Massachusetts real estate transfer tax
Massachusetts's transfer tax is 0.46%, customarily seller-paid. Here's how it works, what it costs at common price points, and the statute behind it.
Massachusetts charges deed excise 'tax stamps' of $4.56 per $1,000 of price (0.456%) in most counties; Barnstable County (Cape Cod) is higher. The seller pays. Some municipalities have sought local transfer taxes on high-value sales, but statewide the excise stamp is the main transfer cost.
How Massachusetts compares nationally
0.46%, #14 of 51 nationally; at $400,000, that is $1,184 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
- #14 of 51
- highest state transfer-tax rate first
- Tax at $400,000
- $1,824
- median-state tax $640
- Dataset date
- 2026-Q2
- source-linked record
Massachusetts 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 | $912 |
| $400,000 | $1,824 |
| $600,000 | $2,736 |
| $800,000 | $3,648 |
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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's transfer tax is 0.46% of the sale price, customarily seller-paid. Massachusetts charges deed excise 'tax stamps' of $4.56 per $1,000 of price (0.456%) in most counties; Barnstable County (Cape Cod) is higher. The seller pays. Some municipalities have sought local transfer taxes on high-value sales, but statewide the excise stamp is the main transfer cost.
Who pays the transfer tax in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts the transfer tax is customarily seller-paid, though it's negotiable in the purchase contract.
How is Massachusetts's transfer tax calculated?
Multiply the sale price by 0.46%. For example, on a $400,000 home that's about $1,824. Massachusetts charges deed excise 'tax stamps' of $4.56 per $1,000 of price (0.456%) in most counties; Barnstable County (Cape Cod) is higher. The seller pays. Some municipalities have sought local transfer taxes on high-value sales, but statewide the excise stamp is the main transfer cost.
Closest transfer-tax comparisons
These links are selected by nearby verified transfer-tax rates, not by a static related list.