What it costs to sell a flat in Prague

A seller who focuses on the asking price tends to forget that the figure on the contract is not the figure that reaches their bank account. Between the two sit a number of deductions, some obvious, some optional and some that depend on whether the flat has a mortgage or a tax history. The sum is rarely dramatic, but it is large enough to matter when you are planning the next purchase.

This explainer lists the main items, says what decides each, and shows where to get a number that is current. It quotes no commission rates or fee scales, because those are negotiated or change, and a figure printed here would invite you to treat it as standard.

The items, one by one

Broker commission. There is no statutory rate. Commission is agreed in the broker's contract, as a percentage of the price or a fixed fee, and is usually due on completion of the sale. In some cases the buyer pays, in others the seller does, and the split depends on the agreement. Check the exclusivity period and the clause on what happens if you find a buyer yourself. Our piece on real estate agents and fees lists the points.

Legal work. A lawyer drafting or reviewing the contract, checking the buyer's side of the escrow and attending the signing charges a fee, fixed or hourly. Some brokers include basic legal support in their commission. Ask what is covered.

Energy performance certificate. Under zákon č. 406/2000 Sb. a seller must show the buyer an energy performance certificate (PENB) and hand it over, and the energy class goes in the advert. For a flat in a block, the last three years of energy bills can replace it, and the owners' association may already hold a certificate for the building (as of 2026; check the Ministry of Industry and Trade). A new certificate is prepared by a licensed energy specialist for a fee.

Owners' association statements. The association (SVJ) may issue a statement of service charges, reserve-fund payments and debts. Some charge a small administrative fee. The statement is cheap and the delay in getting it is not, so ask early.

Cadastre fee. The application for entry of the transfer (návrh na vklad) costs CZK 2,000 (as of 2026; check ČÚZK). The contract says who pays. In practice the buyer often does, but it is negotiable.

Signature verification. Officially verified signatures cost a modest fee per signature at a notary or Czech POINT.

Escrow. A notary, lawyer or bank holding the money charges a fee. Whether the seller pays, the buyer pays or both share is, again, a matter for the contract. See notaries, lawyers and escrow.

If the flat has a mortgage

A mortgage changes the arithmetic. The outstanding balance must be repaid from the proceeds, and the bank's lien (zástavní právo) on the flat must be released in the cadastre. The loan payoff may carry a charge if you repay in the middle of a fixation period. Under the consumer credit act (zákon č. 257/2016 Sb.) the lender may ask only for its reasonably incurred costs, and for a housing loan these cannot exceed 1 per cent of the amount repaid early. For loans agreed or refixed from 1 September 2024, repaying because you sell the flat at least two years after buying it is free; older contracts used a cap of 1 per cent and at most CZK 50,000 for a sale-related repayment (as of 2026; check your contract and ČNB). Repayment at the end of a fixation is always free.

Our article on selling a flat with a mortgage walks through the sequence. Ask the bank for a written payoff figure with a date, because the balance changes daily.

Tax on the sale

Whether you pay income tax on the sale depends on the time test and the own-housing test, set out by the Financial Administration. As of 2026, a sale is exempt from income tax if the seller held the flat for 10 years (for property acquired from 1 January 2021) or 5 years (for property acquired earlier), or if the seller lived in it for two years immediately before the sale. A seller who lived there for less than two years can still be exempt by putting the proceeds into their own housing by the end of the following tax year, after notifying the tax office (as of 2026; check Finanční správa for the conditions). Exempt income above CZK 5 million in a year must still be reported to the tax office.

The annual cap of CZK 40 million that was introduced in 2025 concerns securities, business shares and crypto-assets, not property, and from 1 January 2026 it no longer applies to shares and securities. Do not apply it to a flat.

If none of the exemptions applies, the gain is taxable income. Our explainer on the tax on income from property sale shows how it is calculated in principle. A tax adviser should confirm how it applies to you.

Costs of getting the flat ready

These are optional, and the question is whether they pay back. A deep clean, a fresh coat of paint, minor repairs and good photographs are usually worth it. A full renovation seldom returns its cost, since buyers pay for the flat they will use and many prefer to renovate to their own taste. Our guide to preparing a flat for sale goes into what helps and what does not.

Costs of moving

Do not forget your own move: removals, storage, a deposit and rent on the next place if the sale and the purchase do not line up, overlapping utility bills and the cost of a gap in the middle. Sellers who buy a second property often find the timing, not the commission, is the most expensive part.

How to calculate what you keep

Work from the asking price downwards.

1. Start with the realistic price, not the hoped-for one. The valuation service at odhad.homerealestate.cz (in Czech) gives a free first range.
2. Subtract the mortgage payoff, if any, including any early-repayment charge.
3. Subtract commission, legal, certificate, escrow and any cadastre fee you have agreed to pay.
4. Check whether income tax applies, and set aside the amount if so.
5. Deduct any arrears owed to the owners' association.

You can test the sums with the property sale calculator on Hypoteky.com, which models what remains after costs. It is a planning tool and does not replace a quote from your broker or an opinion from a tax adviser.

Costs that depend on the buyer

Some of what you pay or receive depends on the buyer's route. A buyer paying from own funds may close faster, and one relying on a mortgage may need a longer period with the bank's valuation and approval, and a bank valuation below the agreed price can lead to a renegotiation. A buyer who asks for a repair credit or a lower price after the bank's survey shifts costs back onto the seller. These are negotiable, and an honest account of the flat's condition from the start reduces them. The order of events, from valuation to keys, is in how to sell a flat in Prague.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Who pays the broker's commission?

It depends on the broker agreement and the negotiation. There is no statutory rate or rule, so ask for it in writing.

Is there a tax on selling a flat?

Income tax applies only when the 10-year (or 5-year) time test, the 2-year residence test and the reinvestment route all fail (as of 2026; check Finanční správa).

Can I be charged for repaying my mortgage early?

Only for the lender's real costs, capped at 1% of the amount repaid for a housing loan, and nothing at the end of a fixation. Ask the bank for the figure in writing (as of 2026; check ČNB).

Do I need an energy certificate?

You must show and hand over a PENB, or for a flat the last three years of energy bills (as of 2026; check the Ministry of Industry and Trade).

An order that avoids surprises

Ask each professional for their fee in writing before you sign with them. Put the figures in a single table. Add the payoff and the tax estimate. The number at the bottom is what you can spend on the next place, and it is better to know it in the first week than in the last.

This is a general explainer, not legal, tax or mortgage advice.