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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.

Source-verified · 2026-Q2Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 64D § 1 (deeds excise) Official source ↗

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.

What it costs at common prices

Sale priceState 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

$

Estimated transfer tax

$2,800

Rate: 0.7% · Customarily seller-paid

Who customarily pays
seller
Statute
Fla. Stat. § 201.02

Florida levies documentary stamp tax on the deed at $0.70 per $100 of price (0.70%) in every county except Miami-Dade. Miami-Dade charges $0.60 per $100 (0.60%) plus a $0.45/$100 surtax on non-single-family transfers. By custom the seller pays the deed stamps; the buyer pays the separate doc-stamp + intangible tax on the mortgage.

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.

Transfer tax in other states

All Massachusetts closing costs →