What the deed transfer tax really costs — anywhere in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s realty transfer tax is 1% to the state plus a local rate that runs from the standard 1% in most of the state to 4% in Pittsburgh and 3.578% in Philadelphia. Pick your county and municipality for the real number — and who typically pays which half.
Most of Pennsylvania pays 2% of the price, split down the middle. But the local rate is set municipality by municipality, and the outliers are brutal: 5% inside Pittsburgh, 4.578% in Philadelphia since the July 2025 increase. National calculators get this wrong constantly because they use one blended number. This one carries the actual county-and-municipality rate. Allegheny and Philadelphia are exact to the municipality; Western PA (Washington, Westmoreland, Butler, Beaver, Fayette), the big Southeastern counties (Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster), and the Northeast and Capital regions (Luzerne, Lackawanna, Dauphin, Cumberland), and the Lehigh Valley, South-Central and Northwest (Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, York, Erie, Centre) are verified against county and title-industry sources — 22 counties covering essentially every Pennsylvania municipality that charges above 2%. The remaining rural counties show the standard 2% with a way to enter your exact local rate.
— Matt Mergo · NMLS #563819Typical Pennsylvania buyer figures, all editable — replace any with a real quote. Title insurance in PA is state-regulated and priced to the loan; these are ballparks, not a Loan Estimate.
Educational estimate, not a quote or settlement statement. The Pennsylvania realty transfer tax is the 1% state tax plus the local (municipal + school district) rate. Allegheny County rates are from the county’s published schedule; Philadelphia reflects the 3.578% city rate effective July 1, 2025 (4.578% total); Washington, Westmoreland, Butler, Beaver, Fayette, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Dauphin, Cumberland, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, York, Erie, and Centre counties are verified against county Recorder of Deeds and title-industry rate schedules (reflecting recent increases: Chester’s Coatesville 3.5% and Luzerne’s Pittston 3.5% for 2026, Lehigh’s Allentown 2.5% effective January 1, 2026). Counties still being compiled display Pennsylvania’s standard 1% local rate (2% total) — verify your municipality’s exact rate with the county recorder of deeds before closing, or enter it directly. The 50/50 split is customary but negotiable and set by your contract. Closing-cost figures are typical PA ballparks you can edit and do not replace a lender’s Loan Estimate. Forest Hills Mortgage · Matt Mergo, NMLS #563819. Equal Housing Opportunity.