Finance Calc App

US real estate transfer tax calculator

Work out the real estate transfer tax on a US home purchase. There's no federal stamp duty — enter your state/county rate to see the tax and total cash needed.

By Mitch Duncan Last reviewed Methodology

Purchase details

The US has no federal stamp duty. State and county transfer/recordation taxes vary widely (commonly 0–2%) and some areas charge none. Enter your local rate.

Transfer tax
$2,000.00
Effective rate
0.50%
Total cash needed at purchase
Price $400,000.00 + tax $2,000.00 = $402,000.00

Excludes legal/conveyancing fees, mortgage costs, and other purchase expenses.

Property transfer taxes in the US

The United States has no federal stamp duty. Instead, most states, counties, and sometimes cities charge a real estate transfer tax (also called a deed, conveyance, or recordation tax) when ownership changes hands. Rates are generally modest — often between 0% and around 2% of the price — and a few states charge nothing at all.

Who pays and how much

The rate and who pays (buyer or seller) vary by location, and some high-cost cities add their own levy — New York City's "mansion tax" and similar surcharges kick in above set price thresholds. Because there's no single national rate, this calculator lets you enter your local combined rate to estimate the tax.

Budget for closing costs

Transfer tax is one of several closing costs, alongside title insurance, lender fees, and recording fees. Unlike your loan, these are paid in cash at closing. Check your state and county rules, or ask your title/escrow company, for the exact rate that applies to your purchase.

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Frequently asked questions

What is stamp duty / land transfer tax?
It's a one-off tax charged when you buy a property, paid at completion on top of the price. It's called stamp duty in the UK and Australia, land transfer tax in Canada, and transfer or recordation tax in the US. The amount usually depends on the purchase price and on whether you're a first-time buyer or buying an additional property.
How is property purchase tax calculated?
Most systems are progressive: the rate rises in bands as the price increases, and each band's rate applies only to the portion of the price within it — like income tax. That means the effective rate (total tax divided by price) is always lower than the top band rate you reach. The US is different — it uses a flat local rate.
Do first-time buyers pay less?
Often, yes. Many regions reduce or waive the tax for first-time buyers up to a price cap — for example UK first-time-buyer relief and the Ontario/Toronto land-transfer-tax rebates. Tick the first-time-buyer option in the calculator where it's offered to apply the relief for your market.
Is there extra tax on a second home or buy-to-let?
Frequently. The UK adds a surcharge of several percentage points on additional properties, and several Australian states and Canadian provinces apply higher rates or foreign-buyer surcharges. The calculator includes the additional-property option for the UK; check local rules elsewhere.
Can I add stamp duty to my mortgage?
Usually not — property purchase tax almost always has to be paid in cash at completion and isn't covered by the loan. Budget for it as part of your upfront cash alongside your deposit, legal fees, and moving costs. The calculator shows the total cash needed (price plus tax).
Why do rates differ so much between regions?
Because these taxes are set by national, state, provincial, or even city governments rather than a single authority. The US has no federal stamp duty and rates vary by state and county; Australian duty is state-based; Canadian land transfer tax is provincial (with a municipal layer in Toronto); and the UK's SDLT applies only in England and Northern Ireland.

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