Transfer Tax & Closing Cost Resources

In-depth 2026 guides to the most complex US real estate transfer taxes. Each guide covers exact rates, who pays, what catches buyers off guard, and real-dollar examples.

Closing Costs by StateGeneral FAQ
NY
New York City, NY
Three separate taxes — up to 3.9% combined
New York City imposes three separate transfer taxes on residential real estate, making it one of the most complex — and expensive — closing …
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IL
Chicago, IL
Highest total transfer tax in Illinois
Chicago imposes three separate layers of real estate transfer tax — city, county, and state. Combined, buyers and sellers in Chicago pay mor…
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PA
Philadelphia, PA
4.278% combined — highest in PA
Philadelphia imposes the highest real estate transfer tax of any city in Pennsylvania. Unlike most PA municipalities where the tax is split …
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PA
Pittsburgh, PA
5% combined — highest in Allegheny County
Pittsburgh has one of the highest combined real estate transfer tax rates in Pennsylvania. Unlike Philadelphia where the buyer pays most of …
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CA
San Francisco, CA
Six-tier cliff structure — up to 6%
San Francisco has one of the most complex residential transfer tax structures in California, with six rate tiers that create significant tax…
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CA
Los Angeles, CA
Cliff tax: 4% at $5.3M, 5.5% at $10.6M
Los Angeles's Measure ULA — the "United to House LA" transfer tax — went into effect April 1, 2023. It adds a significant transfer tax on hi…
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DC
Washington, DC
Two separate taxes — ~3.9% combined at mid-market
Washington DC imposes two distinct taxes on real estate transfers: the Recordation Tax and the Transfer Tax. Both apply to the same transact…
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NJ
New Jersey
Graduated marginal fee + GPF on high-value sales
New Jersey's Realty Transfer Fee (RTF) is a state-imposed tax on real estate sales, typically paid by the seller. Unlike cliff-structure tax…
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DE
Delaware
4% combined — one of the highest state rates in the US
Delaware has one of the highest state-level transfer tax rates in the United States. The combined rate in New Castle County (Wilmington metr…
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MD
Maryland
State + county layers — rates vary significantly by county
Maryland imposes both a state transfer tax and county-level recordation taxes, making it one of the more complex closing cost states on the …
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WA
Washington State
Graduated marginal — up to 3.0% on high-value sales
Washington State's Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) is a graduated marginal tax on real estate sales — each rate bracket applies only to the pr…
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CO
Colorado Mountain Towns
Local RETT up to 3% — surprise cost for ski resort buyers
Colorado's ski resort towns impose their own Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) on property sales, on top of the state and county documentary f…
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IL
Chicago Suburbs, IL
Surprise costs for Chicago suburb buyers
Many Chicago-area municipalities impose their own Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT) on top of Cook County and Illinois state taxes. These lo…
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FL
Miami-Dade County, FL
$3.00/$500 — lower than other FL counties but has surtax
Florida's documentary stamp tax is statewide, but Miami-Dade County is the one exception with a different rate. While every other Florida co…
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HI
Hawaii
7-tier graduated marginal — higher rates on non-owner-occupied
Hawaii imposes a Real Property Conveyance Tax on all real estate transfers. Unlike many transfer taxes, Hawaii's is genuinely graduated marg…
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Need the exact number for a specific address?

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