach one issued no more than 5 working days before the contract is signed.

Who pays for the introduction?

Not you. If you instruct the lawyer, they pay us a referral fee. Their fee to you is quoted in writing by them. Our referral disclosure explains how this works.

How much does conveyancing cost in Cyprus?

Lawyers typically quote about 1–2% of the price plus 19% VAT, or a fixed fee from about €1,500 for a simple resale. Government charges come on top: transfer fees on a resale, or VAT on a new-build.

Is there exchange of contracts in Cyprus?

No. You are bound when you sign the sale contract, so your lawyer must finish the searches before then. After signing, the contract is deposited at the Land Registry to protect you until the title transfers.

Can I do my own conveyancing in Cyprus?

In theory, yes, but few UK buyers should. The searches, the contract terms, the Land Registry deposit and the COMM 145 application all need Cyprus legal knowledge, and there is no exchange stage to catch mistakes.

Legal services · Property

Cyprus Property Conveyancing: The Legal Process, Handled by an Independent Lawyer

Conveyancing in Cyprus is the legal work that moves a property into your name: title and encumbrance searches, the sale contract, depositing it at the Land Registry, and the final transfer. It works differently from England, and the checks have to happen before you sign. We introduce you to a vetted, independent conveyancing lawyer, free of charge.

Vetted, licensed partners
Free introduction
Referral fees disclosed

Request an introduction

Free. I reply personally within one working day.

The short version

Cyprus has no exchange-and-completion step. You sign a sale contract, your lawyer deposits it at the Land Registry (within 6 months), and the title transfers later, sometimes years later on new builds.

Since the 2023 amendment to the Specific Performance Law, the seller must attach a Land Registry search certificate issued no more than 5 working days before signing.

Transfer fees are 3% / 5% / 8% in bands, halved on resales. New builds that carry VAT pay no transfer fees, but VAT is 19% (or 5% if you qualify).

Stamp duty on property contracts was abolished for contracts signed from 1 January 2026.

Lawyers' fees are usually quoted at about 1–2% of the price plus 19% VAT, or a fixed fee from around €1,500 for a simple resale. Our introduction is free.

What Cyprus property conveyancing covers

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from the seller to you. In Cyprus it is done by an advocate (the local term for a lawyer) registered with the Cyprus Bar Association. There is no separate profession of licensed conveyancer as there is in England.

The work has four parts:

Searches. Checking at the Department of Lands and Surveys (the Land Registry, often shortened to DLS) that the seller owns what they are selling, and that no mortgage, court order or other charge sits on it.
The contract. Reviewing or drafting the sale contract so that your money is protected if something goes wrong.
Registration. Depositing the signed contract at the Land Registry so the property cannot be sold or mortgaged again behind your back.
Transfer. Paying the transfer fees and registering the title deed in your name.

The British High Commission's advice to UK buyers is blunt: use your own independent lawyer, not one recommended by the developer or the seller, and take extreme care if title deeds are not readily available. That is the job this service exists to do.

Watch out

The most common mistake UK buyers make

Paying a reservation deposit, or signing a contract, before a lawyer has run the searches. In England your solicitor does the checks before exchange. In Cyprus there is no exchange, so the moment you sign, you are committed. Get the searches done first. The buyer due diligence guide lists every check.

The conveyancing process in Cyprus, step by step

This is the order a typical Paphos purchase follows. New builds without title deeds take longest at step 7.

