Ohio Closing Costs for Sellers in 2026: Transfer Tax, Fees and Real Numbers
Ohio sellers pay a county conveyance fee: 10 cents per $100 mandatory, plus up to 30 cents per $100 if the county levies it. See the math and who pays.
Ohio has no single state transfer tax. Instead the county auditor collects a real property conveyance fee: a mandatory 10 cents per $100, plus a permissive county fee of up to 30 cents per $100 where the county levies it. Ohio law puts both on the grantor, which is the seller. Commission is negotiable.
The fee that comes off an Ohio seller’s proceeds
What an Ohio seller pays at the county level is a real property conveyance fee, collected by the county auditor before the deed is recorded. It comes in two layers: one that applies everywhere and one that each county chooses.
All figures below come from the Ohio Revised Code, read in October 2026.
The two layers
| Layer | Rate | Source | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory conveyance fee | $1, or 10 cents per $100 of value, whichever is greater | ORC 319.54(G)(3) | Grantor (ORC 319.202) |
| Permissive county fee | Up to 30 cents per $100, if the county levies it | ORC 322.02 | Grantor |
The statute sends the mandatory fee receipts to the county general fund. It also lists transfers that are exempt, including transfers to government entities, certain gifts between family members, tax sale transfers, court-ordered transfers, and transfers to qualifying charitable organizations. If you think a deed is exempt, the reason must be shown on the statement filed with the auditor.
Worked example: a hypothetical $300,000 sale
| Line | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory fee | $300,000 / $100 = 3,000 x $0.10 | $300 |
| Permissive fee, if levied at the cap | 3,000 x $0.30 | up to $900 |
| Total conveyance fees | up to $1,200 |
The permissive line is a ceiling, not a quote. Your county may charge less or nothing. The auditor’s office or your title company can give you the actual rate for your county.
Mandatory fee plus permissive ceiling
| Sale price | Mandatory (10 cents per $100) | Permissive ceiling (30 cents per $100) | Combined ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $150 | $450 | $600 |
| $300,000 | $300 | $900 | $1,200 |
| $500,000 | $500 | $1,500 | $2,000 |
Only the mandatory column is certain everywhere. Ask the county auditor or your title company for the permissive rate in your county, then replace the ceiling with the real figure. Because the statute caps the permissive fee, you can bracket the worst case before you call.
Who customarily pays
The statutes name the grantor. That is the seller on a normal sale. Whether a particular contract moves any of it to the buyer is a negotiation point, so check the purchase agreement and ask your title company what is customary locally. Agent commission is negotiable.
Other seller costs to expect
- Agent commission. Negotiable.
- Mortgage payoff. Your balance plus interest through the payoff date.
- Property tax proration. Settled at closing; your title company will show how it is calculated.
- Title and settlement charges. Ask your title company who pays which items. We did not find a state-set title insurance rate in the sources we checked, so none is quoted here.
What this means for investors
A flip meets the conveyance fee twice, once at purchase and once at resale. On a flip where you buy at $200,000 and resell at $300,000, the seller on your purchase pays the fee on $200,000, and you pay it as grantor on $300,000. At the capped permissive rate that second bill alone is up to $1,200.
Wholesale structure matters. An assignment generally produces one closing, so the fee is calculated on the single deed to your end buyer. A double close means two closings and two sets of costs: with a $200,000 purchase and a $230,000 resale, you would pay the fee as grantor on the second deed on $230,000 (mandatory $230, permissive up to $690), plus your closing costs on both sides. Ask your title company to run both deeds before you quote a wholesale fee.
When you set your maximum allowable offer, subtract the conveyance fee you will owe on resale along with repairs, holding costs and your profit. Use your county’s real permissive rate, not the cap, once you have it.
Run your numbers
Run a deal through the closing cost calculator with your county’s fee, or add it to the deal analyzer in Automize CRM before you send an offer.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm your exact figures with your title company or closing attorney.
Sources
- Ohio Revised Code 319.54: County auditor fees, including real property conveyance fee
- Ohio Revised Code 319.202: Grantor pays conveyance fee
- Ohio Revised Code 322.02: Permissive real property transfer tax
Rates checked October 24, 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice.
Common questions
How much is the Ohio conveyance fee for sellers?
Ohio Revised Code 319.54 sets a mandatory fee of one dollar, or ten cents for each hundred dollars, of the property value, whichever is greater. A county may also levy a permissive fee of up to thirty cents per hundred dollars under section 322.02. On a $300,000 sale that is $300 plus up to $900.
Who pays the conveyance fee in Ohio?
Both statutes put it on the grantor. Section 319.202 says the grantor shall pay the mandatory fee, and section 322.02 says the permissive tax is levied upon the grantor named in the deed and paid by the grantor. A contract can still shift costs by agreement, so read yours.
Do all Ohio counties charge the same conveyance fee?
No. The mandatory fee is the same everywhere, but the permissive fee is optional and capped at thirty cents per hundred dollars. Each county decides whether to levy it and at what rate up to that cap. Check your county auditor’s current rate before you price a deal.
Ready to automate your acquisitions?
See how AutomizeCRM can transform your real estate business.
Schedule a Demo