Chapter 7 of 10 · Selling · 13 of 14
The CG50 clearance certificate when selling property
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Why buyers withhold 15% of high-value sale prices unless you have a CG50, the threshold, how to apply to Revenue and how long it takes.
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Written in plain English for the person buying, selling or switching. This guide covers the Republic of Ireland only.
On a property sale for more than €1 million, the buyer must hold back 15% of the price and pay it to Revenue, unless you give them a certificate called a CG50. This guide explains the rule, who it affects, how your solicitor gets the certificate, and what to do if the sale is close to the line.
What the rule is
Capital gains tax (CGT) is the tax on the profit when you sell a property. Revenue has a rule to make sure the tax is collected on big sales. Where the price is more than €1 million, the buyer must withhold 15% of the price and send it to Revenue, unless the seller produces a CG50 clearance certificate.
A CG50 is a certificate from Revenue that says the buyer can pay the full price to the seller. With it, the sale closes normally. Without it, the buyer keeps 15% back, pays it to Revenue, and gives the seller a receipt called a CG50B.
| Rule | Figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price above which the rule applies | €1 million |
| Amount the buyer must withhold without a certificate | 15% of the price |
| On a €1.2 million sale, the amount withheld | €180,000 |
| Who applies for the certificate | The seller, through their solicitor |
| Who the certificate is given to | The buyer, before closing |
Who it affects
The rule applies to the sale of land and buildings in Ireland, so a house, an apartment, a site or a farm. The threshold is the price, not the gain. A home that was your main home for the whole time, with no CGT due at all, still needs a CG50 if the price is over €1 million.
The rule also covers some shares that get their value from Irish land, and some other assets. For a home seller, the question is simply whether the price is above €1 million.
The capital gains tax calculator flags a sale above the threshold and works out any tax alongside it.
Why the buyer must do it
The withholding is the buyer's legal duty, not a choice. If the buyer pays the full price without a certificate, the buyer owes Revenue the 15% themselves. So the buyer's solicitor will refuse to close a sale over €1 million until they have the certificate or have arranged to withhold. That is why the CG50 goes on the closing checklist early.
How your solicitor applies
A solicitor on the Law Society's register does the legal work of the sale (see conveyancing solicitor). Getting the CG50 is part of that work.
- Once contracts are signed, your solicitor fills in the CG50 application with your details, your tax number, the address, the price and the contract date.
- The application goes to Revenue, usually through Revenue's online services.
- Revenue checks that you meet one of the conditions for a certificate.
- Revenue issues the CG50 to you. Your solicitor hands it to the buyer's solicitor at or before closing.
Revenue issues a certificate where the seller is resident in Ireland for tax, or where no CGT is due on the sale, or where the CGT has been paid. Most home sellers living in Ireland meet the first condition. A seller living abroad usually needs to show that the tax is paid or that none is due.
How long it takes
Revenue does not publish a fixed turnaround for a CG50. A straightforward application, from a seller who is resident and whose tax affairs are in order, is usually dealt with in days to a few weeks. An application from abroad, or where there is a question over the tax, takes longer.
The safe approach is to apply as soon as contracts are signed. A closing date set for four weeks after contracts leaves room. Tell your solicitor at the start that the price is over €1 million, so the application goes in without waiting.
If the sale is close to €1 million
The rule looks at the price in the contract. A sale at €990,000 is outside it. A sale at €1,010,000 is inside it, and the buyer must withhold €151,500 without a certificate. If the contents, such as furniture or a car, are sold under a separate agreement at a fair price, that price is not part of the property price. Your solicitor can advise on how the contract is drawn up. Do not understate the price: the contract price is what is on the Property Price Register and what Revenue sees.
What happens if the 15% is withheld
If the certificate is not ready, the buyer can still close by withholding. The buyer pays 15% of the price to Revenue and gives you the CG50B receipt. You then file your CGT return and claim the amount back against the tax due. If no tax is due, you claim the whole amount. The refund can take months. That is money sitting with Revenue instead of in your account, so a certificate before closing is the better outcome for almost every seller.
The tax itself
The CG50 is about collection, not about whether tax is due. Whether you owe CGT on the sale depends on the usual rules. No tax is due on a home that was your main home for the whole time you owned it, under principal private residence relief. Where the home was let, or you lived elsewhere for part of the time, part of the gain is taxed.
The rate in force is 33%. A rate of 31% is announced for contracts dated 7 October 2026 or later, and is not law until the Finance Act 2026 passes. The guide on capital gains tax when selling has a worked example, and the guide on principal private residence relief explains the relief. The rule change tracker shows the status of the rate.
Inherited and jointly owned homes
Where two or more people sell together, each seller needs their own certificate, because Revenue looks at each seller's residence and tax position. On an inherited home sold by the executors, the executors apply. The guide on selling an inherited house covers the sale through probate.
Where this leaves you
If your sale price is over €1 million, tell your solicitor now and ask them to apply for the CG50 the day contracts are signed. Run the figures through the capital gains tax calculator to see whether any tax is due and when. The selling journey lists the other steps, and you can get quotes from a solicitor in your county.
Questions people ask
What is a CG50 certificate?
A CG50 is a clearance certificate from Revenue. It tells the buyer of a property worth more than €1 million that they can pay the full price to the seller. Without it, the buyer must hold back 15% of the price and pay it to Revenue.
When is a CG50 required?
When the sale price of a property in Ireland is more than €1 million. It applies to a home, a site or any other land, whether or not any capital gains tax is due.
How do I get a CG50?
Your solicitor applies to Revenue on the CG50 form, usually through Revenue's online services, once contracts are signed and before closing. Revenue issues the certificate to the seller, who gives it to the buyer at closing.
How long does a CG50 take?
Revenue does not publish a fixed turnaround. Applications where the seller is resident in Ireland and tax compliant are usually dealt with in days to a few weeks. Apply as soon as contracts are signed so the closing date is not held up.
What happens if the buyer withholds 15%?
The buyer pays the 15% to Revenue and gives you a receipt called a CG50B. You claim it back from Revenue against your capital gains tax, or in full if no tax is due. It can take months to get it back, which is why sellers apply for the CG50 instead.