Massachusetts Closing Costs for Sellers in 2026: Transfer Tax, Fees and Real Numbers

Massachusetts charges a deeds excise of $2.28 per $500 of consideration above $100, paid by the person who makes the deed, which is normally the seller. On a hypothetical $300,000 sale that is $1,368. Barnstable County runs higher. Commission is negotiable and comes on top, along with your payoff.

What a Massachusetts seller pays besides the mortgage

Massachusetts calls its transfer tax the deeds excise. It is easy to underestimate because it is quoted per $500, but it is one of the larger fixed costs on the seller side of the closing statement.

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue (Directive 95-4) states that outside Barnstable County the rate is $2.28 per $500 of consideration, or fraction of $500, in excess of $100. The Department also describes the excise as self-assessed and paid by the person who makes or signs the deed, by affixing stamps in the proper amount. In a sale, that person is the seller.

Rate table

Location	Rate	Per $1,000
Massachusetts outside Barnstable County	$2.28 per $500	$4.56
Barnstable County (state plus county)	$3.24 per $500	$6.48

The Barnstable County Registry of Deeds reports that its combined rate is $6.48 per $1,000, made up of $3.42 per $1,000 of state excise and $3.06 per $1,000 of county excise, in effect since July 1, 2016. The Department of Revenue directive lists the state portion in Barnstable at $1.71 per $500, which matches the $3.42 per $1,000 figure. Barnstable County covers Cape Cod, so a seller there pays noticeably more on the same price.

Worked example on a hypothetical $300,000 sale

The tax applies to each $500 of consideration or fraction of $500, so $300,000 is 600 units.

Outside Barnstable County: 600 x $2.28 = $1,368
In Barnstable County: 600 x $3.24 = $1,944

The difference on the same price is $576. If you are comparing a Cape Cod exit to a mainland exit, put that gap in the spreadsheet.

The same math at other prices

Hypothetical price	Units of $500	Outside Barnstable ($2.28)	Barnstable County ($3.24)
$200,000	400	$912	$1,296
$300,000	600	$1,368	$1,944
$400,000	800	$1,824	$2,592
$500,000	1,000	$2,280	$3,240

These figures apply the quoted rate to the full price in whole $500 units. The first $100 of consideration is excluded under the Department’s rule, which rarely changes the unit count at these prices. Your closing attorney will compute the exact stamp amount.

The other seller costs

Agent commission. Negotiable, and usually the largest line.
Mortgage payoff. Your balance plus interest through the payoff date.
Property tax proration. Set by your contract and shown on the closing statement.
Recording and attorney charges. Vary by registry of deeds and by closing attorney, so get a quote.
Title insurance. We did not source whether Massachusetts promulgates title insurance rates, so ask your title company.
Who pays what beyond the excise. Set by your purchase contract. Ask your title company or closing attorney what is customary locally.

What this means for investors

The excise follows the deed, so a flipper pays it when exiting. On a purchase, the person who signs the deed to you is the one who stamps it, which is the prior owner.

A double close means two closings and two sets of costs. In the second closing you are the grantor, and you would be the person stamping that deed, so the excise is a cost of using the structure. An assignment uses a single closing. Ask your title company how the excise would apply to your structure and consideration before you choose one.

For your maximum allowable offer, subtract the excise on your projected resale from your numbers, alongside commission, holding costs and rehab. On a $300,000 resale that is $1,368 outside Barnstable County, which can be the difference between a thin margin and no margin. Because the excise is a flat rate on the whole price, it moves in step with your exit price, so rerun it every time your after-repair value changes.

Questions to ask your title company

What is the exact transfer figure for my price, county and deed type?
Does any exemption apply to my transfer, and what paperwork proves it?
What does my contract say about who bears the tax, and is that customary here?
If I am using a double close or an assignment, how is the tax computed on each document?
Are there local or recording charges that are not in the state schedule?

Get these answers in writing before you set a list price or submit an offer. A number that is off by a few hundred dollars can decide a thin deal.

Run your numbers

Automize CRM includes a closing cost calculator for modeling a sale before you list or make an offer.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your exact figures with your title company or closing attorney.

Sources

Rates checked October 24, 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice.

Common questions

What is the Massachusetts deeds excise rate?

Per Massachusetts Department of Revenue Directive 95-4, the rate outside Barnstable County is $2.28 per $500 of consideration, or fraction of $500, in excess of $100. That works out to $4.56 per $1,000 of price. Barnstable County has its own combined rate, covered in the guide above.

Who pays the deeds excise in Massachusetts?

The Department of Revenue describes the deeds excise as self-assessed and paid by the person who makes or signs the deed, by affixing stamps in the right amount. In a sale that is the seller as grantor. Your purchase contract controls anything different, so confirm with your closing attorney.

Is the deeds excise different on Cape Cod?

Yes. The Barnstable County Registry of Deeds reports a combined state and county rate of $6.48 per $1,000, or $3.24 per $500, made up of $3.42 per $1,000 state excise and $3.06 per $1,000 county excise. That is higher than the $4.56 per $1,000 charged in the rest of the state.

Does the deeds excise apply to every Massachusetts sale?

It applies to a deed that conveys realty when the consideration exceeds $100. The Department of Revenue has published separate directives on situations such as gifts and exchanges of property. Whether your deal qualifies for any exclusion is a question for your closing attorney or title company.