Sri Lanka land buying-cost calculator: stamp duty, notary and fees (Nov 2026)

Enter a price in rupees or US dollars to see the costs of buying land in Sri Lanka, item by item: stamp duty, lawyer and notary, survey, Land Registry search and extracts, and the extra fees of buying through a company. On a typical transfer they come to about 5% to 6% of the price.

Price

Currency

How you are buying

Plot size (perches)

Local authority

Land register extracts

Lawyer and notary (% of price)

US dollars convert at LKR 332.6 per USD (Central Bank of Sri Lanka indicative rate, 30 October 2026). Rates as of Nov 2026, checked 4 November 2026.

Perch, square metre and acre converter

Perches

Square metres

Square feet

Roods

Acres

Hectares

1 perch = 272.25 sq ft = 25.29 m²; 40 perches = 1 rood; 160 perches = 1 acre (4,046.86 m²); 1 hectare = 10,000 m². Source [14].

Which rates does the calculator use?

Every rate below was checked against its source on 4 November 2026 (as of Nov 2026).

Item	Rate, as of Nov 2026	Source	Note
Stamp duty, deed of transfer	3% on the first Rs 100,000, then 4% (Rs 3 and Rs 4 per Rs 100 or part)	[1]	Paid to the Provincial Council. We could not find the Southern Province's own schedule online; the 3% then 4% scale is the published provincial schedule and is quoted by lawyers for every province. Confirm with your notary.
Stamp duty, lease	Rs 20 per Rs 1,000 (2%) of the aggregate lease including any premium	[3]	From 1 April 2025. Where the term exceeds 20 years, duty is charged on the first 20 years of rent; with a single upfront premium, ask your lawyer how the cap applies.
Lawyer and notary	Typically 1% to 3% of the price (you choose the figure)	[2]	Not regulated; get a written quote. Quotes often include registration and the title search.
Survey plan	Pradeshiya Sabha Rs 12,000 to 250 m², then Rs 1,500 per 250 m²; Urban Council or UDA area Rs 15,000, then Rs 2,000 per 500 m²; Municipal Council Rs 20,000, then Rs 2,000 per 100 m²	[4]	The only government-set survey scale (for partition cases), used here as a benchmark. Private surveys are priced by agreement. We charge any part of an extra block as a whole block.
Land Registry search	Rs 600 for one land	[5]
Land register extract	Rs 120 each (normal service)	[6]	Your lawyer may need several to cover 30 years.
Certified copy of a deed	Rs 600 (normal service)	[7]
Registration of the deed	Not published online	[8]	The Registrar General's Department's fee page said "Content will be updated soon" when we checked, so the calculator does not guess. Your notary pays it and includes it in the quote.
Company: name approval, registration, annual return	Rs 2,600, Rs 5,200 and Rs 7,900 a year, excluding VAT	[9]	From 6 July 2026. Company secretary, audit and legal set-up fees are quoted by firms and are not included.

How does it work?

Freehold transfer is for a Sri Lankan citizen or dual citizen buying in their own name.
Through a company adds the Registrar of Companies fees. The company must keep foreign shareholding below 50% for 20 years, and anyone with 10% or more is disclosed as a beneficial owner.
99-year lease is the usual route for a foreign national: lease stamp duty replaces transfer stamp duty.
The agent's commission is customarily paid by the seller and is not included. Annual rates to the local authority, building approvals and the Coast Conservation permit are not buying costs and are left out.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to buy land in Sri Lanka on top of the price?

Usually about 5% to 6% for a freehold transfer: stamp duty of 3% on the first Rs 100,000 and 4% on the rest, a lawyer and notary at 1% to 3%, a survey and small Land Registry fees. On a Rs 50,000,000 freehold transfer of a 40-perch plot in a Pradeshiya Sabha area, with the lawyer at 1.5% and two extracts, stamp duty is Rs 1,999,000, the lawyer Rs 750,000 and the survey benchmark Rs 18,000; with the registry fees the total is Rs 2,768,440, or 5.5% of the price, before the deed registration fee.

How is stamp duty on land calculated in Sri Lanka?

On a deed of transfer: Rs 3 for every Rs 100 (or part) of the first Rs 100,000, then Rs 4 for every Rs 100 (or part) above it, paid to the Provincial Council. On a lease: Rs 20 for every Rs 1,000 (or part) of the aggregate lease including any premium, since 1 April 2025.

What extra costs come with buying land through a company?

Government fees of Rs 2,600 for name approval and Rs 5,200 to register a private limited company, then Rs 7,900 for each annual return (all excluding VAT, from 6 July 2026), plus a company secretary, audit and the beneficial-ownership filing for anyone with 10% or more. A company also pays 30% capital gains tax when it sells, against 15% for an individual. See buying land through a company.

Does a foreigner pay more to buy land in Sri Lanka?

There is no foreigner surcharge on stamp duty. A foreigner cannot take freehold land, so the usual route is a 99-year lease, which pays 2% lease stamp duty instead of the 3% then 4% transfer duty. See the 99-year lease explained.

Why does the calculator not show a deed registration fee?

Because the Registrar General's Department did not publish its registration fees online when we checked on 4 November 2026. Your notary pays it at the Land Registry and includes it in the quote.

Sources

General information, not legal or tax advice. Laws, rates and fees change; confirm every figure with your own Sri Lankan lawyer before you pay a deposit.