Property tax, transfer tax and closing costs in Virginia

Virginia: State recordation tax of $0.25 per $100 of consideration paid by the buyer, plus a local recordation tax of one third of the state amount. Grantor tax of $0.50 per $500 paid by the seller, plus a regional congestion relief fee of $0.10 per $100 in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Buyer pays the recordation taxes. Seller pays the grantor tax and the regional fee. Set locally: annually in most cities and larger counties, and at least every four to six years elsewhere.

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

What Virginia sets

Transfer tax: State recordation tax of $0.25 per $100 of consideration paid by the buyer, plus a local recordation tax of one third of the state amount. Grantor tax of $0.50 per $500 paid by the seller, plus a regional congestion relief fee of $0.10 per $100 in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov
Who customarily pays: Buyer pays the recordation taxes. Seller pays the grantor tax and the regional fee. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov
Local transfer taxes: Cities and counties levy one third of the state recordation tax. Source: law.lis.virginia.gov
Reassessment cycle: Set locally: annually in most cities and larger counties, and at least every four to six years elsewhere. Source: tax.virginia.gov
Homestead and other exemptions: No general homestead exemption. Local option relief for elderly and disabled owners, and a full exemption for 100% disabled veterans. Source: tax.virginia.gov
Owner’s title policy: Buyer customarily pays for the owner’s title policy. Source: scc.virginia.gov
How closings run: Attorney and title company closings are both common. Source: scc.virginia.gov
Survey: Not stated. No official source confirmed this yet.
Other closing customs: Not stated. No official source confirmed this yet.

Virginia transfer tax on a $384,000 sale

State recordation taxbuyer pays$960$384,000 ÷ $100 = 3,840 units (rounded up for any fraction) × $0.25 = $960
Local recordation taxbuyer pays$320$384,000 ÷ $100 = 3,840 units (rounded up for any fraction) × $0.08 = $320
Grantor taxseller pays$384$384,000 ÷ $500 = 768 units (rounded up for any fraction) × $0.50 = $384

buyer pays: $1,280
seller pays: $384
Total transfer tax: $1,664

Statutory transfer taxes on a $384,000 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 Virginia transfer tax calculator, with a link to share and an embed for your site.

Typical property tax in Virginia

Median real-estate tax paid: $2,790 a year
Per month: $233
Median owner-occupied home value: $383,700
Effective rate they imply: 0.73%

Census American Community Survey five-year file, 2020-2024, tables B25103 and B25077, owner-occupied homes. The median bill rose 25% 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 Virginia 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.

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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.