Registration Fees in Brussels and Abatement Explained

In the Brussels-Capital Region, buyers can benefit from a reduction in the taxable base for calculating registration fees, commonly known as the "abatement," under certain conditions. In other words, it’s a reduction in the registration fees you, as a buyer, have to pay. This is a great advantage for first-time homebuyers looking to live in the capital!

Since the abolition of the housing bonus in 2017, buyers purchasing a property in one of the 19 Brussels municipalities can benefit from this reduction in registration fees, the abatement.

What does this mean?

As of April 1, 2023, the abatement in Brussels applies to the first €200,000, resulting in a saving of €25,000, due to the 12.5% registration fee (compared to €175,000 previously, which resulted in a saving of €21,875). This is a significant fiscal incentive, but there are some conditions:

• The purchase price must not exceed €600,000.
• The purchase must be in full ownership.
• The property must be used or intended to be (partially or fully) inhabited.
• You cannot already own another property (in full ownership) at the time of purchase.
• You must establish your main residence within two years of signing the deed and live there uninterrupted for at least five years.

If you do not adhere to these rules, you will have to repay the benefit, except in cases of force majeure (death, divorce, serious accident, illness, etc.).

Bonus for Renovation

But that’s not all! Brussels Minister of Finance, Sven Gatz (Open VLD), has also advocated for an additional abatement for major energy renovations. This second abatement is €25,000 for each improvement in energy class on the EPB scale, provided there is an improvement of at least two steps. In this case, as a property owner carrying out these works, you can benefit from an additional €50,000 deduction, leading to a tax saving of €6,250 on top of the previously mentioned €25,000. This brings the total tax benefit to €31,250!