Maryland Transfer Tax: How Much It Is and Who Pays
Maryland's State Transfer Tax is 0.5% of the purchase price: $2,235 on a $446,900 home. Cities and counties add their own; Baltimore City's brings the total there to $13,408.
Maryland transfer tax by purchase price
| Purchase price | State tax | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $750 | $750 |
| $200,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| $250,000 | $1,250 | $1,250 |
| $300,000 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| $350,000 | $1,750 | $1,750 |
| $400,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| $450,000 | $2,250 | $2,250 |
| $500,000 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| $600,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| $700,000 | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| $800,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
Transfer tax calculator
Who pays
Who pays the transfer tax in Maryland is negotiable in the purchase contract. Negotiable by contract; local custom in much of the DC/Baltimore metro market has the seller pay the state and local transfer taxes. The reduced 0.25% first-time-Maryland-buyer rate must, by statute, be paid entirely by the seller. Source
City and county transfer taxes in Maryland
These stack on the state tax. Open a jurisdiction for the combined figure at every price.
| Jurisdiction | Local rate | Total on a $446,900 home |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | marginal brackets: 2.5% up to $1,000,000, 3.25% above $1,000,000 | $13,408 |
| Baltimore County | 2% of the purchase price | $11,173 |
| Montgomery County (recordation tax) | marginal brackets: 0.89% up to $500,000, 1.35% from $500,000 to $600,000, 2.04% from $600,000 to $750,000, 2.156% from $750,000 to $1,000,000, 2.27% above $1,000,000 | $6,212 |
| Montgomery County (local transfer tax) | marginal brackets: 0.25% up to $40,000, 0.5% from $40,000 to $70,000, 1% above $70,000 | $6,254 |
| Prince George's County | 1.95% of the purchase price | $10,950 |
| Anne Arundel County | marginal brackets: 1.7% up to $1,000,000, 2.2% above $1,000,000 | $9,832 |
| Howard County | 1.75% of the purchase price | $10,056 |
| Frederick County | 1.2% of the purchase price | $7,598 |
| Harford County | 0.66% of the purchase price | $5,185 |
Frequently asked questions
How much is the transfer tax in Maryland?
The state rate is 0.5% of the purchase price, which is $2,235 on a $446,900 home; Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Montgomery County (recordation tax) add a local tax on top.
Who pays the transfer tax in Maryland?
Who pays the transfer tax in Maryland is negotiable in the purchase contract. Negotiable by contract; local custom in much of the DC/Baltimore metro market has the seller pay the state and local transfer taxes. The reduced 0.25% first-time-Maryland-buyer rate must, by statute, be paid entirely by the seller. Source
Is there a mortgage or recordation tax too?
No. Maryland taxes the deed only; recording the mortgage costs a flat recording fee, not a percentage.
Are there exemptions?
A first-time Maryland home buyer purchasing a principal residence pays state transfer tax at 0.25% instead of 0.5% (seller-paid, Tax-Property 13-203). Most counties exempt a threshold amount of owner-occupied consideration from local recordation/transfer tax (e.g., first $100,000 in Montgomery, first $22,000 in Baltimore City/County), not modeled in the tier arrays above.
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 Maryland buyer closing costs → Maryland 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.
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