Maryland real estate transfer tax
Maryland's transfer tax is 0.5%, customarily split-paid. Here's how it works, what it costs at common price points, and the statute behind it.
Maryland charges a 0.5% state transfer tax (reduced to 0.25% when the buyer is a first-time Maryland homebuyer, in which case the seller pays it), plus county transfer tax (0.5%–1.5% by county) and the state recordation tax ($2.50–$5.00 per $500). Combined, Maryland's recording burden is among the steeper ones; customs on who pays vary by county.
How Maryland compares nationally
0.5%, #12 of 51 nationally; at $400,000, that is $1,360 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
- #12 of 51
- highest state transfer-tax rate first
- Tax at $400,000
- $2,000
- median-state tax $640
- Dataset date
- 2026-Q2
- source-linked record
Maryland transfer-tax data: official source linked on this page, reviewed 2026-Q2.
What it costs at common prices
| Sale price | State transfer tax |
|---|---|
| $200,000 | $1,000 |
| $400,000 | $2,000 |
| $600,000 | $3,000 |
| $800,000 | $4,000 |
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 Maryland?
Maryland's transfer tax is 0.5% of the sale price, customarily split-paid. Maryland charges a 0.5% state transfer tax (reduced to 0.25% when the buyer is a first-time Maryland homebuyer, in which case the seller pays it), plus county transfer tax (0.5%–1.5% by county) and the state recordation tax ($2.50–$5.00 per $500). Combined, Maryland's recording burden is among the steeper ones; customs on who pays vary by county.
Who pays the transfer tax in Maryland?
In Maryland the transfer tax is customarily split-paid, though it's negotiable in the purchase contract.
How is Maryland's transfer tax calculated?
Multiply the sale price by 0.5%. For example, on a $400,000 home that's about $2,000. Maryland charges a 0.5% state transfer tax (reduced to 0.25% when the buyer is a first-time Maryland homebuyer, in which case the seller pays it), plus county transfer tax (0.5%–1.5% by county) and the state recordation tax ($2.50–$5.00 per $500). Combined, Maryland's recording burden is among the steeper ones; customs on who pays vary by county.
Closest transfer-tax comparisons
These links are selected by nearby verified transfer-tax rates, not by a static related list.