Delaware real estate transfer tax
Delaware's transfer tax is 4%, customarily split-paid. Here's how it works, what it costs at common price points, and the statute behind it.
Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated — not yet source-verified. This figure is a knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against the official source, so this page is not indexed. Treat it as a rough guide only and verify with the state revenue department or county recorder.
Delaware's realty transfer tax is 4% total — 2.5% to the state and 1.5% to the county or municipality — making it one of the highest in the country. First-time Delaware homebuyers get a reduction (½ of the state's 2.5% portion is reduced on the first $400,000). Buyer and seller customarily split the 4%, so ~2% each.
How Delaware compares nationally
4%, #1 of 51 nationally; at $400,000, that is $15,360 above the median $640 tax at $400,000. This is a data-derived comparison against the 51 source-verified state and DC transfer-tax records, with no invented rates for null-tax states.
- Rate rank
- #1 of 51
- highest state transfer-tax rate first
- Tax at $400,000
- $16,000
- median-state tax $640
- Dataset date
- June 2026
- source-linked record
Delaware transfer-tax data: official source linked on this page, review date not provided.
What it costs at common prices
| Sale price | State transfer tax |
|---|---|
| $200,000 | $8,000 |
| $400,000 | $16,000 |
| $600,000 | $24,000 |
| $800,000 | $32,000 |
State-level only; county and city taxes may add to these figures.
Look up your transfer tax
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Frequently asked questions
What is the real estate transfer tax in Delaware?
Delaware's transfer tax is 4% of the sale price, customarily split-paid. Delaware's realty transfer tax is 4% total — 2.5% to the state and 1.5% to the county or municipality — making it one of the highest in the country. First-time Delaware homebuyers get a reduction (½ of the state's 2.5% portion is reduced on the first $400,000). Buyer and seller customarily split the 4%, so ~2% each.
Who pays the transfer tax in Delaware?
In Delaware the transfer tax is customarily split-paid, though it's negotiable in the purchase contract.
How is Delaware's transfer tax calculated?
Multiply the sale price by 4%. For example, on a $400,000 home that's about $16,000. Delaware's realty transfer tax is 4% total — 2.5% to the state and 1.5% to the county or municipality — making it one of the highest in the country. First-time Delaware homebuyers get a reduction (½ of the state's 2.5% portion is reduced on the first $400,000). Buyer and seller customarily split the 4%, so ~2% each.
Closest transfer-tax comparisons
These links are selected by nearby verified transfer-tax rates, not by a static related list.