Rhode Island Transfer Tax: How Much It Is and Who Pays
Rhode Island's Real Estate Conveyance Tax is $3.75 per $500 of price or fraction (0.75%): $4,013 on a $535,100 home.
Rhode Island transfer tax by purchase price
| Purchase price | State tax | Mansion tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,125 | $0 | $1,125 |
| $200,000 | $1,500 | $0 | $1,500 |
| $250,000 | $1,875 | $0 | $1,875 |
| $300,000 | $2,250 | $0 | $2,250 |
| $350,000 | $2,625 | $0 | $2,625 |
| $400,000 | $3,000 | $0 | $3,000 |
| $450,000 | $3,375 | $0 | $3,375 |
| $500,000 | $3,750 | $0 | $3,750 |
| $600,000 | $4,500 | $0 | $4,500 |
| $700,000 | $5,250 | $0 | $5,250 |
| $800,000 | $6,000 | $0 | $6,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,500 | $1,500 | $9,000 |
Transfer tax calculator
Who pays
In Rhode Island 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. 'In the absence of an agreement to the contrary the tax shall be paid by the grantor' (R.I. Gen. Laws Section 44-25-1(a)). Source
Mansion tax
R.I. Gen. Laws Section 44-25-1(b): an ADDITIONAL $3.75 per $500 (0.75%) applies to the portion of a RESIDENTIAL sale price above $800,000, on top of the base 0.75% conveyance tax (making the marginal rate 1.5% above $800,000), funding state housing programs. The $800,000 threshold is indexed to CPI-U starting tax year 2026; the exact re-indexed figure for 2026 was not published on an official source found in this research pass, so $800,000 (the statutory base figure) is used.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the transfer tax in Rhode Island?
The state rate is $3.75 per $500 of price or fraction (0.75%), which is $4,013 on a $535,100 home.
Who pays the transfer tax in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island 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. 'In the absence of an agreement to the contrary the tax shall be paid by the grantor' (R.I. Gen. Laws Section 44-25-1(a)). Source
Is there a mortgage or recordation tax too?
No. Rhode Island taxes the deed only; recording the mortgage costs a flat recording fee, not a percentage.
Are there exemptions?
No general first-time-buyer exemption from the conveyance tax; the additional residential surtax under Section 44-25-1(b) only applies above the $800,000 (CPI-indexed) threshold.
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 Rhode Island buyer closing costs → Rhode Island 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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