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Estimate title costs for Virginia, Maryland, or Washington DC.
Estimate Title Costs →On a $600,000 purchase with a $480,000 loan, a buyer's government taxes come to about $3,600 in Fairfax County, Virginia, $6,725 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and $8,700 in Washington, DC. Title insurance adds roughly $2,700 to $3,250 in each. DC's taxes are the highest because its recordation tax jumps to 1.45% at $400,000, and Virginia's are the lowest.
The comparison below uses one example property in each jurisdiction. It covers deed and loan taxes and title insurance, not lender fees, prepaid taxes, insurance or the settlement fee, which vary by lender and provider.
Side by side on a $600,000 home
| Item | Fairfax County, VA | Montgomery County, MD | Washington, DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer's deed and loan taxes | $3,596 | $6,725 | $8,700 |
| Seller's deed taxes | $1,800 | $6,725 | $8,700 |
| Owner's and lender's title insurance (Stewart's published schedules, before discounts) | $2,672.50 | $3,251.50 | $3,250 |
| Who customarily pays the title insurance | Buyer | Buyer | Buyer |
| First-time buyer tax break | None on closing taxes | Buyer pays no state transfer tax | Reduced 0.725% recordation rate |
Virginia: the lowest taxes, paid mostly by the buyer
The buyer pays Virginia's state recordation tax of $0.25 per $100 twice: on the price for the deed and on the loan amount for the deed of trust (Va. Code §§ 58.1-801 and 58.1-803). Fairfax County adds a local recordation tax of about $0.083 per $100 on both. On the example, that is $1,500 + $1,200 + $896.
The seller pays the grantor tax of $1 per $1,000 ($600) and, in Northern Virginia, two regional fees of $0.10 per $100 each ($1,200). See Fairfax County title and closing details.
Maryland: a split of state and county taxes
Maryland charges a 0.5% state transfer tax, a county transfer tax (1.0% in Montgomery County) and a county recordation tax (tiered in Montgomery County, with the first $100,000 exempt for an owner-occupied home). The law presumes the buyer and seller split them equally unless the contract says otherwise (Real Property § 14-104(b)), so on the example each side pays about $6,725. A purchase-money mortgage recorded with the deed is not taxed separately. Rates differ a lot by county; see Montgomery vs Prince George's County closing costs.
DC: the highest rates, split between two taxes
DC charges a recordation tax and a transfer tax, each 1.1% of the price below $400,000 and 1.45% at $400,000 or more (D.C. Code §§ 42-1103 and 47-903). The seller owes the transfer tax by law, and the buyer customarily pays the recordation tax: $8,700 each on the example. See closing costs in DC.
Title insurance is similar across all three
Each underwriter files its own rates, so premiums differ between companies, and in Virginia the rate can be negotiated (Va. Code § 38.2-4608). The figures in the table come from Stewart Title's published rate manuals for each jurisdiction. In all three, the buyer customarily pays for both the owner's and lender's policies, and the contract can change that.
First-time buyers change the picture
A qualifying first-time Maryland homebuyer pays no state transfer tax, and the county taxes go to the seller by default, so the buyer's taxes on the example can drop to $0. A qualifying first-time DC homebuyer pays recordation tax at 0.725%: $4,350 instead of $8,700. Virginia has no first-time buyer break on recordation or grantor tax. See first-time homebuyer closing tax breaks in MD, DC and VA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are closing costs lowest: Virginia, Maryland or DC?
For the government taxes on a purchase, Virginia is usually lowest. On a $600,000 home with a $480,000 loan, the buyer's taxes are about $3,600 in Fairfax County, $6,725 in Montgomery County and $8,700 in DC. Lender fees and the settlement fee vary by provider and are not included.
Does the buyer or seller pay closing taxes in Virginia?
The buyer customarily pays the recordation tax on the deed and the loan. The seller pays the grantor tax and, in Northern Virginia, two regional fees of $0.10 per $100 each.
Who pays recordation tax in DC?
The buyer customarily pays the recordation tax, and the seller owes the transfer tax by law. Each is 1.45% of the price at $400,000 or more.
Is title insurance cheaper in Virginia than Maryland or DC?
On a $600,000 home, Stewart Title's published schedules put the owner's and lender's policies together at $2,672.50 in Virginia, $3,251.50 in Maryland and $3,250 in DC, before discounts. Other underwriters' rates differ.
General information about title insurance and closing costs in Virginia, Maryland and DC, not legal or tax advice. Tax rates, fees and rules change, so confirm the figures for your own transaction.
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