Rhode Island Closing Costs for Sellers in 2026: Transfer Tax, Fees and Real Numbers
Rhode Island's conveyance tax is $3.75 per $500, with an added $3.75 per $500 on residential value over $800,000. Seller pays by default. See the math.
Rhode Island’s real estate conveyance tax is $3.75 for each $500 of consideration, with an additional $3.75 per $500 on residential consideration above $800,000. Absent an agreement to the contrary, the grantor, meaning the seller, pays it. On a hypothetical $300,000 sale the tax is $2,250.
Rhode Island’s conveyance tax is one of the steeper ones
The statute includes a higher tier for expensive residential sales, so check the current text rather than an older guide.
Figures below come from R.I. Gen. Laws section 44-25-1 as published by the Rhode Island General Assembly. The page lists P.L. 2025, ch. 278, art. 5, section 10, effective October 1, 2025, among the most recent changes.
The rates
| Tier | Rate |
|---|---|
| Base conveyance tax | $3.75 for each $500, or fractional part, of consideration |
| Additional tax on residential real property | $3.75 for each $500, or fractional part, of consideration in excess of $800,000 |
| Who pays | The grantor, assignor, transferor or person making the conveyance, absent an agreement to the contrary |
| When | At the time of making, executing, delivering, accepting or presenting for recording the instrument |
The additional tax applies only to the amount above $800,000, not to the whole price.
Worked examples
Hypothetical $300,000 sale:
| Line | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base tax | $300,000 / $500 = 600 units x $3.75 | $2,250 |
| Additional residential tax | price is under $800,000 | $0 |
| Total | $2,250 |
Hypothetical $1,000,000 residential sale:
| Line | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base tax | $1,000,000 / $500 = 2,000 units x $3.75 | $7,500 |
| Additional residential tax | ($1,000,000 – $800,000) / $500 = 400 units x $3.75 | $1,500 |
| Total | $9,000 |
Base tax at $3.75 per $500
| Sale price | Units of $500 | Base tax | Additional residential tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | 300 | $1,125 | $0 |
| $300,000 | 600 | $2,250 | $0 |
| $500,000 | 1,000 | $3,750 | $0 |
All three prices are under the $800,000 residential line, so the additional tax is zero. Above that line, the extra $3.75 per $500 applies only to the dollars over $800,000, as the $1,000,000 example above shows.
Who customarily pays
Per the statute, the default is the grantor, which is the seller. The “absent an agreement to the contrary” language means your purchase contract can change that. Ask your title company or closing attorney 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 attorney will show the math.
- Attorney or settlement fees. Get a quote early.
- Title insurance. We did not confirm a sourced rule on premiums or on who pays, so none is quoted here.
What this means for investors
On a flip the conveyance tax lands twice, once on your purchase and again on your resale. Buy at $200,000 and the seller owes 400 x $3.75 = $1,500 on that deed. Resell at $300,000 and you owe $2,250 as grantor. At roughly 0.75% of price, that is a line to put in the model on day one.
Wholesale structure changes the count. An assignment generally produces one closing and one deed to your end buyer, so one tax on that deed. A double close means two closings and two sets of costs: buy at $200,000, resell at $230,000, and you owe 460 x $3.75 = $1,725 on the second deed, with the seller’s $1,500 on the first. Both deeds, both sets of closing charges. Ask your title company to price the pair before you commit to a wholesale fee.
Include it in your maximum allowable offer. Deduct the tax you will owe on resale along with repairs, holding costs and profit, and remember that a higher resale price above $800,000 adds the second tier on the excess.
Run your numbers
Test your price in the closing cost calculator, then run the full deal through the deal analyzer in Automize CRM.
This is general information, not tax or legal 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
How much is the Rhode Island conveyance tax in 2026?
Under R.I. Gen. Laws 44-25-1 the tax is three dollars and seventy-five cents for each five hundred dollars of consideration, or fractional part. Residential property also carries an additional $3.75 per $500 on the consideration above $800,000. On a $300,000 sale the tax is $2,250.
Who pays the conveyance tax in Rhode Island?
The statute says that in the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the tax shall be paid by the grantor, assignor, transferor or person making the conveyance. On an ordinary sale that is the seller. Because the rule gives way to an agreement, check the purchase contract for any shift.
When is the Rhode Island conveyance tax due?
The statute says it is payable at the time of making, executing, delivering, accepting or presenting for recording any instrument that affects the transfer. In practice the title company or closing attorney collects it at closing and pays it with the deed. Ask yours to show the line on the settlement statement.
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