Florida Documentary Stamp Tax on Deeds and Mortgages: Who Pays and How Much

The Florida documentary stamp tax is the state's version of a transfer tax, and it shows up on almost every home sale and new mortgage in Palm Beach County. Sellers usually see it as one of the largest lines on the closing statement after the commission and the loan payoff. This guide explains the rates for deeds, notes and mortgages, how the separate intangible tax works, who customarily pays each one, and how to estimate your own bill with worked examples.

Key takeaways

• Outside Miami-Dade County, the tax on a deed is 70 cents per $100 of the price, or portion of $100. That works out to $4,550 on a $650,000 home.
• Notes and mortgages are taxed at 35 cents per $100. A separate nonrecurring intangible tax of 2 mills (0.2%) applies to a new mortgage on Florida real estate.
• Under the standard Florida Realtors and Florida Bar contract, the seller pays the tax on the deed and the buyer pays the taxes on a new note and mortgage.
• That split is a contract term, not a law. The state says all parties to a document are liable for the tax, no matter who agreed to pay it.
• The tax is collected by the county clerk when the deed or mortgage is recorded.

What is the Florida documentary stamp tax?

Florida does not call it a transfer tax, but it works the same way. The tax is set out in Chapter 201 of the Florida Statutes and handled by the Florida Department of Revenue. It applies to documents that move an interest in real estate, such as a deed. It also applies to written promises to pay money, such as a promissory note or a mortgage.

The name comes from the old practice of buying paper stamps and fixing them to the document. Today no stamps change hands. Instead, the closing agent collects the money and pays it when the documents are recorded with the county.

In a typical sale with a loan, you will see three related charges. First, there is the tax on the deed. Next, there is the tax on the buyer's new note. Then there is the intangible tax on the new mortgage. The sections below cover each one.

Florida documentary stamp tax rates on deeds

In every county except Miami-Dade, the rate on a deed is 70 cents on each $100 of the total consideration, or portion thereof. Consideration is the price paid for the property. However, it also includes any mortgage or lien on the property, whether the buyer assumes it or not.

The words "or portion thereof" matter. The tax is figured in $100 steps, and any part of a step counts as a full step. So a price of $650,050 is treated as 6,501 steps of $100, not 6,500.

Miami-Dade County uses a different rate. There, the deed rate is 60 cents per $100. A surtax of 45 cents per $100 also applies, except on a single-family home. Pure Equity works in Palm Beach County, Hobe Sound and Port St. Lucie, where the standard 70 cent rate applies.

Quick math for a deed

To estimate the deed tax, divide the price by 100, round up to the next whole number, then multiply by 0.70. As a shortcut, multiply the price by 0.007. For most round prices the two methods give the same answer.

Florida documentary stamp tax on notes and mortgages

A buyer who takes out a loan signs two key papers. One is the promissory note, the promise to repay. The other is the mortgage, which pledges the home as security. Both fall under the same 35 cent rate per $100 of the amount owed, or portion thereof.

In practice, the tax is paid once on the loan amount, not twice. The Department of Revenue notes one key difference. A promissory note on its own has a cap of $2,450. Mortgages and liens have no cap. Because a home loan is secured by a recorded mortgage, the full 35 cent rate applies to the whole loan in most purchases.

A cash buyer has no new note or mortgage. As a result, a cash sale only carries the tax on the deed.

The nonrecurring intangible tax

The intangible tax is a separate tax that buyers often lump in with doc stamps. It is a one-time tax of 2 mills on a new mortgage that is secured by Florida real estate. To figure it, multiply the loan amount by 0.002. On a $520,000 loan, that comes to $1,040.

This tax also gets paid at recording. Like the note tax, it usually falls on the borrower.

Who pays the Florida documentary stamp tax at closing?

No law says the seller must pay the deed tax. Instead, the purchase contract sets the split. In most Florida sales, the parties use the standard contract from Florida Realtors and The Florida Bar. By default, it puts the deed tax on the seller and the note, mortgage and intangible taxes on the buyer.

Buyers and sellers can change that split in writing. For example, a buyer may agree to cover the deed tax to make a lower offer more attractive. Some new construction contracts also shift costs in ways that differ from a resale. So always read the closing cost section of your contract before you sign.

Keep one more rule in mind. The Department of Revenue says all parties to a document are liable for the tax, regardless of who agreed to pay it. In other words, the contract decides who writes the check, but the state can look to anyone named on the document if it goes unpaid.

