Capital Gains Tax in Cambodia 2026 to 2027: What Property Buyers Should Plan For

Capital gains tax has been discussed in Cambodia for years, often in ways that cause more worry than the facts warrant. The current picture is more gradual and more structured than the headlines suggest. For real estate itself, the ground has not moved. The distinction that trips people up is between the property and the company that might hold it. For property, the near-term signal is not urgency. It is preparation.

Real estate: deferred to 2027

• Cambodia has again postponed capital gains tax on immovable property, now deferred until 1 January 2027
• The deferral covers condominiums, land and buildings
• Standard transfer taxes and registration fees still apply at sale, as they always have

Shares are treated differently

Other asset classes do not share that timeline. From 1 January 2026, capital gains tax applies to transfers of company shares, goodwill and intellectual property, certain financial instruments, lease transfers and foreign currency gains. This matters most where property is held indirectly. If you sell shares in a company that owns a unit, rather than selling the unit itself, the taxable event is a share transfer and may fall under the earlier rules. The outcome depends on how the asset is held, not only on what it is, which is why holding-company and SPV structures deserve a closer look before any exit.

The rate, and planning around it

The framework sets a headline rate of 20 percent on net gains. Net gain is generally the sale price, less the acquisition cost, less allowable and documented expenses. The finer detail on deductions, valuations and reporting is still being clarified through regulatory guidance, which is consistent with how Cambodia has phased in tax reform more broadly. Until then, good records kept today are what protect you later.

For most individual buyers holding a unit in their own name, the implications are limited and manageable. The sensible steps are the ones that serve any owner: be clear on whether you hold directly or through a company, keep clean purchase and expense records, and avoid clever structures that serve no real purpose. For buyers in the resale market, where you take on another owner's history, that record discipline starts the moment you buy, not the moment you sell. Because the rules here are still maturing, we recommend professional tax and legal advice before you sell shares or change an ownership structure. This is not a warning signal. It is a system maturing with notice, and with room to plan.