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

New Jersey imposes a Realty Transfer Fee on the seller, calculated in tiers per $500 of price. On a hypothetical $300,000 sale the schedule works out to $1,715. Sales over $1 million add a graduated percent fee. Agent commission is negotiable and sits on top of the fee, along with your mortgage payoff.

What a New Jersey seller actually pays at closing

Most sellers expect to pay the agent and the lender. The line that catches people is the state’s Realty Transfer Fee, because it is built from a tiered schedule rather than a single percentage.

The New Jersey Division of Taxation says the State imposes the fee on the seller of real property. The fee is calculated on the consideration or the assessed valuation, and the rate per $500 climbs as the price moves up through the bands.

The rate schedule

For consideration of $350,000 or less, the Division publishes these rates per $500:

Price band	Rate per $500
$0 to $150,000	$2.00
$150,000 to $200,000	$3.35
$200,000 to $350,000	$3.90

For consideration over $350,000, the schedule is higher in every band:

Price band	Rate per $500
$0 to $150,000	$2.90
$150,000 to $200,000	$4.25
$200,000 to $550,000	$4.80
$550,000 to $850,000	$5.30
$850,000 to $1,000,000	$5.80
Over $1,000,000	$6.05

There is also a graduated percent fee on qualifying sales over $1 million (residential, farms with residential structures, commercial and cooperatives): 1% on the slice from $1 million to $2 million, 2% from $2 million to $2.5 million, 2.5% from $2.5 million to $3 million, 3% from $3 million to $3.5 million, and 3.5% above $3.5 million.

Reduced rates exist for senior citizens, disabled persons and certain low-income housing, and some transfers are exempt, including consideration under $100. Check the Division’s page for the conditions.

Worked example on a hypothetical $300,000 sale

Reading the schedule band by band, with each rate applied to the slice of price inside that band:

First $150,000: 300 units of $500 x $2.00 = $600
Next $50,000: 100 units x $3.35 = $335
Last $100,000: 200 units x $3.90 = $780

Total: $1,715. Your title company will run the official calculation, so treat this as a planning number.

Now a hypothetical $400,000 sale, which uses the higher schedule:

First $150,000: 300 units x $2.90 = $870
Next $50,000: 100 units x $4.25 = $425
Last $200,000: 400 units x $4.80 = $1,920

Total: $3,215. The jump in the schedule above $350,000 is worth knowing before you set a list price or an offer near that line.

The same schedule at other prices

Reading the schedule band by band, here is the fee at several hypothetical prices:

Hypothetical price	Schedule used	Realty Transfer Fee
$200,000	Up to $350,000	$935
$300,000	Up to $350,000	$1,715
$350,000	Up to $350,000	$2,105
$400,000	Over $350,000	$3,215
$500,000	Over $350,000	$4,175

The step from $350,000 to $400,000 adds $1,110 for $50,000 of extra price. If you are choosing between listing at $349,000 and $399,000, the fee difference is part of the answer.

The other seller costs

Agent commission. Negotiable.
Mortgage payoff. Your balance plus interest through the payoff date.
Property tax proration. Set by your contract and shown on the closing statement.
Title and settlement charges. We did not source whether New Jersey promulgates title insurance rates, so ask your title company what applies and who customarily pays locally.
Who pays what beyond the transfer fee. Set by your purchase contract. Ask your title company or closing attorney what is customary locally.

What this means for investors

The fee lands on the seller, so a flipper feels it on the exit. On the buy side, the prior owner is the seller under the Division’s description, so the fee on your purchase is theirs, not yours.

A double close means two closings and two sets of costs. Each deed is its own conveyance with its own consideration, so the wholesaler selling in the second closing is a seller too. An assignment uses one closing. Ask your title company how the fee applies to your structure before you pick one.

For your maximum allowable offer, subtract the seller-side transfer fee from your projected sale proceeds on the exit, the same way you subtract commission and holding costs. On a $400,000 resale, the $3,215 above is real money that comes out of the spread. If you are comparing two exit prices, run the schedule at each price, because crossing $350,000 changes the rate table.

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

New Jersey Division of Taxation: Realty Transfer Fee

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

Common questions

Who pays the realty transfer fee in New Jersey?

The New Jersey Division of Taxation states that the Realty Transfer Fee is imposed on the seller of real property. It is calculated on the consideration or the assessed valuation, depending on the transaction. Your contract can still address how costs are handled, so confirm the closing statement with your title company.

How is the New Jersey realty transfer fee calculated?

The Division of Taxation publishes a schedule with a rate per $500 for each price band. There is one schedule for consideration up to $350,000 and a higher one above that amount. Sales over $1 million also face a graduated percent fee. Your title company will run the exact figure for your deed.

Is there a lower transfer fee for seniors or disabled sellers in New Jersey?

The Division of Taxation lists reduced tiered rates for senior citizens, disabled persons and certain low-income housing transfers. As one example, its schedule shows $0.50 per $500 for consideration under $150,000. Eligibility rules apply, so check the Division’s page and ask your title company before assuming you qualify.

What transfers are exempt from the New Jersey realty transfer fee?

The Division of Taxation lists several exemptions, including consideration of less than $100, transfers by government entities, and certain transfers between spouses or between parents and children. Exemptions have specific conditions, so confirm with your title company or closing attorney whether your deed qualifies.