Seller closing costs in Maryland

Unless the sales contract says otherwise, Maryland law presumes the buyer and seller share the recordation tax and the state and county transfer taxes equally (Real Property § 14-104(b)).

A different rule applies when you sell an improved residential property to a first-time Maryland homebuyer who will live in it. The state transfer tax drops from 0.5% to 0.25%, and the seller pays all of it. The seller also pays the county recordation and transfer taxes, unless the contract expressly says the seller will not pay them all (§ 14-104(c)). If there are several buyers, each one has to qualify, and the buyers sign a statement under oath. Your contract and title company will show which rule applies to your sale.

Montgomery charges $4.45 per $500 on the whole price. On top of that, it adds a premium only to the part of the price inside each bracket: $2.30 per $500 between $500,000 and $600,000, $5.75 per $500 between $600,000 and $750,000, $6.33 per $500 between $750,000 and $1,000,000, and $6.90 per $500 above $1,000,000 (County Code § 52-16B).

On a $650,000 sale, that is $5,785 of base tax plus $460 and $575 of premiums, for $6,820 in total. When the buyer is an individual who will live in the home for at least seven of the first twelve months, the first $100,000 of the price is exempt, which takes about $890 off that figure.

Anne Arundel works differently. Its 1.5% transfer tax applies to the entire price once the price reaches $1,000,000, so a $1,000,000 sale owes $15,000 in county transfer tax rather than $10,000.

Enter a price and county. The estimate uses the rates above and the Maryland rules on who pays. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type is saved or sent.

• Brokerage commission, which is set in your listing agreement and is negotiable.
• The payoff of your mortgage and any other lien, such as a home equity line.
• Property taxes and any HOA or condo dues, prorated to the settlement date.
• Settlement and title charges your contract assigns to the seller, such as deed preparation or lien release fees.
• Any repair credits or closing-cost help you agree to give the buyer.
• Homeowners association or condominium resale documents, which buyers review before settlement.

Maryland sellers also give buyers the Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement in applicable sales (COMAR 09.11.07.01). It is easier to complete before you list than during negotiations.

If you don't live in Maryland when you sell, one more item comes out at settlement. State law requires the title company to withhold part of your net proceeds as an estimated Maryland income tax payment before the clerk will record the deed: 8.75% for an individual seller (2.25% plus the state's top 6.50% income tax rate) or 8.25% for a nonresident entity such as an LLC. The withholding counts toward the Maryland tax you may owe on any gain from the sale, and any amount withheld beyond what you actually owe comes back when you file your nonresident return, or sooner through a tentative refund (Form MW506R) filed 60 days after closing. Certifying that the home is your Maryland principal residence, or that you're a Maryland resident, avoids the withholding. So does a foreclosure, a government transfer, or an exemption certificate from the Comptroller (Form MW506AE, filed at least 21 days before closing).

Subtract your mortgage payoff and the amounts still due at settlement from your sale price. Enter a written estimate for each item below, or zero if it does not apply. This worksheet does not calculate tax rates or tell you when the funds will arrive.

Request a payoff quote for your expected payoff date. The balance on your statement may leave out interest and unpaid fees. Keep expenses you already paid separate from amounts still due, so you do not subtract them twice.

Ask your settlement company when your sale funds will be available before you commit them to your next purchase. Confirm the figures with your settlement company. The worksheet runs locally in this page and does not submit these amounts.

Worksheet sources checked October 3, 2026: CFPB mortgage payoff guidance and seller transaction disclosures, Regulation Z § 1026.38(k).

A written seller plan puts these taxes next to your likely sale range, your payoff and the repairs worth making, so you can see an estimated net before you list.

County guides: Prince George's, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Howard and Frederick.

Buying in Maryland too? See the Maryland buyer closing-cost guide.

Selling in Northern Virginia? See the Northern Virginia seller closing-cost guide.

• Maryland Code, Real Property § 14-104 (who pays recordation and transfer taxes)
• Department of Legislative Services, HB 82 fiscal and policy note, 2026 session (state transfer tax rates)
• Anne Arundel County Government, Recordation and Transfer Tax
• Ballard Spahr, Navigating Transfer and Recordation Taxes in the DMV (Anne Arundel's $1 million rate is not marginal)
• Charles County Code, Article I, Recordation Tax
• Charles County Code, Article X, Real Property Transfer Tax
• Frederick County Code § 1-8-51, Recordation tax
• Maryland Judiciary, Frederick County recording fees (no county transfer tax)
• Howard County Department of Finance, Recordation Tax
• Montgomery County Code § 52-16B, recordation tax rates and $100,000 exemption
• Montgomery County Department of Finance, Bill 17-23 recordation tax changes
• Gordon Feinblatt LLC, Recordation and Transfer Tax Rates in Maryland Explained (Montgomery transfer tax brackets)
• Prince George's County, instructions for finance affidavit
• COMAR 09.11.07.01, Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement
• Maryland Code, Tax-General § 10-912 (nonresident withholding on sale of real property)
• COMAR 03.04.12, Nonresident Real Estate Withholding Tax
• Comptroller of Maryland, Taxpayer Services — nonresident tax on sale of Maryland property (8.75%/8.25% rates)

This guide is general information about Maryland taxes and is not legal or tax advice. Freddy Makinde is a licensed Maryland REALTOR with eXp Realty, not an attorney or settlement agent. Confirm the figures for your sale with your title company.