FL · #3 by population

Buying a home in Florida

Costs and rules that are specific to Florida. Main city: Miami.

In short

Florida taxes property sales through its documentary stamp tax on deeds, does not require an attorney at closing and imposes only limited seller disclosures. It forecloses through the courts and lets couples opt in to community property. Deadline to appeal a property tax assessment: 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed (mailed each August).

Calculate for Florida

If you buy

Florida state transfer tax

Documentary stamp tax on deeds: $0.70 per $100 of consideration, or fraction of $100 (Miami-Dade: $0.60 per $100). Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$396,900
State transfer tax$2,778.30
Share of the price0.7% of the price
Who paysSet by the purchase contract

Default price: the Florida median value of owner-occupied homes, $396,900 (Census ACS 2024). Rule: Divide the consideration by $100, round up to the next whole unit, multiply by $0.70. Consideration includes any mortgage balance on the property, whether or not assumed. Miami-Dade uses $0.60. Who pays: The law makes all parties liable regardless of which agrees to pay; the purchase contract allocates the cost. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, the tax on the mortgage, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Florida transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Florida state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Florida in short

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Florida?

Florida's transfer tax is the documentary stamp tax on deeds, 70 cents per $100 of price in every county except Miami-Dade, where it is 60 cents per $100. A mortgage adds 35 cents per $100 and a 0.2% intangible tax.

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How much is the state transfer tax on a $396,900 home in Florida?

On $396,900, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Florida (Census ACS 2024), the state documentary stamp tax on deeds comes to $2,778.30 ($0.70 per $100 of consideration, or fraction of $100 (Miami-Dade: $0.60 per $100)). County and city taxes are not included.

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What closing costs does Florida law set?

Florida has no official typical closing-cost total. The deed carries documentary stamp tax of 70 cents per $100 (60 cents in Miami-Dade), a new mortgage adds 35 cents per $100 and a 2-mill intangible tax, and the owner's title premium is $2,575 at $500,000.

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How is property tax calculated in Florida?

Florida taxes a home's assessed value minus exemptions at local millage rates. The 2026 homestead exemption removes $25,000 from all taxes plus up to $26,411 from non-school taxes, and Save Our Homes caps yearly assessment increases at the lower of 3% or inflation (2.7% for 2026).

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What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Florida?

In Florida, file a petition with the county Value Adjustment Board within 25 days after the August TRIM notice is mailed (Fla. Stat. 194.011(3)(d)). You can first ask the property appraiser for an informal conference.

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Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Florida?

No. As of October 2026 no Florida statute requires a lawyer at a home closing. A title insurance agent licensed by the Department of Financial Services can close and hold escrow funds (Fla. Stat. 626.8417, 626.8473).

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What must a home seller disclose in Florida?

Florida has no statewide seller condition form, but a 1985 Florida Supreme Court ruling (Johnson v. Davis) requires sellers to disclose known, hidden facts that materially affect value. Statutes add written notices, including a flood disclosure under 689.302 required since October 1, 2024.

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How does foreclosure work in Florida?

Florida forecloses only through the courts: the homeowner has 20 days to answer, and the clerk sells the home 20 to 35 days after final judgment.

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What first-time home buyer programs does Florida offer?

In Florida, Florida Housing's Hometown Heroes gives eligible workers 5% of the loan amount, from $10,000 to $35,000, and FL Assist gives up to $10,000, both as 0% deferred loans. In Miami-Dade, the county adds up to $35,000 and the City of Miami offers up to $130,002.

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Is Florida a community property state?

Florida is not a community property state. Married buyers usually take title as tenants by the entirety, and couples can opt in to community property through a community property trust available since 2021.

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How are title insurance rates set in Florida?

In Florida, the Financial Services Commission sets title insurance premiums by rule and they apply statewide (Florida Statutes 627.782). Under Rule 69O-186.003 an owner's policy costs $2,075 at $400,000 and $2,575 at $500,000.

Full Florida guide

Which natural hazards affect home insurance in Florida?

A Florida homeowners policy must offer hurricane deductibles of 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit (s. 627.701), and Citizens requires flood coverage on all its homeowners policies with wind coverage by January 1, 2027.

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How much tax when you sell a home in Florida?

The federal rule is the same in Florida as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. Florida income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

Florida guides

Miami

Buying a home in Miami, Florida

Professionals in Florida

All states · Federal guides