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 | $39–$69 | 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 | $300–$1,200 | Preparation plus advice on your specific situation. |
2. Recording fees
Set by the county, usually $10–$100 for the first page plus a few dollars per additional page. The spread is wide: Iowa charges $7 per page, while Washington's statutory surcharges push a one-page deed past $300. 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. At the other end, Delaware's combined rate is 4% and Philadelphia's is about 4.278%.
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
$5–$25 per signature. 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) | $39 | $39 | $39 |
| Recording fee | ~$26 | ~$19 | ~$65 |
| Transfer tax | $0 | $0.70 (minimum on a gift) | $0 (spousal exemption) |
| Notary | $0–$15 | $0–$15 | $0–$15 |
| Total | ~$65–80 | ~$59–74 | ~$104–119 |
One flat price, no subscription, free revisions and re-downloads while your documents are live.
Common questions
The deed itself is $39 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 $60–$150 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 while your documents are live, which is 90 days, after which we delete them for privacy. Save your own copy.
Keep reading
Deedly is not a law firm
We provide self-help software and state-specific statutory 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.