Disclaimer: Estimates based on Florida's documentary stamp tax under Fla. Stat. §201.02, including Miami-Dade County's distinct base rate and surtax. Not legal, tax, or financial advice — confirm with a licensed closing attorney or your state/county recorder. Full Disclaimer →
Florida · Documentary Stamp Tax

Florida Closing Costs: One Statewide Rate, One County Exception

Florida's documentary stamp tax is $0.70 per $100 almost everywhere — except Miami-Dade County, which uses a lower base rate but adds a separate surtax on anything that isn't a single-family residence.

Jurisdiction Data Card — Florida Researched Aug 21, 2026
What changes here:Miami-Dade County uses a lower base rate, plus an additional surtax on non-single-family property
Governing authority:Florida Department of Revenue / County Clerk
Statutory basis:Fla. Stat. §201.02
Calculator fields affected:Documentary stamp tax, Miami-Dade surtax (non-single-family only)

Documentary stamp tax on the deed only — excludes intangible tax on mortgages, title insurance, escrow, and lender fees.

Total Florida Documentary Stamp Tax

Tax Breakdown

Worked Example: $400,000 Sale, Most Florida Counties

Documentary stamp tax ($0.70/$100)$2,800.00
Total$2,800.00

This is a tax-module example, not a complete settlement statement — title, escrow, lender, and recording charges are not included.

Miami-Dade's Property-Type Distinction

Florida's documentary stamp tax is straightforward almost everywhere: $0.70 per $100 of consideration under Fla. Stat. §201.02. Miami-Dade County breaks that pattern in two ways — its base rate is lower ($0.60/$100), but it adds a surtax of $0.45/$100 on any property that isn't a single-family residence, effectively raising the rate to $1.05/$100 for multi-family, commercial, and vacant-land purchases. A single-family home buyer in Miami-Dade actually pays less than the statewide rate; a condo, duplex, or commercial buyer pays more.

Understanding Closing Costs in Florida

Closing costs are the fees and charges required to finalize a real estate purchase, separate from your down payment and the home's purchase price. Beyond the Florida transfer tax and recording fee calculated above, a typical closing includes a handful of other charges: a loan origination fee charged by your lender, an appraisal fee to confirm the home's value, a home inspection fee, a title search and title insurance premium (a lender's policy is required by most lenders, and an owner's policy is optional but recommended), an escrow or settlement agent fee, and prepaid items such as homeowners insurance and the property tax and mortgage interest your lender collects upfront into escrow. Which of these apply, and how much each one costs, depends on your lender, your loan program, and the title or escrow company handling your closing — this calculator covers only the government-charged transfer tax and recording fee shown above, not the full closing cost picture.

What Affects Your Total Closing Costs

Several factors shape how much you'll actually pay at closing on a Florida property, beyond the transfer tax and recording fee shown above. Loan type matters: FHA loans add an upfront mortgage insurance premium, VA loans add a funding fee (waived for some veterans and service members), and USDA loans add a guarantee fee, while conventional loans typically don't carry a comparable upfront charge. Property type matters too — condos and homes in planned communities often require an extra fee for HOA document review or a resale certificate, and multi-unit or investment properties can carry higher title insurance premiums than a standard single-family purchase. County and municipality matter as well: recording fees, and in some states local transfer taxes, can vary from county to county, so the figures on this page reflect the Florida statutory default — always confirm with the specific county recorder's or clerk's office where you're closing. Finally, purchase price and loan amount drive costs that scale with value, including title insurance premiums, percentage-based origination fees, and the transfer tax calculated above.

The Closing Process: What to Expect

Regardless of which state you're buying in, most closings follow the same basic structure. A few days before closing, federal law requires your lender to send a Closing Disclosure — a standardized five-page form that itemizes every fee you'll pay, required under the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule. Compare it line by line against your most recent Loan Estimate so you can catch any unexpected changes before signing day. On closing day, you (or, in some cases, your attorney or agent under a power of attorney) sign the closing documents, wire or bring a cashier's check for your remaining cash to close, and the title or escrow company disburses funds to the seller and other parties, records the deed — and typically the mortgage — with the county, and issues your title insurance policy. The recording fee shown in the calculator above is exactly the government charge for that final step: recording the deed in Florida's public land records.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Florida's documentary stamp tax rate?
$0.70 per $100 (or fraction) of consideration in most counties, under Fla. Stat. §201.02.
How is Miami-Dade County different?
Miami-Dade uses a lower base rate of $0.60 per $100. For single-family residences, that's the whole story. For any other property type (multi-family, commercial, vacant land), an additional surtax of $0.45 per $100 applies on top.
How much is the doc stamp tax on a $400,000 single-family home in Miami-Dade?
$2,400.00 — just the $0.60/$100 base rate, since single-family residences are exempt from the additional Miami-Dade surtax.
Who pays Florida's documentary stamp tax?
All parties to the deed are jointly and severally liable by statute, though it is customarily paid by the seller.
Who typically pays closing costs in Florida?
Closing cost responsibility is set mainly by the purchase agreement rather than a fixed state formula in most cases. Buyers typically pay their own loan-related fees — origination, appraisal, and the lender's title insurance policy — while sellers commonly pay the real estate commission and, in many markets, the owner's title insurance policy. Local custom varies, so ask your real estate agent how closing costs are typically split where you're buying in Florida.
Can closing costs be negotiated?
Yes. Many closing cost line items are negotiable between buyer and seller as part of the purchase offer, and lender fees can often be shopped and negotiated between lenders. It's common for buyers to request a seller credit toward closing costs, particularly when a market favors buyers.
Are closing costs tax-deductible?
Some are, some aren't, and the rules differ for a primary residence versus a rental or investment property. Loan origination points paid to reduce your interest rate are often deductible in the year you pay them; costs like title insurance, appraisal fees, and recording fees typically aren't deductible but can usually be added to your home's cost basis. This is general information, not tax advice — a CPA can confirm what applies to your specific purchase.
Does this calculator include lender fees or title insurance?
No. This calculator isolates the government-charged transfer tax and deed-recording fee for Florida shown in the sources above — it does not include lender origination fees, appraisal costs, title insurance premiums, escrow fees, or prepaid items. Those vary by lender and title company and should be confirmed on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure.
Methodology & sources: Researched via Manus AI primary-source research (task MMb7mqFkwGV27iWSTxreJU). Statutory basis: Fla. Stat. §201.02. Last verified August 21, 2026. Tax law changes — always confirm current rates with your closing attorney or title company before relying on this estimate for a real transaction. Spotted an error? Contact us.