MonacoTop · Buyer knowledge
Straight answers on residency, taxes, fees and ownership for buyers on the Riviera and in Monaco.
No. Anyone, of any nationality, may purchase property in Monaco. Residency is a separate process — it typically requires renting or owning a home in the Principality, a substantial deposit with a Monégasque bank (commonly around €500,000), and a clean criminal record. Buying does not grant residency, and residency is not required to buy.
Monaco levies no annual property tax and no income tax on residents (French nationals are an exception under the bilateral treaty). On a resale purchase, expect notary and registration costs of roughly 6%; new-build acquired through a promoter is generally lighter. There is no capital gains tax on a Monaco resident's primary residence.
The Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière taxes net French real-estate assets above €1.3M at progressive rates from 0.5% to 1.5%. It applies to property on the French Riviera (Cap-Ferrat, Saint-Tropez, Cannes) but not to property located in Monaco, which is outside French territory.
On older (resale) property, total acquisition costs run roughly 7–8% of the price — mostly registration duties plus the notaire's regulated emoluments. New-build under the VEFA regime is lighter, around 2–3%. The notaire is a public officer who secures the transaction; the fee is largely tax, not service.
A Société Civile Immobilière is a French civil company used to hold real estate. It simplifies succession (you transfer shares, not the asset), enables shared or family ownership, and can offer planning flexibility. It is a common structure for French Riviera estates; Monaco purchases use different vehicles.
Yes — there is no nationality restriction on buying property in France or Monaco. Non-resident buyers can also finance through French private banks, though they typically face higher deposit requirements and rate conditions than residents.