For a wider look at who covers title insurance, recording fees and other items by county, see our guide on who pays closing costs in Florida.

Worked examples using Palm Beach County prices

The examples below use the August 2026 county medians from Miami Realtors and the Beaches MLS. That month, the median single-family home sold for $650,000 and the median condo or townhouse sold for $300,000. Your actual numbers will depend on your price and the buyer's loan.

Example 1: a $650,000 single-family home with a loan

Say the buyer puts 20% down and borrows $520,000.

• Deed tax, usually paid by the seller: $650,000 divided by 100 is 6,500. Then 6,500 times $0.70 equals $4,550.
• Note and mortgage tax, usually paid by the buyer: $520,000 divided by 100 is 5,200. Then 5,200 times $0.35 equals $1,820.
• Intangible tax, usually paid by the buyer: $520,000 times 0.002 equals $1,040.

In total, the state collects $7,410 on this sale. The seller's share under the standard contract is $4,550.

Example 2: a $300,000 condo bought with cash

Cash sales are common in the county. In August 2026, 57.2% of condo sales closed in cash. With no loan, only the deed tax applies. So $300,000 divided by 100 is 3,000, and 3,000 times $0.70 equals $2,100.

Example 3: a price that is not a round number

Now say a home in West Palm Beach sells for $487,550. Divide by 100 and you get 4,875.5. Because any portion of $100 counts as a full step, round up to 4,876. Then 4,876 times $0.70 equals $3,413.20.

Special cases that change the Florida documentary stamp tax

Most sales follow the simple math above. Still, a few situations can change the amount or remove the tax.

Assumed mortgages and seller financing

If a buyer takes over the seller's existing loan, that balance counts as part of the price for the deed tax. Likewise, if the seller carries a note for part of the price, the note and its mortgage are taxed at 35 cents per $100. The intangible tax can also apply to a recorded mortgage held by the seller.

Deeds between spouses

The Department of Revenue lists an exemption for some deeds between spouses. For example, when one spouse deeds the homestead to both spouses and the only consideration is the mortgage, the deed is exempt. Certain deeds of the marital home in a divorce are also exempt. Ask a Florida real estate attorney before you rely on any exemption.

Refinancing

A new loan on a home you already own can trigger the note and intangible taxes, even though no deed changes hands. Your lender's closing disclosure will show the amounts.

How the Florida documentary stamp tax affects your net proceeds

For sellers, the deed tax is a fixed share of the price. It runs about 0.7% of the sale price, so it grows as the price grows. On a $1 million sale, for instance, it comes to $7,000.

That makes it easy to estimate early. Add it to your commission, your title costs, your loan payoff and any HOA estoppel or proration items. Then subtract the total from your expected price to see what you keep. Our seller net sheet does this math for you based on your home and your loan.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Florida documentary stamp tax on a home sale?

Outside Miami-Dade, the deed tax is 70 cents per $100 of the price, or about 0.7%. On a $650,000 home, that is $4,550.

Does the buyer or seller pay doc stamps in Palm Beach County?

Under the standard Florida Realtors and Florida Bar contract, the seller pays the tax on the deed. The buyer pays the taxes on a new note and mortgage, plus the intangible tax. The parties can agree to a different split in writing.

Is the Florida documentary stamp tax due on a cash purchase?

Yes, on the deed. Because there is no new loan, there is no note tax and no intangible tax.

When is the tax paid?

For recorded documents, the tax is paid to the county clerk when the deed or mortgage is recorded. Your closing agent handles this as part of the closing.

Is the intangible tax the same as doc stamps?

No. The intangible tax is a separate one-time tax of 2 mills on a new mortgage secured by Florida real estate. It is often paid at the same time, which is why people mix them up.

Sources

• Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax
• Florida Department of Revenue, documentary stamp tax brochure (GT-800014)
• Florida Department of Revenue, nonrecurring intangible tax
• Florida Statutes, Chapter 201
• Miami Realtors, Palm Beach County August 2026 market report

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Tax rules and exemptions can change, so confirm your numbers with your closing agent, a Florida real estate attorney or a tax professional.

Want to know what you will walk away with? Ask Pure Equity for a personalized seller net-proceeds sheet that includes doc stamps, title costs and your loan payoff, or start with a free home value report. Buying instead? Our agents can estimate your closing costs before you make an offer. Request your net sheet.