Washington DC Title Insurance
Reliable Title & Settlement Services
DMV Title Guy provides practical title and closing education for Washington DC. When you're ready to close, Will and the Pruitt Title team handle your title and settlement.
What to Understand
Title and Closing Topics in Washington DC
These are common parts of a real estate closing. Will confirms which apply to your transaction, and Pruitt Title's quote and Closing Disclosure set the actual costs.
- Title Search & Examination
- Owner's Title Insurance
- Lender's Title Insurance
- Settlement & Escrow Services
- Title Curative Work
- Deed Preparation & Recording
- 1031 Exchange Closings
- Refinance Closings
- Commercial Transactions
- New Construction Closings
- Investor / Wholesale Closings
- Remote signing options (when available)
Contact Will — Washington DC
Share the transaction details with Will. Sending this form doesn't open an order; Will confirms next steps with you.
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How It Works
The Closing Process in Washington DC
From contract to keys, here's the typical process after a title company accepts a transaction in Washington DC.
Send the Contract
Send Will the contract. He confirms the quote, timing, and next steps with you.
Title Search
The Pruitt Title team reviews the relevant records and flags anything that needs attention before settlement.
Title Commitment
The Pruitt Title team delivers the title commitment, requirements, exceptions, and coverage information.
Closing Coordination
The Pruitt Title team coordinates the closing with the lender, parties, and agents.
Settlement & Recording
The Pruitt Title team handles signing, funding, disbursement, recording, and post-closing work.
District of Columbia · Recording & transfer taxes
What closing actually costs in Washington DC
- Median home price
- $650,000
- Typical total
- 3% to 6% for buyers, 2% to 4% for sellers
- Recording office
- District of Columbia
Washington DC charges both a recordation tax and a transfer tax on all real estate transactions. For properties under $400,000, each tax is 1.1% (2.2% combined). For properties at or above $400,000, each increases to 1.45% (2.9% combined). The seller owes the transfer tax by law and the buyer customarily pays the recordation tax. First-time DC homebuyers may qualify for a reduced recordation tax rate of 0.725%, which can save $4,000+ on a $650,000 home. Because the rate steps at $400,000 rather than sliding, a contract written just over that line costs meaningfully more than one written just under it.
The District has no separate county layer — recordation and transfer taxes are both levied at the district level, and deeds record with the DC Recorder of Deeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are deeds recorded in Washington, DC?
Deeds are recorded by the DC Recorder of Deeds, part of the Office of Tax and Revenue. DC has no county layer, so the District sets every deed tax.
What are the DC recordation and transfer tax rates?
Each tax is 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.
Is there a DC first-time homebuyer break on recordation tax?
Yes. Qualifying first-time DC homebuyers pay a reduced recordation tax rate of 0.725% instead of 1.1% or 1.45% (D.C. Code § 42-1103(e)). It is a reduced rate, not a full exemption.
Do I need an attorney to close on a house in DC?
A notary or a title company's settlement agent can conduct the closing. Preparing the deed and other documents that affect title is the practice of law in DC (D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 49), so DC title companies work with a DC-licensed attorney for that part.
Who pays for owner's title insurance in DC?
The buyer customarily pays for both the owner's and lender's title insurance policies in DC, though the contract can change that.
Closing Cost Calculator
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Use the Washington DC Calculator →Common Transaction Scenarios
The team reviews residential, commercial, refinance, and investment-property requests and confirms the services and requirements for each transaction.
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