California transfer tax
Official source data 2026-10-01
On a $400,000 residential purchase in California
$440
modeled deed & transfer taxes
County documentary transfer tax only. City levies, including Los Angeles ULA, are separate and are not inferred from a county rate.
Check the tax on your price.
Where the tax goes.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base deed / transfer taxes | $440 |
| Selected local deed taxes | $0 |
| Buyer statutory surcharges | $0 |
| Seller statutory surcharges | $0 |
| Total modeled transfer taxes | $440 |
The buyer and seller can negotiate many expenses. This calculation excludes lender credits, seller concessions, prorated rent, HOA charges, inspections, repairs, and any mortgage taxes not in the stated deed-tax scope.
California rules and assumptions.
Transfer-tax scope
County documentary transfer tax only. City levies, including Los Angeles ULA, are separate and are not inferred from a county rate.
Settlement & title
Ask the settlement provider which services it is licensed to perform and which require an attorney. This editable allowance does not determine whether an attorney is required for your transaction.
California insurers, title agents and controlled escrow companies file their rates with the Department of Insurance. Compare the applicable owner/lender coverage, endorsements and escrow quote; the editable percentage here is not that filed schedule.
Recording fees
Los Angeles County's schedule is a local example. Document/page charges, applicable surcharges and SB 2 exemptions need review for the actual instrument. Do not add documentary transfer tax twice.
Good questions. Clear answers.
How much are closing costs in California?
For the entered $400,000 price, this scenario produces $9,450 of buyer costs and $20,940 of seller costs. The fees are adjustable allowances; only the cited taxes follow the selected statutory scope.
Who pays the transfer tax?
The default allocation follows the state scenario shown above. The closing-cost tool lets you change the contractual deed-tax allocation; statutory buyer or seller surcharges retain their separate payer.
Is the down payment a closing cost?
It is not a service fee. This tool shows $80,000 as the down payment and $89,450 as total estimated buyer cash to close.
Are the title and attorney fees official state rates?
The defaults are planning allowances, not published title-policy quotes. Enter the applicable insurance or title-guaranty quote and the closing professional’s quote. Policy type, endorsements, loan size and reissue discounts can change the cost. Set the title payer to match your contract; use the additional buyer amount for coverage excluded from the percentage allowance.
How do I calculate seller net proceeds?
Subtract seller closing costs and the entered mortgage payoff from the sale price. Here that gives $379,060. Capital-gains tax, repair credits and other liens are excluded.
Check the source.
Data as of 2026-10-01. Retrieved .
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov / codes_displaySection.xhtml
- www.consumerfinance.gov / closing-disclosure As of 2026-10-02
- www.consumerfinance.gov / loan-estimate As of 2026-10-02
- www.insurance.ca.gov / Title-Insurance.cfm As of 2026-10-02
- www.lavote.gov / fees As of 2026-10-02