Virginia real estate transfer tax
Virginia's transfer tax is 0.25%, 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.
Virginia splits its transfer taxes: the SELLER pays the state grantor tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.10%) plus a regional WMATA tax in Northern Virginia/Hampton Roads, while the BUYER pays the state recordation tax of $2.50 per $1,000 (0.25%) plus a local recordation tax (typically 1/3 of the state amount). Combined, the buyer's and seller's transfer costs each land near 0.2%–0.35%.
How Virginia compares nationally
0.25%, #23 of 51 nationally; at $400,000, that is $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
- #23 of 51
- highest state transfer-tax rate first
- Tax at $400,000
- $1,000
- median-state tax $640
- Dataset date
- June 2026
- source-linked record
Virginia 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 | $500 |
| $400,000 | $1,000 |
| $600,000 | $1,500 |
| $800,000 | $2,000 |
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 Virginia?
Virginia's transfer tax is 0.25% of the sale price, customarily split-paid. Virginia splits its transfer taxes: the SELLER pays the state grantor tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.10%) plus a regional WMATA tax in Northern Virginia/Hampton Roads, while the BUYER pays the state recordation tax of $2.50 per $1,000 (0.25%) plus a local recordation tax (typically 1/3 of the state amount). Combined, the buyer's and seller's transfer costs each land near 0.2%–0.35%.
Who pays the transfer tax in Virginia?
In Virginia the transfer tax is customarily split-paid, though it's negotiable in the purchase contract.
How is Virginia's transfer tax calculated?
Multiply the sale price by 0.25%. For example, on a $400,000 home that's about $1,000. Virginia splits its transfer taxes: the SELLER pays the state grantor tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.10%) plus a regional WMATA tax in Northern Virginia/Hampton Roads, while the BUYER pays the state recordation tax of $2.50 per $1,000 (0.25%) plus a local recordation tax (typically 1/3 of the state amount). Combined, the buyer's and seller's transfer costs each land near 0.2%–0.35%.
Closest transfer-tax comparisons
These links are selected by nearby verified transfer-tax rates, not by a static related list.