Practical guide
Notaries and property sales in Corsica
How much a deed really costs, how long it takes, which documents to gather and which Corsican pitfalls to anticipate: long-standing co-ownership in undivided shares, titles to reconstruct, the Coastal Law (loi Littoral) and pre-emption rights. A guide written by professionals who prepare files for the island's notarial offices every week.
Choose your notary and prepare for the first discussion
Looking for a notary in Porto-Vecchio or elsewhere in Corsica? Consult the official directory, then explain the type of property, its address and your plans to your chosen office. The notary ensures the legal security of the deed; the agency organises the marketing and gathers the information for the file. CPI is not affiliated with any notarial office.
During this first discussion, mention any inheritance, co-ownership in undivided shares, work carried out or remote sale. The notary can specify the additional documents and signing arrangements suited to your situation, without waiting for a buyer to come forward.
Preparing a sale with a notary in Porto-VecchioWhat you actually pay
The expression “notary costs” is misleading: the notary's remuneration accounts for only around a tenth of the total. The rest consists of transfer taxes passed on to the department and municipality, the property registration security contribution and disbursements advanced to obtain official documents.
Understand the fee scale in detailNotary fee calculator in Corsica
Indicative estimate based on the national regulated fee schedule (proportional sale fees, VAT 20 %), a transfer tax rate of 5.80 % for existing properties and 0.715 % for new builds, the property registration security contribution of 0.10 % and a flat disbursement allowance of 1 200 €. Only the notary handling the transaction can draw up the final statement.
From preliminary agreement to deed: the actual timeline
Three months on average in Corsica, and longer whenever an old title or co-ownership in undivided shares is involved.
D
Signing the preliminary sale agreement
The preliminary sale agreement can be signed at the notary's office or as a private agreement at the estate agency. It sets the price, the conditions precedent and the deadline for the notarised deed.
D+10
Withdrawal period
A non-professional buyer has 10 calendar days to withdraw without giving a reason or incurring a penalty, starting from notification of the preliminary sale agreement.
D+45 to D+75
Fulfilment of conditions precedent
Obtaining the loan, the municipality's response regarding its urban pre-emption right, and clearance of any preferential purchase right. This is where delays arise.
D+30 to D+90
Planning and civil status documents
Planning certificate, information statement, mortgage status report and previous title deeds. In Corsica, reconstructing historic title records is the main cause of longer timeframes.
D+90 on average
Notarised deed
Signing, transfer of funds, handover of keys and registration with the land registration service within the following month.
Documents the seller needs to gather
- — Title deed (or notarised certificate of ownership following death)
- — Complete technical diagnostic reports (energy performance certificate (DPE), asbestos, lead, electricity, gas, statement of risks and pollution (ERP), sanitation)
- — Latest property tax notice and, for co-owned property, the 3 most recent general meeting minutes
- — Cadastral plan and, where applicable, boundary survey report
- — Planning authorisations for completed works (permits, prior declaration, declaration of completion and compliance of works (DAACT))
- — Civil status documents for all undivided co-owners or heirs
Find a notarial office in Corsica
We are not affiliated with any notarial practice and do not publish a list of names: offices change, and official information should take precedence. The directory of the Conseil supérieur du notariat lists all notaries by municipality.
Chambre des notaires de la Corse-du-Sud
Head office: Ajaccio
Ajaccio, Porto-Vecchio, Bonifacio, Sartène, Propriano, Figari, Sainte-Lucie…
Haute-Corse Chamber of Notaries
Head office: Bastia
Bastia, Calvi, L'Île-Rousse, Corte, Saint-Florent, Ghisonaccia…
Guides by municipality
Costs calculated at the local median price, observed timelines and points to watch in each municipality.
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Ajaccio
Haute-Corse
Notaries in Bastia
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Porto-Vecchio
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Bonifacio
Haute-Corse
Notaries in Calvi
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Sartène
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Propriano
Haute-Corse
Notaries in L'Île-Rousse
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Figari
Corse-du-Sud
Notaries in Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio
Frequently asked questions
Who chooses the notary for a sale in Corsica?
Traditionally, the buyer, but each party can appoint their own. Using two notaries does not cost more: the regulated fees are shared between the offices.
How much are notary costs in Corsica?
Around 7 to 8 % of the price for existing properties and 2 to 3 % for new builds. These are not notarial fees: more than 80 % of the amount consists of taxes passed on to the State and local authorities.
How long is it between the preliminary sale agreement and the notarised deed?
Three months on average. It takes longer where there is co-ownership in undivided shares, an old title deed to reconstruct or multiple pre-emption rights—situations that are common in Corsica.
How can I find a notary in Corsica?
The official notarial directory lists all offices by municipality. We do not publish a list of names: we are not affiliated with any office and work with all notarial practices on the island.
Do the agency and the notary do the same thing?
No. The agency values, markets, negotiates and prepares the file; the notary authenticates the deed, clears pre-emption rights, calculates the tax and registers the sale. The two roles complement each other.
We prepare the file, your notary signs
Property surveys, title deed, planning documents, heirs' circumstances: we gather all the documents and send them directly to the office. This preparatory work brings the signing date forward by several weeks.