Florida Closing Costs by the Numbers (2026)

Florida closing costs are the fees, taxes, and charges paid to complete a real estate transaction beyond the purchase price. Unlike some states where costs are minimal, Florida imposes several state-specific taxes and regulates title insurance rates. This reference page consolidates every rate, fee, and statute into a single sourced table so buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals can find authoritative answers in one place.

All figures below reflect 2026 Florida law. Rates are set by statute and do not change year to year unless the legislature acts. Title insurance premiums are promulgated (regulated) by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

The Five Major Florida Closing Costs

Every Florida real estate closing involves some combination of these five costs. The table below lists each cost, its statutory rate, the controlling statute, and who typically pays.

Cost	Rate	Statute	Typical Payer	Example ($400K sale / $300K loan)
Owner's Title Insurance	$5.75/$1,000 (first $100K) $5.00/$1,000 (over $100K)	Fla. Stat. Ch. 627 (OIR promulgated)	Varies by county (see §3 below)	$2,075
Documentary Stamp Tax (Deed)	$0.70/$100 of sale price ($0.60/$100 in Miami-Dade)	Fla. Stat. §201.02	Seller (customary, negotiable)	$2,800
Documentary Stamp Tax (Note)	$0.35/$100 of loan amount	Fla. Stat. §201.08	Buyer (on financed purchases)	$1,050
Intangible Tax (Mortgage)	$0.002/$1 of loan amount ($2.00/$1,000)	Fla. Stat. §199.133	Buyer (on financed purchases)	$600
Recording Fees	$10.00 first page $8.50 each additional page	Fla. Stat. §28.24	Buyer (customary, negotiable)	$35–$95 (varies by document count)

Sources: Florida Statutes §§201.02, 201.08, 199.133, 28.24; Florida Office of Insurance Regulation rate promulgation under Chapter 627. Example assumes a $400,000 purchase with a $300,000 mortgage outside Miami-Dade County.

1. Title Insurance Premiums (Regulated)

Florida is one of the few states that regulates title insurance premium rates. The rates are promulgated by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) under Chapter 627, Florida Statutes. Because the rates are set by the state, they are the same at every title company in Florida — you cannot shop around for a lower premium on the same coverage.

Owner's Policy Rate Schedule

Coverage Amount	Rate	Calculation
First $100,000	$5.75 per $1,000	$100,000 ÷ 1,000 × $5.75 = $575
Above $100,000	$5.00 per $1,000	Remaining amount ÷ 1,000 × $5.00

Sample Premiums at Common Price Points

Purchase Price	Owner's Policy Premium	How Calculated
$100,000	$575	$100K × $5.75/$1,000
$200,000	$1,075	$575 + ($100K × $5.00/$1,000)
$300,000	$1,575	$575 + ($200K × $5.00/$1,000)
$400,000	$2,075	$575 + ($300K × $5.00/$1,000)
$500,000	$2,575	$575 + ($400K × $5.00/$1,000)
$750,000	$3,825	$575 + ($650K × $5.00/$1,000)
$1,000,000	$5,075	$575 + ($900K × $5.00/$1,000)

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation promulgated rates under Fla. Stat. Ch. 627 and Rule 69O-186.003, F.A.C. A reissue rate may apply if the seller's prior owner's policy was issued within 3 years; the reissue rate is $3.30/$1,000 (first $100K) and $3.00/$1,000 (over $100K), with a $100 minimum. The simultaneous issue discount on a lender's policy (when issued with an owner's policy) is typically $25–$50.

Lender's Policy (Simultaneous Issue)

When a buyer obtains a mortgage, the lender requires a lender's title insurance policy. If the lender's policy is issued at the same time as the owner's policy (a "simultaneous issue"), the premium is heavily discounted — typically just $25 to $50 added to the owner's premium. The buyer almost always pays for the lender's policy.

2. Documentary Stamp Tax on the Deed

The documentary stamp tax (commonly called "doc stamps") is a transfer tax paid when real property changes ownership. It is calculated on the sale price (consideration), not the loan amount.

Item	Detail
Rate (most counties)	$0.70 per $100 of sale price (Fla. Stat. §201.02)
Rate (Miami-Dade County)	$0.60 per $100 of sale price (plus $0.45/$100 surtax on non-single-family)
Who pays	Customarily the seller; negotiable in the FAR/BAR contract
Trigger	Recording of the deed transferring title
Exemptions	Transfers between spouses, into revocable trusts, and certain intra-family transfers may be exempt

Doc Stamp Examples

Sale Price	Doc Stamp Tax (most counties)	Miami-Dade
$100,000	$700	$600
$200,000	$1,400	$1,200
$300,000	$2,100	$1,800
$400,000	$2,800	$2,400
$500,000	$3,500	$3,000
$750,000	$5,250	$4,500
$1,000,000	$7,000	$6,000

Source: Fla. Stat. §201.02. Calculated as (sale price ÷ 100) × rate.

