Property tax, transfer tax and closing costs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania: State realty transfer tax of 1% plus local taxes of usually 1% (0.5% municipality and 0.5% school district), with higher local rates in some places: Philadelphia 3.278% local, Pittsburgh 4% local. Customarily split equally between buyer and seller. County reassessment with no mandatory cycle. Many counties use base-year values decades old with a common level ratio.

Reviewed October 15, 2026. Every line links its statute or official source.

What Pennsylvania sets

Transfer tax: State realty transfer tax of 1% plus local taxes of usually 1% (0.5% municipality and 0.5% school district), with higher local rates in some places: Philadelphia 3.278% local, Pittsburgh 4% local. Source: pa.gov
Who customarily pays: Customarily split equally between buyer and seller. Source: pa.gov
Local transfer taxes: Every municipality and school district may levy. The Department of Revenue publishes the local rates by municipality. Source: pa.gov
Reassessment cycle: County reassessment with no mandatory cycle. Many counties use base-year values decades old with a common level ratio. Source: pa.gov
Homestead and other exemptions: Homestead exclusion of a locally set amount of assessed value, funded by gaming revenue under Act 1. Source: pa.gov
Owner’s title policy: Buyer customarily pays for the owner’s title policy. Source: pa.gov
How closings run: Title company closings are customary. Source: pa.gov
Survey: Not stated. No official source confirmed this yet.
Other closing customs: Not stated. No official source confirmed this yet.

Pennsylvania transfer tax on a $255,000 sale

State realty transfer tax, buyer halfbuyer pays$1,275$255,000 × 1% = $2,550, half of it $1,275
State realty transfer tax, seller halfseller pays$1,275$255,000 × 1% = $2,550, half of it $1,275
Local realty transfer tax (usual rate), buyer halfbuyer pays$1,275$255,000 × 1% = $2,550, half of it $1,275
Local realty transfer tax (usual rate), seller halfseller pays$1,275$255,000 × 1% = $2,550, half of it $1,275

buyer pays: $2,550
seller pays: $2,550
Total transfer tax: $5,100

Statutory transfer taxes on a $255,000 sale, as of the reviewed date. Who pays is custom and contract outside the statute’s primary liability. Local taxes described above are not in this figure unless listed as a line. Recording fees, title and attorney charges are separate.

Open the Pennsylvania transfer tax calculator, with a link to share and an embed for your site.

Typical property tax in Pennsylvania

Median real-estate tax paid: $3,311 a year
Per month: $276
Median owner-occupied home value: $254,500
Effective rate they imply: 1.30%

Census American Community Survey five-year file, 2020-2024, tables B25103 and B25077, owner-occupied homes. The median bill rose 16% against the 2015-2019 file. An estimate for a typical home, not yours. Your bill depends on the parcel, its exemptions and the next reassessment.

For agents

Your buyers ask what closing costs in Pennsylvania and who pays. This page answers from the statute, with the date it was checked. Send it, or embed the calculator on your own site.

Ike lets a licensed real estate agent originate the mortgage on the deals they already close. Expected compensation is about 100 basis points per eligible funded loan once licensed and sponsored. Ike is preparing licenses state by state.

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One email when Pennsylvania rates, exemptions or transfer taxes change, and when the next reassessment lands.

Sources

Ike Mortgage LLC. NMLS ID pending. For licensing information, go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Nothing on this page is a loan payment, rate, term or down payment, and nothing here is a Loan Estimate.