Delaware County closing costs
The county-specific transfer tax and deed recording fees for Delaware County, Pennsylvania - the local details that change your total beyond the statewide rate.
- Effective transfer tax
- 1%
- ≈ $4,000 on a $400,000 home
- City transfer tax
- 1.5%
- where the city levies its own
- Typical lender + 3rd-party fees
- $7,557
- median of 4,467 purchase loans · HMDA 2023
Delaware County compared with Pennsylvania counties
In the verified Pennsylvania county records we have, Delaware County's effective transfer-tax rate ranks #3 of 11 by highest rate. At $400,000, the county-specific transfer tax is $4,000, which is the same as the state-level calculation before city surtaxes.
- County rank
- #3 of 11
- within verified Pennsylvania county pages
- Tax at $400,000
- $4,000
- state baseline $4,000
- HMDA fee sample
- 4,467
- purchase loans in 2023
Delaware County transfer-tax data: official source linked on this page, reviewed 2026-Q2.
Transfer tax in Delaware County
Pennsylvania levies a 1% state realty transfer tax; Delaware County itself levies NO county-level transfer tax (county=null). The 1% "local" transfer tax is set by the municipality + school district, not the county, and is typically split between them. Standard local rate is 1% (so most transactions total 2%: 1% state + 1% local), with official exceptions: Radnor Twp 1.5%, Upper Darby Twp 1.5% (eff. 1/1/2022), Chester City 1.5% (eff. 9/1/2023, split City of Chester + Chester Upland SD), and Upper Providence Twp 2% (so total 3%). Transfer tax is customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller in PA. city_transfer_tax_rate=0.015 reflects Chester City (the only incorporated city in the county); buyers should verify the specific municipality's combined local rate.
Recording fees in Delaware County
Deed recording (official Recorder of Deeds schedule effective Dec 1, 2025): TOTAL 4-PAGE DEED = $117.25, made up of base fee $38.00 + County Affordable Housing (Ord 99-3) $18.00 + Act 133 & 126 of 2014 (JCS/ATJ & HB 1607/CJEA) $41.25 + County Improvement Fund (Act 32-02) $5.00 + Act 152 (Demolition of Blighted Properties) $15.00. Permits a max of 4 pages, 4 names, 10 folios. Additional pages $4.00 each; each additional name (after 4) $1.00; each additional folio (after 10) $1.00. Mortgage: TOTAL 4-PAGE MTG = $115.25 (base $38 + Affordable Housing $16 + Act 152 $15 + Act 113&126/HB1607 $41.25 + County Improvement $5), +$4/additional page. Satisfaction/Release/Assignment 4-page = $84.25 (+$2/page). Certifications (4 pages) $7.00 (+$1/page). Electronic certified copies $12.50. When recording deeds, three separate checks are required: 1 for recording fee, 1 for state transfer tax, 1 for local transfer tax.
Official recorder: Delaware County recorder ↗ — the authoritative source for the current recording fee schedule.
What lenders actually charge in Delaware County
Across 4,467 home-purchase mortgages originated in Delaware County in 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services such as appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — were $7,557, of which about $2,956 was the lender’s own origination charges. That is reported loan-level data from every lender under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act — not a national average — so it reflects what buyers in this county actually paid. Lender fees vary widely, so comparing a few rate quotes is the single biggest lever on your closing total.
Source: FFIEC HMDA Data Browser ↗ (2023 purchase originations, FIPS 42045, ODC-BY 1.0). Median total loan costs exclude prepaids and escrow.
Estimate your Delaware County closing costs
Pre-set to Pennsylvania. County-level taxes above may add to this estimate.
Current source data is loading. Until it finishes, the amount shown is a server-rendered static example and the controls are disabled.
Frequently asked questions
What is the transfer tax in Delaware County?
Delaware County (Pennsylvania): the applicable real-estate transfer tax works out to about 1%, before any additional city tax. Pennsylvania levies a 1% state realty transfer tax; Delaware County itself levies NO county-level transfer tax (county=null). The 1% "local" transfer tax is set by the municipality + school district, not the county, and is typically split between them. Standard local rate is 1% (so most transactions total 2%: 1% state + 1% local), with official exceptions: Radnor Twp 1.5%, Upper Darby Twp 1.5% (eff. 1/1/2022), Chester City 1.5% (eff. 9/1/2023, split City of Chester + Chester Upland SD), and Upper Providence Twp 2% (so total 3%). Transfer tax is customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller in PA. city_transfer_tax_rate=0.015 reflects Chester City (the only incorporated city in the county); buyers should verify the specific municipality's combined local rate.
What are recording fees in Delaware County?
Deed recording (official Recorder of Deeds schedule effective Dec 1, 2025): TOTAL 4-PAGE DEED = $117.25, made up of base fee $38.00 + County Affordable Housing (Ord 99-3) $18.00 + Act 133 & 126 of 2014 (JCS/ATJ & HB 1607/CJEA) $41.25 + County Improvement Fund (Act 32-02) $5.00 + Act 152 (Demolition of Blighted Properties) $15.00. Permits a max of 4 pages, 4 names, 10 folios. Additional pages $4.00 each; each additional name (after 4) $1.00; each additional folio (after 10) $1.00. Mortgage: TOTAL 4-PAGE MTG = $115.25 (base $38 + Affordable Housing $16 + Act 152 $15 + Act 113&126/HB1607 $41.25 + County Improvement $5), +$4/additional page. Satisfaction/Release/Assignment 4-page = $84.25 (+$2/page). Certifications (4 pages) $7.00 (+$1/page). Electronic certified copies $12.50. When recording deeds, three separate checks are required: 1 for recording fee, 1 for state transfer tax, 1 for local transfer tax.
How much are closing costs in Delaware County?
Closing costs in Delaware County follow Pennsylvania's structure plus this county's specific transfer-tax and recording fees. Use the calculator below for an estimate; for the exact recording schedule, the county recorder is the authoritative source.
What do lenders charge in fees in Delaware County?
In 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services like appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — across 4,467 home-purchase mortgages in Delaware County were about $7,557, of which roughly $2,956 was the lender's own origination charges. This is reported loan-level data under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act; actual fees vary by lender, so comparing quotes matters.
Closest Pennsylvania county comparisons
Sibling links are ordered by nearby verified effective transfer-tax rate, so each county page connects to genuinely comparable counties.