Closing services and searches
The standard contract says each party pays its own closing-services fees under section 627.7711, Florida Statutes. Title search, municipal lien search, and endorsement charges vary by provider and file.
FLORIDA TRANSFER TAX · FREE CALCULATOR
Florida transfer tax, title, and recording costs, calculated.
Florida does not call it a “transfer tax” on the closing statement. It is documentary stamp tax on the deed, stamps and intangible tax on any new mortgage, and a title premium the state sets by rule. Enter a price and a loan amount to see every line and who customarily pays it under the standard Florida contract.
Short answer: Outside Miami-Dade County, Florida charges documentary stamp tax of $0.70 per $100 (or portion) of the price on the deed, which is $2,590 on a $370,000 sale, and the standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract assigns it to the seller. A new mortgage adds $0.35 per $100 in stamps plus a 0.2% intangible tax, which the contract assigns to the buyer.
Your numbers
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Deed doc stamps: $2,590.00 · Owner’s title premium: $1,925.00
Customarily seller-paid
Customarily buyer-paid
The Florida rates behind every line
| Charge | Rate | Customarily paid by | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentary stamp tax on the deed | $0.70 per $100 or portion of the price; Miami-Dade uses $0.60 plus a surtax on property other than single-family homes | Seller, contract paragraph 9(a) | Chapter 201, Florida Statutes; Florida Department of Revenue |
| Documentary stamp tax on the note and mortgage | $0.35 per $100 or portion; no cap when the note is secured by a recorded mortgage | Buyer, paragraph 9(b) | Chapter 201, Florida Statutes; Florida Department of Revenue |
| Nonrecurring intangible tax | 2 mills, which is $2 per $1,000, of the mortgage-secured obligation | Buyer, paragraph 9(b) | Section 199.133, Florida Statutes |
| Owner’s title insurance premium | $5.75 per $1,000 up to $100,000; $5.00 per $1,000 from $100,000 to $1 million; lower bands above that; $100 minimum | Seller under option 9(c)(i) or buyer under option 9(c)(ii) | Rule 69O-186.003, Florida Administrative Code |
| Lender’s policy issued with the owner’s policy | $25 minimum simultaneous-issue charge, plus endorsements | Buyer, paragraph 9(b) | Rule 69O-186.003 |
| Recording | $10 for the first page, $8.50 for each additional page | Buyer records the deed and mortgage; seller pays to record documents that cure title | Section 28.24, Florida Statutes |
The Department of Financial Services puts the title rule simply: a $100,000 owner’s policy carries the same $575 base premium at every title agent in Florida. What differs between companies is closing-service fees, searches, endorsements, and service.
Worked examples at common Villages-area prices
| Sale price | Deed doc stamps | Owner’s title premium | Both together |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $1,750 | $1,325 | $3,075 |
| $350,000 | $2,450 | $1,825 | $4,275 |
| $450,000 | $3,150 | $2,325 | $5,475 |
| $600,000 | $4,200 | $3,075 | $7,275 |
| $800,000 | $5,600 | $4,075 | $9,675 |
A buyer financing $360,000 would add $1,260 in mortgage stamps and $720 in intangible tax, a total of $1,980, before lender charges and recording. These figures are state-set taxes and premiums, not a full closing statement.
What this calculator leaves out on purpose
Prorations and community charges
Florida property taxes are paid in arrears and prorated at closing. The Villages bond, amenity fee, district assessments, and association estoppel charges depend on the property. Read the bond guide →
Brokerage compensation
Compensation is negotiated in the listing agreement or buyer agreement and is not set by law, so it belongs in the net sheet rather than in a tax table. How buyer agreements work →
Common mistakes on Florida estimates
- Rounding the wrong way.The tax is charged per $100 “or portion thereof,” so a $370,050 price is taxed on 3,701 increments, not 3,700.5.
- Using a national transfer-tax average.Florida’s deed rate works out to 0.7% of the price outside Miami-Dade. Averages that blend other states will mislead you.
- Shopping the base title premium.It is promulgated by rule. Compare closing-service fees, endorsements, and responsiveness instead.
- Forgetting who chooses the closing agent.Under the standard contract, the party that pays for the owner’s policy designates the closing agent.
- Changing the loan and expecting the seller’s taxes to move.Switching from cash to financing changes the buyer’s mortgage taxes. The seller’s deed stamps stay the same.
Turn the estimate into a real net
State-set charges are only one layer. Mo’s seller net sheet adds brokerage compensation, the tax proration, the bond and amenity fee, payoffs, concessions, and repairs, while the closing-cost guide shows how each item is split between buyer and seller.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Florida transfer tax questions
Does Florida have a real estate transfer tax?
Florida’s equivalent is the documentary stamp tax. Deeds are taxed at $0.70 per $100 or portion of the consideration in every county except Miami-Dade, which uses $0.60 plus a surtax on property other than single-family dwellings.
Who pays doc stamps on a Florida home sale?
Under the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar residential contracts, the seller pays documentary stamp taxes on the deed and the buyer pays taxes and recording fees on notes and mortgages. The Department of Revenue notes that all parties to a document remain liable for the tax, so the contract allocates the cost between them.
How much is title insurance on a $400,000 home in Florida?
The promulgated owner’s premium is $2,075: $5.75 per $1,000 for the first $100,000, which is $575, plus $5.00 per $1,000 for the next $300,000, which is $1,500. Endorsements, searches, and closing-service fees are separate.
Is the intangible tax the same as doc stamps?
No. The nonrecurring intangible tax is 2 mills, or 0.2%, on obligations secured by Florida real property. It is charged on a new mortgage in addition to the $0.35 per $100 documentary stamp tax on the note.
Does a cash buyer pay mortgage taxes?
No mortgage means no mortgage stamps and no intangible tax. A cash buyer typically still pays to record the deed and, if the contract names the buyer under option 9(c)(ii), pays for the owner’s title policy.
Want the full closing-day number for your address?
Mo will add the bond, amenity fee, tax proration, payoff, and negotiated terms to these state-set charges so you see what you actually keep or bring to closing.
Official sources and references
Checked September 14, 2026. Rates, forms, and program rules change, so confirm the current version before relying on a number.
- Florida Department of Revenue: Documentary stamp tax
- Florida Statutes §199.133: Nonrecurring intangible tax
- Florida Administrative Code R. 69O-186.003: Title insurance rates
- Florida Department of Financial Services: Title insurance overview
- Florida Statutes §28.24: Clerk recording charges
- Florida Realtors/Florida Bar: AS IS residential contract
- Mo’s Florida seller net sheet
Important: General real estate information only—not legal, tax, insurance, title, engineering, or financial advice. Mo Mufti is a Florida REALTOR® (license SL3600299) with LPT Realty, LLC, not an attorney, CPA, insurance agent, or inspector. Use qualified Florida professionals for your situation.
More Florida costs & rules: Who pays closing costs · Capital gains when selling · Homestead exemption · Florida residency checklist · 4-point and wind mitigation · Sinkhole due diligence · Flood disclosure · Buyer agreements · Downsizing in The Villages