1
Instruct your own lawyer
Day 1
Before you pay any reservation deposit. Your lawyer should confirm in writing that they act only for you, and give you a written fee quote.
2
Reservation agreement
Week 1
Reservation deposits are negotiated, not set by law. Your lawyer makes the deposit refundable if the searches, survey or title check turn up a problem.
3
Searches and due diligence
1–3 weeks
Title and encumbrance search at the Land Registry, planning and building permits, any outstanding debts on the property, and whether the developer has a mortgage over the land. See what the due diligence covers.
4
Contract review and negotiation
1–2 weeks
Payment schedule, completion date, penalties, what happens if title deeds are delayed, and a Land Registry search certificate issued no more than 5 working days before signing.
5
Sign and deposit the contract
Within 6 months of signing
Your lawyer deposits the contract at the District Lands Office. This gives you the right of specific performance: the property cannot be sold again or re-mortgaged, and you can go to court to force the transfer.
6
Permission for non-EU buyers
Weeks to months
UK-only passport holders are non-EU buyers. You apply to the District Administration on form COMM 145. There is no fee. gov.cy quotes 2–3 weeks; buyers in Paphos often report longer. This permission is separate from your residence permit; if you're applying under Category F, see our Category F legal support.
7
Transfer of title
Weeks (resale) to years (new builds)
Your lawyer pays the transfer fees (if any) and registers the title deed in your name. On new builds this waits until the developer's title deeds are issued.

Conveyancing in England vs Cyprus: what's different

If you've bought in England or Wales, these are the differences that catch UK buyers out.

England and Wales

Cyprus

When you're committed

At exchange of contracts, after the searches

When you sign the sale contract. Run the searches first

Who does it

Solicitor or licensed conveyancer

An advocate registered with the Cyprus Bar Association

Key search

Local authority, drainage and title searches

Land Registry search certificate, plus planning permits and final approval

Title at completion

Registered almost immediately

Resale: on transfer. New-build: often years later

Protecting your claim before transfer

Not usually needed

Deposit the contract at the Land Registry within 6 months

Permission to buy

None

Non-EU buyers file form COMM 145 (no fee)

Main purchase tax

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Transfer fee (3/5/8%, halved on resales) or VAT on new-builds; no stamp duty from 2026

Lender's valuation

Usual, as most buyers borrow

Often none, as many UK buyers pay cash. Commission your own survey

The verdict

The big one is the first row. In England the checks happen before you're bound. In Cyprus you must make them happen before you sign, because nothing else stops you.

What it costs: government charges

Transfer fees are the main government charge on a resale. The Department of Lands and Surveys applies three bands, and on transactions not subject to VAT the bill is halved.

Price band	Rate	Maximum in band
First €85,000	3%	€2,550
€85,001–€170,000	5%	€4,250
Above €170,000	8%	no cap

House keys on a wooden table in a bright, empty living room in Paphos — Keys should change hands only after the checks are done

Worked example: a €250,000 resale in one name comes to €13,200 before the reduction and €6,600 after it. Bought in two names, each share is assessed separately at €125,000, so the total drops to about €4,550.

If the purchase is subject to VAT, which usually means a new build from a developer, you pay no transfer fees at all. You pay VAT instead: 19% as standard, or 5% on a qualifying first home (the first 130 m² of a home up to 190 m², with value caps of €350,000 and €475,000 and a 10-year residence condition). Your lawyer applies for the 5% rate with the Tax Department. If the purchase is also your route to permanent residency by investment, your lawyer has to keep it within those rules too.

Stamp duty was abolished for contracts signed from 1 January 2026 under Law 239(I)/2025. One thing to watch out for: the Tax Department's stamp duty page was still online without an abolition notice when we checked, so ask your lawyer to confirm, especially if any party signed before 2026.

Estimate your transfer fees

Enter the price and number of buyers. Remember the 50% reduction applies only when the sale is not subject to VAT.

Free toolCyprus property transfer fee calculator

Purchase price (€)The price declared on the contract of saleBuying as

Is VAT charged on the sale?

New builds from a developer are usually VAT-able; resales usually are not

Transfer fee you pay

€8,600

Full fee €17,200, less the 50% reduction for non-VAT sales.

3% on €0–€85,000€2,550

5% on €85,001–€170,000€4,250

8% on over €170,000€10,400

Sources: Department of Lands and Surveys — transfer fee calculation

Free introduction

Found a property already?

Get an independent conveyancing lawyer to run the searches before you pay a reservation deposit. The introduction is free, and the lawyer quotes a fixed fee first.

Introduce me to a lawyer Read the due diligence guide

What a Cyprus conveyancing lawyer charges

Lawyers in Cyprus set their own fees, and there is no official scale for property work. The ranges below are what buyers are typically quoted, taken from several 2026 cost guides. They do not always agree, so treat them as a guide and get a written quote.

