Vietnamesische Immobilien verstehen
Selling your Hanoi property as a foreigner: process, tax and exit
Can a foreigner sell property they own in Hanoi?
Selling as a foreigner: what's different from a local sale
Updated July 2026. The mechanics of an exit sit on top of the same framework that let you buy: the Housing Law 2023 and the Land Law 2024 govern who may hold your unit next, and for how long. Four points consistently catch foreign sellers out.
Who is allowed to buy from you
You may sell to a Vietnamese national — which converts the unit's status from a capped foreign-ownership certificate to an unrestricted title in the buyer's name and frees up a place in the building's quota — or to another eligible foreigner or foreign-invested entity, provided the building has not already reached its 30% foreign-ownership cap. A buyer of Vietnamese origin (Việt Kiều) with confirmed origin holds near-equal rights to a local buyer under the 2024 Land Law, and is treated the same way as a Vietnamese buyer for quota purposes.
What happens to your 50-year term
The certificate you hold today runs for the balance of its original 50-year, once-renewable term — selling does not reset that clock for a foreign buyer. They simply inherit the years you have left, plus your eligibility to apply for the one permitted extension. See our guide to the 50-year foreign ownership term and its renewal for how that plays out near the end of a term.
Moving your proceeds
There is no informal cash channel out of Vietnam: sale proceeds are settled and moved through the banking system. Keep your tax payment receipt and the notarized transfer contract — banks and licensed remittance channels will typically ask for both before processing an outward transfer.
Selling without being in Hanoi
If you are not in Vietnam when it's time to sign, a notarized Power of Attorney — executed at a Vietnamese consulate abroad or before a local notary and then legalized — lets a representative sign the transfer contract and carry the file through registration on your behalf.
The exit process, step by step
⏱ 3–6 months, listing to a new Pink Book
- 1
Confirm your eligibility and gather your documents
⏱ 1–2 weeks◈ €0–300 for document legalization if selling from abroad
Pull together your original Pink Book (sổ hồng), passport, and — if you won't be in Hanoi for signing — a notarized Power of Attorney for a local representative. Check the certificate is free of any mortgage or dispute notation before you list.
DocumentsOriginal Pink Book (sổ hồng) · Passport · Power of Attorney, if selling from abroad
⚠A unit still charged to a bank as mortgage security cannot be transferred until that mortgage is formally released.
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Engage a lawyer and price the exit
⏱ 1–2 weeks◈ Legal fees vary by scope
A licensed lawyer checks your own title is clean, drafts or reviews the transfer contract before it reaches a buyer, and calculates your 2% transfer-tax liability so it's reflected in your net price. See our full breakdown of Vietnam property taxes and fees.
DocumentsTitle extract · Mortgage clearance letter, if applicable
⚠Pricing the sale without first confirming the tax basis the local tax office will use can leave a gap at settlement.
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List the property and find a buyer
⏱ 4–12 weeks, market-dependent
Instruct a licensed agency or list independently. If your likely buyer is also a foreigner, ask them to confirm the building's 30% foreign-ownership quota still has room — a transfer that would breach the cap cannot be registered, however far the sale has progressed.
⚠Accepting an offer from a foreign buyer without checking quota availability first can void the deal after months of negotiation.
- 4
Sign the notarized transfer contract
⏱ 1–3 weeks◈ Notary fee per schedule (typically €150–600, negotiated between parties)
The hợp đồng chuyển nhượng (transfer contract) is signed by both parties — or the Power of Attorney holder — before a notary, with the price stated in both figures and words and a clear payment schedule.
DocumentsNotarized transfer contract · Passport / ID of both parties
⚠A private, unnotarized contract has no legal force for the transfer — notarization is mandatory, not optional.
→ notary - 5
Pay the transfer tax and register the change of ownership
⏱ 4–8 weeks◈ 2% personal income tax on the transfer price (seller)
You settle the 2% personal income tax; the buyer pays the registration fee and submits the file to the district Land Registration Office. A new Pink Book is issued in the buyer's name, which closes out your ownership.
DocumentsTax payment receipt · Registration application
⚠A declared price that looks understated against the local price bracket used by the tax office can stall registration for months.
