Deed FAQs

Maryland has 4 potential fees and taxes -- recording fees; state transfer tax; state recordation tax; county transfer tax.

Generally: $10.00 for a release nine (9) pages or less in length; $20.00 for any other instrument nine (9) pages or less in length.

Except as provided above, $20.00 for an instrument, regardless of length, involving solely a principal residence.

$75 any other instrument ten (10) pages or more in length.

In addition to the fees listed above, a surcharge of $40.00 is charged for every instrument recorded in the land records  -- so a deed less than 10 pages involving an investment property is going to cost $60.00 ($20.00 + $40.00 surcharge) exclusive of transfer and recordation taxes.

Recordation Tax is applied to any instrument that transfers an interest in real property or that creates a security interest in real or personal property. Every county in Maryland has a different rate for State Recordation Tax.

The tax is applied to instruments that transfer an interest in real property, e.g. deed, lease, easements, contract, etc. The tax is one half of 1% (0.5%) of the consideration, except for deeds to a first time Maryland home buyer, in which case the tax is one fourth of 1% (0.25%).

The tax is applied to instruments that transfer an interest in real property, e.g. deed, lease, easements, contract, etc. The rate is established by the county -- and some counties don't have a county transfer tax at all.

Generally speaking, the Maryland exemptions are found in Maryland Code Annotated Tax-Property 12-108 and 13-207.

DC has 3 potential fees and taxes -- recording fees; transfer tax; recordation tax.

The following fees shall be charged for recording documents in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds:

(a)  One hundred fifty dollars ($150) for the recordation of any and all deeds of trust, mortgages, modifications to deeds of trust, amendments to deeds of trust, or amended and restated deeds of trust; and

(b) Twenty-five dollars ($25) for the recordation of all other documents.

There is a surcharge of $6.50 per document... so the recording fee for a deed is $31.50.

In Washington DC, the transfer tax is based on the consideration paid for the transfer. Where there is no consideration or where the amount is nominal, transfer tax will be based upon the fair market value of the property being conveyed. FMV would be the current tax assessed value of the property. The current transfer tax rate is 1.1% of consideration or fair market value for residential property transfers less than $400,000 and 1.45% of consideration or fair market value if transfer is greater than $400,000.

The SELLER generally pays the recordation tax... although this can be modified by contract.

In Washington DC, the transfer tax is based on the consideration paid for the transfer. Where there is no consideration or where the amount is nominal, transfer tax will be based upon the fair market value of the property being conveyed. FMV would be the current tax assessed value of the property. The current transfer tax rate is 1.1% of consideration or fair market value for residential property transfers less than $400,000 and 1.45% of consideration or fair market value if transfer is greater than $400,000.

The BUYER generally pays the transfer tax... although this can be modified by contract.

Generally speaking, the DC exemptions are found in DC Code 47-902 (transfer tax exemptions) and DC Code 42-1102 (recordation tax exemptions).