York County closing costs
The county-specific transfer tax and deed recording fees for York 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%
- where the city levies its own
- Typical lender + 3rd-party fees
- $6,872
- median of 4,662 purchase loans · HMDA 2023
York County compared with Pennsylvania counties
In the verified Pennsylvania county records we have, York 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
- 4,662
- purchase loans in 2023
York County transfer-tax data: official source linked on this page, reviewed 2026-Q2.
Transfer tax in York County
Pennsylvania imposes a 1% state Realty Transfer Tax (paid to the Commonwealth via the county Recorder of Deeds). York County itself levies NO separate county-level transfer tax (county_transfer_tax_rate = null) — the Recorder only acts as a collection agent. The "local" transfer tax is set by the municipality and school district, not the county, and across York County the standard combined local rate is 1% (so most transactions total 2%: 1% state + 1% local). The City of York (the county's only incorporated city) follows the standard 1% local rate, split between the City and the York City School District; city_transfer_tax_rate = 0.01 reflects this. PA law does not stipulate who pays, so buyer and seller customarily split the transfer tax 50/50 by contract, though both grantor and grantee are jointly and severally liable. Buyers should verify the specific municipality's combined local rate, as a few PA municipalities deviate above 1%.
Recording fees in York County
Deed recording base fee: $86.25 (also applies to Mortgage and Quitclaim Deed), which includes up to 4 pages and 4 names. Additional pages $2.00 each; each name beyond 4 is $0.50; and effective January 1, 2025, add $20.00 for each Parcel Identification Number (UPI) on the document. A separate Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value form carries a $2 fee. Payment: cash, business check, or personal check (no e-checks); returned checks incur a $50 service fee. Source: York County Recorder of Deeds official Recording Fees page (https://yorkcountypa.gov/561/Recording-Fees).
Official recorder: York County recorder ↗ — the authoritative source for the current recording fee schedule.
What lenders actually charge in York County
Across 4,662 home-purchase mortgages originated in York County in 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services such as appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — were $6,872, of which about $2,625 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 42133, ODC-BY 1.0). Median total loan costs exclude prepaids and escrow.
Estimate your York County closing costs
Pre-set to Pennsylvania. County-level taxes above may add to this estimate.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the transfer tax in York County?
York County (Pennsylvania): the applicable real-estate transfer tax works out to about 1%, before any additional city tax. Pennsylvania imposes a 1% state Realty Transfer Tax (paid to the Commonwealth via the county Recorder of Deeds). York County itself levies NO separate county-level transfer tax (county_transfer_tax_rate = null) — the Recorder only acts as a collection agent. The "local" transfer tax is set by the municipality and school district, not the county, and across York County the standard combined local rate is 1% (so most transactions total 2%: 1% state + 1% local). The City of York (the county's only incorporated city) follows the standard 1% local rate, split between the City and the York City School District; city_transfer_tax_rate = 0.01 reflects this. PA law does not stipulate who pays, so buyer and seller customarily split the transfer tax 50/50 by contract, though both grantor and grantee are jointly and severally liable. Buyers should verify the specific municipality's combined local rate, as a few PA municipalities deviate above 1%.
What are recording fees in York County?
Deed recording base fee: $86.25 (also applies to Mortgage and Quitclaim Deed), which includes up to 4 pages and 4 names. Additional pages $2.00 each; each name beyond 4 is $0.50; and effective January 1, 2025, add $20.00 for each Parcel Identification Number (UPI) on the document. A separate Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value form carries a $2 fee. Payment: cash, business check, or personal check (no e-checks); returned checks incur a $50 service fee. Source: York County Recorder of Deeds official Recording Fees page (https://yorkcountypa.gov/561/Recording-Fees).
How much are closing costs in York County?
Closing costs in York 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 York County?
In 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services like appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — across 4,662 home-purchase mortgages in York County were about $6,872, of which roughly $2,625 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.