Percentage fee: about 1% to 2% of the purchase price, plus 19% VAT.
Fixed fee: often €1,500 to €3,000+ for a straightforward resale. New-build contracts, off-plan purchases and properties without title deeds sit at the higher end.
Extras that are sometimes billed separately: the non-EU permission application, a power of attorney if you buy from the UK, the 5% VAT application, and Land Registry search fees.

On a €300,000 purchase, a 1% fee is €3,000 plus €570 VAT. That is a small price next to the €300,000 it protects.

A partner we introduce quotes you directly and in writing before you instruct them. You never pay us for the introduction.

How our introduction works

01
Tell us about the property
Area, resale or new build, rough price, whether you have signed or paid anything.
02
We match you
With an independent conveyancing lawyer who has no link to the seller, developer or agent in your deal.
03
Free first call
The lawyer explains the risks on your property and sends a written fixed-fee quote.
04
You decide
Instruct them or don't. There is no obligation, and we stay on hand if something stalls.

Cyprus property conveyancing in numbers

6 months

to deposit your sale contract at the Land Registry

DLS guidance

5 days

maximum age of the seller's search certificate at signing

Law 132(I)/2023, working days

50%

reduction in transfer fees on non-VAT sales

gov.cy

€0

cost of our introduction to you

Legal conveyancing or a local Paphos lawyer?

This page explains the legal process. If you already know the process and want a lawyer who works at the Paphos District Lands Office every week, go to our Paphos property lawyer introduction. It covers what to ask a local lawyer, buying from the UK by power of attorney, and how we check independence.

A stone-arched courtyard with a lemon tree in a traditional house near Paphos — Older village houses are built around a shaded courtyard

For the checks that sit outside the legal work, such as a structural survey or a snagging inspection, see buyer due diligence. To compare lawyers yourself, our guide to Cyprus property lawyers sets out the vetting checklist and fee ranges. And if an agent is pushing you to sign quickly, read the property scams we see in Cyprus first. All our legal introductions are on the legal services page, and every property service is on Paphos property services.

Independent conveyancing lawyers

Every lawyer we introduce is registered with the Cyprus Bar Association, carries professional indemnity insurance, confirms in writing they have no tie to your seller, developer or agent, and quotes a fixed fee up front.

Licensed and regulated

Registered with the right Cyprus body — Bar Association, ICPAC, CySEC or the Estate Agents Council.

Fluent with UK clients

They know HMRC, UK pensions and how British clients expect to be kept in the loop.

Vetted in person

I’ve worked with them or checked their work with people I trust. No paid listings.

Fees disclosed

If a partner pays a referral fee, I tell you before the introduction.

Partner profiles are shared privately, matched to your situation.

Request an introduction

Cyprus property conveyancing: common questions

The law does not force you to use one, but you should. There is no exchange-and-completion safety net, title deeds can be missing or mortgaged, and the British High Commission tells UK buyers to use their own independent lawyer.

Free introduction

Get introduced to a vetted Cyprus conveyancing lawyer

Tell us about the property and where you are in the process. We match you with one independent lawyer and send you their details and a fee quote request.

Registered with the Cyprus Bar Association and insured
No link to your seller, developer or estate agent
Written fixed-fee quote before you commit

Founder-led. Replies within one working day.

Sources checked for this page

1.GOV.UK — How to buy property in Cyprus (British High Commission guidance)Government
2.Department of Lands and Surveys — The importance of depositing the sale contract (leaflet)Government
3.Department of Lands and Surveys — Transfer fees calculatorGovernment
4.gov.cy — Calculation of real estate transfer fees (VAT exemption and 50% reduction)Government
5.Ministry of Interior — Purchasing property (non-EU buyers, form COMM 145)Government
6.M.P. Kitromilidou & Co — Law 132(I)/2023: search certificate and sale contract deposit changesProfessional
7.INDEX.cy — Stamp duty in Cyprus abolished from 1 January 2026 (Law 239(I)/2025)Professional
8.Cyprus Tax Department — Stamp duty page (still online, no abolition notice when checked)Government
9.KPMG — Cyprus reduced VAT rate on new dwellings (May 2026)Professional
10.Mondaq — Cyprus 5% VAT on primary residences: 2026 amendment explainedProfessional
11.INDEX.cy — Cost of buying property in Cyprus: 2026 fees guide (legal fees, agent commission)Professional
12.Your Overseas Home — Cyprus property buying costs (updated May 2026)Professional
13.Cyprus Property News — Property transfer fees (joint buyers assessed per share)Professional
14.Cyprus Bar Association — register of advocates and practising licencesGovernment

