TallyClose

King County (Seattle) closing costs

The county-specific transfer tax and deed recording fees for King County (Seattle), Washington — the local details that change your total beyond the statewide rate.

Source-verified · 2026-Q2FIPS 53033 Official source ↗
Effective transfer tax
1.28%
≈ $5,120 on a $400,000 home

Transfer tax in King County (Seattle)

Seller pays. King County's local REET is at the high end (0.50%).

Recording fees in King County (Seattle)

Graduated state REET plus a local REET of 0.50% in most King County jurisdictions (Seattle included). Recording fee is a flat per-document charge regardless of page count.

Official recorder: King County (Seattle) recorder ↗ — the authoritative source for the current recording fee schedule.

Estimate your King County (Seattle) closing costs

Pre-set to Washington. County-level taxes above may add to this estimate.

$
%

Estimated closing costs

$8,961

≈ 2.24% of the home price · excludes your down payment

Cash to close

$88,961

incl. down payment

Line-by-line breakdown

Transfer tax (buyer share) $0
Deed & mortgage recording fees $200
Owner's title insurance $1,800
Lender's title insurance $1,008
Lender fees (origination, underwriting, processing) $2,350
Appraisal $550
Credit report & flood cert $70
Home inspection $450
Homeowners insurance (first year) $1,800
Property-tax escrow (~2 months) $733

Frequently asked questions

What is the transfer tax in King County (Seattle)?

King County (Seattle) (Washington): the applicable real-estate transfer tax works out to about 1.28%. Seller pays. King County's local REET is at the high end (0.50%).

What are recording fees in King County (Seattle)?

Graduated state REET plus a local REET of 0.50% in most King County jurisdictions (Seattle included). Recording fee is a flat per-document charge regardless of page count.

How much are closing costs in King County (Seattle)?

Closing costs in King County (Seattle) follow Washington'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.

← Back to Washington closing costs