Iowa Transfer Tax: How Much It Is and Who Pays
Iowa's Real Estate Transfer Tax is $0.80 per $500 of price or fraction (0.16%): $401 on a $250,700 home.
Iowa transfer tax by purchase price
| Purchase price | State tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $239 | $239 |
| $200,000 | $319 | $319 |
| $250,000 | $399 | $399 |
| $300,000 | $479 | $479 |
| $350,000 | $559 | $559 |
| $400,000 | $639 | $639 |
| $450,000 | $719 | $719 |
| $500,000 | $799 | $799 |
| $600,000 | $959 | $959 |
| $700,000 | $1,119 | $1,119 |
| $800,000 | $1,279 | $1,279 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,599 | $1,599 |
Transfer tax calculator
Who pays
In Iowa the seller pays the transfer tax by statute or custom, so it usually reduces the seller's proceeds rather than adding to the buyer's closing costs. Iowa Code 428A.3: 'Any person, firm or corporation who grants, assigns, transfers, or conveys any land, tenement, or realty by a deed, writing, or instrument subject to the tax imposed by this chapter shall be liable for such tax,' i.e. the grantor/seller. Source
Frequently asked questions
How much is the transfer tax in Iowa?
The state rate is $0.80 per $500 of price or fraction (0.16%), which is $401 on a $250,700 home.
Who pays the transfer tax in Iowa?
In Iowa the seller pays the transfer tax by statute or custom, so it usually reduces the seller's proceeds rather than adding to the buyer's closing costs. Iowa Code 428A.3: 'Any person, firm or corporation who grants, assigns, transfers, or conveys any land, tenement, or realty by a deed, writing, or instrument subject to the tax imposed by this chapter shall be liable for such tax,' i.e. the grantor/seller. Source
Is there a mortgage or recordation tax too?
No. Iowa taxes the deed only; recording the mortgage costs a flat recording fee, not a percentage.
Are there exemptions?
The first $500 of every transfer's value is untaxed under Iowa Code 428A.1, but this is a universal exemption, not a first-time-buyer or principal-residence one.
Sources
Rates as the statute or revenue department publishes them, checked 2026-09-22. Figures are computed from those rates and rounded to the dollar; exemptions for first-time buyers or principal residences are noted where they exist and are not applied. All sources.
All Iowa buyer closing costs → Iowa title insurance cost →
Figures are computed from the statute cited above and rounded to the dollar. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Transfer tax in every state