3. Documentary Stamp Tax on the Note & Intangible Tax on the Mortgage

When a buyer obtains a mortgage to finance the purchase, Florida imposes two separate taxes on the loan. Both are paid by the buyer and apply only to financed transactions — cash buyers pay neither.

Tax	Rate	Statute	$300K Mortgage Example
Doc Stamp on Note	$0.35 per $100 of loan amount	Fla. Stat. §201.08	$1,050
Intangible Tax on Mortgage	$0.002 per $1.00 of loan amount ($2.00/$1,000)	Fla. Stat. §199.133	$600
Combined			$1,650

Source: Fla. Stat. §§201.08, 199.133. These taxes apply to the full loan amount on new mortgages. On refinances, doc stamps on the note and intangible tax apply only to the new money if the original note was previously taxed.

4. Recording Fees

Every document recorded in the official county records carries a recording fee set by Florida Statutes Section 28.24. These fees are uniform statewide.

Document	Typical Pages	Recording Fee
Warranty Deed	1–2 pages	$10.00–$18.50
Mortgage	2–5 pages	$18.50–$44.00
Satisfaction of Mortgage	1–2 pages	$10.00–$18.50
Lis Pendens	1–2 pages	$10.00–$18.50
Notice of Commencement	1–2 pages	$10.00–$18.50

Source: Fla. Stat. §28.24. Fee is $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page. Documents that do not meet statutory margin and format requirements are subject to a $25.00 surcharge.

5. County-by-County Custom: Who Pays What

Florida closing cost allocation is driven by local custom, not statute. The FAR/BAR contract includes checkboxes in Paragraph 9 that allow the parties to agree on who pays for title insurance and who selects the closing agent, regardless of local custom. In practice, most closings follow the customary allocation for the county where the property is located.

County	Owner's Title Insurance	Closing Agent Selected By	Doc Stamp on Deed
Sarasota	Seller typically pays	Seller typically selects	Seller
Manatee	Negotiable (title custom is split)	Negotiable	Seller
Pinellas	Buyer typically pays	Buyer typically selects	Seller
Hillsborough	Buyer typically pays	Buyer typically selects	Seller
Miami-Dade	Buyer typically pays	Buyer typically selects	Seller ($0.60/$100)
Most other FL counties	Buyer typically pays	Buyer typically selects	Seller

Note: Sarasota and Manatee counties are the notable exceptions where the seller commonly pays for the owner's title insurance. All allocations are negotiable in the FAR/BAR contract regardless of custom. The seller customarily pays the documentary stamp tax on the deed statewide.

Related: Sarasota & Manatee County Closing Customs (Detailed)

Worked Example: Total Closing Costs on a $400,000 Purchase

The table below shows a realistic closing cost breakdown for a $400,000 purchase with a $300,000 mortgage in a buyer-pays-title county (most Florida counties). This is illustrative only; actual costs vary by transaction.

Cost Item	Payer	Amount
Owner's Title Insurance	Buyer	$2,075
Lender's Title Insurance (simultaneous)	Buyer	$50
Title Search & Examination	Buyer	$200–$400
Documentary Stamp Tax (Deed)	Seller	$2,800
Documentary Stamp Tax (Note)	Buyer	$1,050
Intangible Tax (Mortgage)	Buyer	$600
Recording Fees (Deed + Mortgage)	Buyer	$37
Settlement/Closing Fee	Buyer	$350–$500
Survey	Buyer	$350–$500
Attorney Fee (if separately Charged)	Varies	$0–$500
Buyer's Total		~$4,712–$5,712
Seller's Total (before commission)		~$2,800
Seller's Total (with 6% commission)		~$27,000

Illustrative only. Actual costs vary by county, transaction type, lender requirements, and negotiated terms. Prepaid items (property taxes, insurance, escrow reserves) are additional. In Sarasota County, the owner's title insurance ($2,075) shifts to the seller, increasing the seller's total and decreasing the buyer's total by the same amount.

Estimate your own costs: Barnes Walker Closing Cost Calculator

Summary: The Numbers to Remember

Cost	Rate	Statute
Doc stamp on deed	$0.70/$100	§201.02
Doc stamp on note	$0.35/$100	§201.08
Intangible tax on mortgage	$2.00/$1,000	§199.133
Title insurance (first $100K)	$5.75/$1,000	Ch. 627 (OIR)
Title insurance (over $100K)	$5.00/$1,000	Ch. 627 (OIR)
Recording fee (first page)	$10.00	§28.24
Recording fee (additional pages)	$8.50/page	§28.24
Typical total (buyer, % of price)	2%–5%	—
Typical total (seller, % of price)	6%–8% (incl. commission)	—

Related Resources

• Understanding Closing Costs in Florida — detailed narrative guide
• FSBO Closing Costs in Florida — cost breakdown for For Sale By Owner
• Seller Net Sheet vs. Buyer Closing Costs
• Florida Documentary Stamp Tax Explained
• Florida Transfer Tax Guide for REALTORS
• Closing Cost Calculator — get a custom estimate
• Doc Stamps: An Easy Guide
• Sarasota & Manatee County Closing Customs