Written by

Jason

Founder, Paphos Advisor

British founder who moved his family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. I write down what I learned doing it properly — the tax, the residency and the living-here detail — and introduce people to the specialists I’d use myself.

How I research and fact-check

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Buying Property in Cyprus: The Paphos Guide for UK Buyers

The full process for UK buyers in Paphos: permission, every cost with worked examples, VAT rules, title deeds, lawyers and mortgages.

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Property Due Diligence in Cyprus: How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Buying

What your lawyer must check before you pay a deposit in Paphos: title, mortgages, planning, the developer and the contract deposit.

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Property Due Diligence in Cyprus: Independent Checks Before You Sign

Independent checks on a Cyprus property before you sign: title, mortgages, permits, structure and debts. Who does which check, what it costs, and a free introduction to vetted professionals.

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Cyprus Property Lawyers: What They Do, What They Cost and How to Vet One

What a Cyprus property lawyer does, when you need one, what they typically charge in 2026, and a checklist for vetting one. Plus a free introduction to an independent lawyer.

Glossary

Title Deeds in Cyprus: What They Are and Why They Matter

The Land Registry certificate that proves who owns a property in Cyprus, and why buying without one is the biggest risk UK buyers face.

Cyprus Property Conveyancing: The Legal Process, Handled by an Independent Lawyer

What Cyprus property conveyancing covers

The conveyancing process in Cyprus, step by step

Instruct your own lawyer

Reservation agreement

Searches and due diligence

Contract review and negotiation

Sign and deposit the contract

Permission for non-EU buyers

Transfer of title

Conveyancing in England vs Cyprus: what's different

What it costs: government charges

Estimate your transfer fees

What a Cyprus conveyancing lawyer charges

How our introduction works

Tell us about the property

We match you

Free first call

You decide

Cyprus property conveyancing in numbers

Legal conveyancing or a local Paphos lawyer?

Independent conveyancing lawyers

Cyprus property conveyancing: common questions

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Cyprus?

How long does conveyancing take in Cyprus?

Can I use the developer's or agent's lawyer?

Do I have to be in Cyprus to buy?

Is stamp duty still payable in 2026?

What is a Land Registry search certificate?

Who pays for the introduction?

How much does conveyancing cost in Cyprus?

Is there exchange of contracts in Cyprus?

Can I do my own conveyancing in Cyprus?

Get introduced to a vetted Cyprus conveyancing lawyer

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

What Cyprus property conveyancing covers

The conveyancing process in Cyprus, step by step

Instruct your own lawyer

Reservation agreement

Searches and due diligence

Contract review and negotiation

Sign and deposit the contract

Permission for non-EU buyers

Transfer of title

Conveyancing in England vs Cyprus: what's different

What it costs: government charges

Estimate your transfer fees

What a Cyprus conveyancing lawyer charges

How our introduction works

Tell us about the property

We match you

Free first call

You decide

Cyprus property conveyancing in numbers

Legal conveyancing or a local Paphos lawyer?

Independent conveyancing lawyers

Cyprus property conveyancing: common questions

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Cyprus?

How long does conveyancing take in Cyprus?

Can I use the developer's or agent's lawyer?

Do I have to be in Cyprus to buy?

Is stamp duty still payable in 2026?

What is a Land Registry search certificate?

Who pays for the introduction?

How much does conveyancing cost in Cyprus?

Is there exchange of contracts in Cyprus?

Can I do my own conveyancing in Cyprus?

Get introduced to a vetted Cyprus conveyancing lawyer