Florida Documentary Stamp Tax
Florida's real estate transfer tax: $0.70 per $100 of consideration on deeds (statewide), $0.35 per $100 on notes and mortgages. Miami-Dade has its own rate. Here's exactly what you'll pay when you close.
Two separate taxes at every Florida closing
When you buy or sell Florida real estate, two state taxes apply at closing:
- Documentary stamp tax on the deed — based on the sale price (consideration). Statutory rate is $0.70 per $100 of consideration. Miami-Dade County uses $0.60 per $100 for single-family residential transfers; commercial and multi-unit transfers in Miami-Dade incur an additional surtax.
- Documentary stamp tax on the note — based on the loan amount, if you're financing. Statutory rate is $0.35 per $100 of the note amount.
If you record a mortgage to secure the note, you also owe Florida intangible tax (2 mills, or $0.002 per $1) on the mortgage amount — a third, smaller line item.
Worked example: $500,000 single-family home, 20% down
Sale price $500,000, mortgage $400,000. Closing outside Miami-Dade (statewide rates):
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Doc stamps on deed | $500,000 × 0.0070 | $3,500 |
| Doc stamps on note | $400,000 × 0.0035 | $1,400 |
| Intangible tax on mortgage | $400,000 × 0.002 | $800 |
| Total state transfer tax | — | $5,700 |
In Miami-Dade for the same transaction (single-family, owner-occupied), the deed doc stamp drops to $500,000 × 0.0060 = $3,000 — saving $500 on the deed line. Note doc stamp and intangible tax are unchanged.
Who pays
By Florida custom (not statute), the seller pays the doc stamps on the deed, and the buyer pays the doc stamps on the note plus the intangible tax on the mortgage. The closing statement (HUD/Closing Disclosure) shows them explicitly. Either party can negotiate a different allocation in the purchase agreement.
Miami-Dade is the only exception
Miami-Dade County has a different deed doc stamp rate ($0.60 per $100) plus a county-level surtax of $0.45 per $100 on transfers of non-single-family residential property (commercial, multi-family, vacant land used for commercial purposes). For a $1M commercial transfer in Miami-Dade, the combined rate effectively reaches ~$1.05 per $100, making it the highest deed transfer cost in the state.
For owner-occupied single-family transfers, Miami-Dade is slightly cheaper than the rest of Florida ($0.60 vs $0.70 per $100). The surtax does not apply to single-family residential transfers.
When doc stamps don't apply
- · Gift deeds — transfers with no consideration owe only the minimum $0.70 doc stamp on a gift deed (where no mortgage is being assumed).
- · Deeds between spouses — certain inter-spousal transfers without consideration are exempt.
- · Foreclosure or short sale — the consideration may be the outstanding mortgage balance, not market value.
- · Trust transfers — transfers to/from revocable living trusts without consideration are typically exempt.
Always confirm exemption status with your closing attorney before signing — misclassification can trigger interest and penalties on later audit.
Quick reference
| Tax | Rate | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Doc stamps, deed (statewide) | $0.70 / $100 | Sale price (consideration) |
| Doc stamps, deed (Miami-Dade SF) | $0.60 / $100 | Sale price, single-family only |
| Miami-Dade surtax | $0.45 / $100 | Non-single-family transfers |
| Doc stamps, promissory note | $0.35 / $100 | Loan amount |
| Intangible tax on mortgage | $0.002 / $1 (2 mills) | Mortgage amount |