How much does a property deed cost?
Three separate costs get bundled together in people's heads: preparing the document, recording it, and the transfer tax. They are different amounts paid to different people, and only the first is optional.
1. Preparing the document
| Option | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free county form | $0 | A blank template. No guidance on which deed, how to vest title, or how to describe the property. |
| Deedly | $29–$49 | Completed, state-specific deed, correct vesting language, notary block, and county filing instructions. |
| LegalZoom | $249–$289 | Deed preparation with title research. They file it with the county for you. |
| Real estate attorney | $150–$700 | Preparation plus advice on your specific situation. |
2. Recording fees
Set by state law in some states and by the county in others, and the spread is wide: Washington's statutory surcharges push a one-page deed past $300 (RCW 36.18.010). Check your county on the recording office pages.
3. Transfer tax
This is the one that can be large. 15 states charge no state transfer tax at all: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. California has none either, but its counties and cities charge a documentary transfer tax. At the other end, Delaware's combined rate is usually 4% (3% where there is no local tax) and Philadelphia's is 4.578% (3.578% city plus 1% state, since July 1, 2025).
For the state rate, the tax on a $300,000 sale and the typical recording fee in every state, each with its source, see the transfer tax and recording fee table.
Most family transfers are exempt
Gifts, transfers between spouses, transfers under a divorce decree, and transfers into your own revocable trust are exempt from transfer tax in most states. Pennsylvania goes further and exempts parent/child, grandparent/grandchild, and sibling transfers. You have to claim the exemption. The recorder won't apply it for you.
4. Notarization
Set or capped by state law in most states; your state page shows the limit where we have checked it. Many banks and credit unions notarize free for account holders. Remote online notarization typically runs $25–$50 and is accepted in most states, though a few recorders are still cautious about it.
What a typical transfer costs
| Item | Texas | Florida | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deed preparation (Deedly) | $29 | $29 | $29 |
| Recording fee | ~$33 ($25 first page, $4 each after) | ~$27 ($10 first page, $8.50 each after) | ~$88–$279, set by each county |
| Transfer tax | $0 (no transfer tax) | $0.70 (minimum on a gift) | $0 (spousal exclusion) |
| Notary | $0–$11 (state cap) | $0–$10 (state cap) | $0–$7 (state cap) |
| Total | ~$62–73 | ~$57–67 | ~$117–315 |
One flat price, no subscription. Free revisions and re-downloads for 90 days after you buy.
Common questions
The deed itself is $29 with Deedly. Add the recording fee, usually $10–$100, and transfer tax if your state charges one, though spousal and family transfers are exempt nearly everywhere. Most people spend $50–$140 all in. The hidden cost is tax: adding a co-owner is a gift, and they take your cost basis rather than today's value.
Doing it yourself is roughly ten times cheaper for a routine statutory deed. Use a lawyer when ownership is disputed, when someone has died without probate, when the estate is large enough to owe tax, or when Medicaid is in play. Situations where the advice, not the document, is what you're buying.
No. A deed is a one-time document with a one-time recording fee. Deedly charges once, with no subscription and no renewal. Revisions and re-downloads are free for 90 days after you buy. After 90 days we delete your documents and the answers behind them, so download your copies and keep them safe.
Keep reading
Deedly is not a law firm
Its software and documents are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. We provide self-help software and state-specific deed forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.