Philadelphia County closing costs
The county-specific transfer tax and deed recording fees for Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania - the local details that change your total beyond the statewide rate.
- Effective transfer tax
- 4.28%
- ≈ $17,112 on a $400,000 home
- Typical lender + 3rd-party fees
- $7,119
- median of 9,888 purchase loans · HMDA 2023
Transfer tax in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county; its local transfer tax is far above the statewide ~1% local norm.
Recording fees in Philadelphia County
Philadelphia's local realty transfer tax is 3.278%, which combines with the 1% state tax for ~4.278% total — among the highest in the nation. Customarily split, but negotiable.
Official recorder: Philadelphia County recorder ↗ — the authoritative source for the current recording fee schedule.
What lenders actually charge in Philadelphia County
Across 9,888 home-purchase mortgages originated in Philadelphia County in 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services such as appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — were $7,119, of which about $2,720 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 42101, ODC-BY 1.0). Median total loan costs exclude prepaids and escrow.
Estimate your Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia County?
Philadelphia County (Pennsylvania): the applicable real-estate transfer tax works out to about 4.28%. Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county; its local transfer tax is far above the statewide ~1% local norm.
What are recording fees in Philadelphia County?
Philadelphia's local realty transfer tax is 3.278%, which combines with the 1% state tax for ~4.278% total — among the highest in the nation. Customarily split, but negotiable.
How much are closing costs in Philadelphia County?
Closing costs in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia County?
In 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services like appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — across 9,888 home-purchase mortgages in Philadelphia County were about $7,119, of which roughly $2,720 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.
Other Pennsylvania county records
Records are listed alphabetically; check each property’s municipality. Partial baselines are not a ranking of complete local taxes.