- 6
Close out and move your proceeds
⏱ 1–4 weeks
Once registration completes, funds are settled via bank transfer. Keep the notarized contract and tax receipt on hand — they are the standard supporting documents for any onward international transfer.
DocumentsTax receipt · Notarized contract · Bank transfer instructions
⚠Discard your receipts too early and a bank can refuse to process an outbound transfer months later.
→ law firms
What it costs to sell
Worked example on a €530,000 apartment — the current Tây Hồ median (live data).
| — | Min | Max | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Income Tax (PIT) on transferHousing Law 2023 / Land Law 2024 fee framework | 2% | 2% | % of the contract or declared price, whichever the tax office appliesSeller, settled before the file is accepted for registration |
| Notary certification of the transfer contractNot a fixed government percentage | €150 | €600 | one-off, per notary fee scheduleTypically negotiated between buyer and seller |
| Land registration administrative feeIssues the new certificate to the buyer | — | — | Local fee scheduleUsually the buyer — confirm in the contract |
| Licensed agency commission, if usedAgreed in the listing mandate, no statutory rate | Negotiated | Negotiated | Market practice, not set by lawSeller, if a listing agency is engaged |
| Total | ≈2% (statutory PIT only) | ≈2.1% including notary costs |
Example — reselling a €530,000 apartment (Tây Hồ median)
- Personal Income Tax (2%)
- €10,600 (~292M VND)
- Notary certification
- €150–600 (~4–16M VND)
- Land registration admin fee
- Paid by the buyer
- Σ
- ≈ €10,750–11,200 (~296–308M VND) for the seller, excluding any agency commission
Housing Law 2023 · Land Law 2024 · Decree 95/2024/ND-CP
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my Hanoi property to a Vietnamese national?
Yes — this is generally the most straightforward exit. Once registered, the unit's title converts from the capped foreign-ownership certificate to an unrestricted title in the buyer's name, and the place it held in the building's 30% foreign quota is freed up for other buyers.
Can I sell to another foreign buyer?
Yes, provided the building's 30% foreign-ownership quota still has room once your unit changes hands. If the building is already at its cap, a transfer to a new foreign owner cannot be registered until quota becomes available.
What tax do I pay when I sell?
As the seller you pay a 2% personal income tax on the transfer price, or on the price the local tax office applies if that is higher. This is separate from the registration fee the buyer pays, and is settled before the file is accepted for registration.
Do I need to be in Vietnam to complete the sale?
No. You can sign a notarized Power of Attorney — executed at a Vietnamese consulate abroad or before a local notary — authorizing a representative to sign the transfer contract and handle registration on your behalf.
How long does selling take, from listing to close?
Budget roughly 3–6 months door to door. Finding a buyer is market-dependent, while the notarized contract, tax settlement and Land Registration Office processing typically add another 2–3 months once a buyer is under contract.
What happens if I sell close to the end of my 50-year term?
The remaining years on your certificate transfer with the sale — you are not selling a fresh 50-year term. A Vietnamese buyer converts to an unrestricted title; a foreign buyer inherits only the years left, plus eligibility to apply for the one permitted renewal.
Can I transfer the sale proceeds out of Vietnam?
Proceeds are settled through the Vietnamese banking system rather than in cash. Keep your tax payment receipt and notarized transfer contract on hand, as banks typically require this documentation to process an outward transfer.
Sources
- Housing Law 2023 (Law No. 27/2023/QH15) — governs foreign ownership eligibility, the 30% building quota and the 50-year ownership term.
- Land Law 2024 (Law No. 31/2024/QH15) — sets the land-use rights transferred on sale and the rights of Việt Kiều buyers.
- Law on Real Estate Business 2023 (Law No. 29/2023/QH15) — regulates the notarized transfer contract and the registration process.
- Decree 95/2024/ND-CP — implementing decree detailing Housing Law 2023 application (no verified public URL at time of writing).
- General Department of Taxation (Tổng cục Thuế) — administers the 2% personal income tax due on transfer of real estate.
Planning to sell your Hanoi property?
Our advisory desk coordinates the lawyer, notary and tax filing for foreign sellers exiting Hanoi — from quota checks to registering the transfer with a new buyer. Tell us about your property and timeline; we typically respond within one business day.