State guide · DE
Transfer tax in Delaware
Delaware charges roughly 4.00% when a home changes hands — about $15,600 on a median-priced home, customarily paid by split 50/50 between buyer and seller by custom.
Rate
4.00%
On a median home
$15,600
Customarily paid by
Split
The nation's heaviest: 2.5% state plus up to 1.5% local — 4% combined in most municipalities (first-time buyers get a 0.5% state reduction).
Transfer taxes are one line of the larger closing bill. For the full picture in Delaware — title, escrow, attorney conventions, and typical buyer costs — see our Delaware closing costs guide, or estimate your own bottom line with the seller net proceeds calculator.
How Delaware compares
| Rank | State | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Delaware | 4.00% |
| #2 | Washington, D.C. | 2.20% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | 2.00% |
Common questions
Does Delaware have a real estate transfer tax?
Yes. The nation's heaviest: 2.5% state plus up to 1.5% local — 4% combined in most municipalities (first-time buyers get a 0.5% state reduction). On a median-priced Delaware home (about $390,000), that's roughly $15,600.
Who pays the transfer tax in Delaware?
Split 50/50 between buyer and seller by custom. Like every closing cost, this is custom rather than law — the purchase contract can assign it to either side, and in competitive negotiations it sometimes moves.
Selling in Delaware? See what you'd keep
Sale price minus commissions, payoff, and taxes like this one — the number that actually lands in your account.
Open the net proceeds calculatorRates are representative combined state and typical local figures compiled from public sources and rounded for readability; graduated schedules, exemptions, and city add-ons can change your number. Confirm with your closing agent or county recorder. Median home values are approximate.