The District charges a deed transfer tax on the seller and a recordation tax on the buyer. Both are 1.1% under $400,000 and 1.45% at $400,000 and above — and the higher rate applies to the entire price, not just the amount over the threshold.
| Tax | Total | Seller | Buyer |
|---|
Transfer taxes equal -% of the sale price for the seller.
The $400,000 cliff is worth knowing about
DC’s higher rate applies to the whole price, not just the part above $400,000. A house that sells for $399,999 carries $4,399.99 in deed transfer tax. Sell the same house for $400,000 — one dollar more — and the tax becomes $5,800. Adding the buyer’s recordation tax, that single dollar costs the two parties $2,800 between them.
If your likely sale price is within a few thousand dollars of the threshold, it is worth pricing deliberately rather than by accident.
Who pays the transfer tax in Washington DC?
In the District the two taxes are split cleanly by party: the seller pays the deed transfer tax and the buyer pays the recordation tax. Both are charged at the same rate, so on a typical sale each side pays the same amount.
The DC first-time homebuyer benefit reduces the buyer’s recordation tax to 0.725%. It has income and purchase price caps, and it does nothing for the seller’s side of the bill.
Washington DC transfer and recordation tax rates
| Sale price | Deed transfer tax (seller) | Recordation tax (buyer) |
|---|---|---|
| Under $400,000 | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| $400,000 and above | 1.45% | 1.45% |
| First-time homebuyer | Unchanged | 0.725% |
Rates last verified August 18, 2026. Transfer and recordation taxes turn on details this page cannot see — exemptions, the wording of your contract, and local practice — so confirm final figures with your title company or settlement attorney before relying on them.
Transfer taxes are only part of what selling costs
Transfer taxes are the part of closing that is fixed by statute — you cannot negotiate them away. On a traditional sale they sit alongside agent commission, the repairs a buyer’s inspection turns up, and the carrying cost of every month the house sits unsold.
We buy houses in Washington DC for cash, as-is, and close on the date you pick. There is no agent commission, no repair list, and no financing contingency to fall through. Get a cash offer and compare it against the number this calculator just produced.