California closing cost calculator
Put in a sale price to see every line, for both buyer and seller.
The estimate assumes a conventional loan carrying lender fees, a lender's policy plus prepaids, taken from the sources cited here; the down payment stays 20% until you enter your own; commission shows up only when you enter it.
- Local transfer tax
- 0.11% applied to the price
- Rates for title insurance
- Filed by each insurer; owner's policy: varies by county; pays
Every fee a buyer or seller owes is broken down by our California closing cost calculator, from lender charges through transfer tax. Tell us your price and down payment, and we will show each fee along with the cash you'll need at closing. After that, ask a few title companies for quotes, since their pricing differs and you could save money.
What's different in California?
- Local transfer tax: 0.11% of the price. landcan.org
- Los Angeles: the city transfer tax and Measure ULA together apply at 0.45% on sale prices up to $5,400,000; 4.45% between $5,400,000 and $10,900,000; 5.95% over $10,900,000. finance.lacity.gov
- San Francisco: the San Francisco transfer tax is added on top. Rates: 0.5% up to $250,000; 0.68% between $250,000 and $1,000,000; 0.75% between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000; 2.25% between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000; 5.5% between $10,000,000 and $25,000,000; 6% over $25,000,000. sf.gov
- Comparing quotes from different title insurers or title companies can save you money because their California title insurance rates differ. insurance.ca.gov
- Local custom, not law, decides who pays the title premium. Buyers in Northern California usually pay, sellers in Southern California usually do, and the parties can negotiate. insurance.ca.gov
- Every recorded deed must be accompanied by a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report. A report filed separately later may bring a $20 fee from the county recorder. boe.ca.gov
- Expect a county reassessment of the property to current market value after a purchase. That can push property taxes up, and most residential purchases see a full reassessment. boe.ca.gov
- Title insurance: each insurer files it; who purchases the owner's policy varies. Each insurer submits its own rate, so the quotes you receive differ from company to company. Local custom usually has sellers paying in Southern California and buyers paying in Northern California. Either party may negotiate how the cost is split. insurance.ca.gov
What a $762,000 home in California costs to close
Along with their down payment, California buyers cover closing costs and prepaid bills as the home changes hands. Typical California home value, September 2026: $761,538 (Zillow Home Value Index). We round that to $762,000. Here, the down payment is $152,400 and the loan amount is $609,600.
Your lender charges this fee for originating the loan. Title insurance protects buyers against a later claim of ownership rights to the property. Quotes differ between companies because each insurer files its own rates Ask several insurers for quotes; that can get you a better price.
Who pays for title insurance comes down to local custom, not state law. In Southern California sellers typically cover it; in Northern California buyers usually do. The arrangement is negotiable by either side.
Costs change as home prices change. With 20% down, buyers' totals across home types run from $8,698 to $22,714.
After you buy, one more cost shows up: a new property tax bill. Your property tax bill can go up, because the county will reassess the property using its current market value. Owner-occupied California homes carry a median property tax bill of $5,124 a year, about 0.7% of the median home value statewide.
| Line | Paid by | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origination charge | Buyer | $6,096 | 1% of $609,600 |
| Appraisal | Buyer | $359 | |
| Credit report | Buyer | $30 | |
| Owner's title policy | Buyer | $3,200 | 0.42%, payer varies of $762,000 |
| Homeowners insurance, 12 months | Buyer | $1,569 | |
| Prepaid interest, 15 days | Buyer | $1,814 | 7.24% on $609,600 |
| Local transfer tax | Seller | $838 | negotiable, shown on the seller |
Closing costs by type of California home
The lower-priced third of California homes has a typical value of $464,407; the higher-priced third has a typical value of $1,423,567 (September 2026). Assume a 20% down payment and no commission; on the buyer's side, the amounts run from $8,698 to $22,714:
| Home | Typical value | Buyer closing costs | Cash to close, 20% down | Seller costs before commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower-priced third of homes | $464,407 | $8,729 | $101,611 | $511 |
| 1 bedroom | $462,288 | $8,698 | $101,156 | $509 |
| 2 bedrooms | $606,726 | $10,804 | $132,149 | $667 |
| Condo or co-op | $615,899 | $10,938 | $134,118 | $677 |
| 3 bedrooms | $727,693 | $12,568 | $158,107 | $800 |
| Single-family house | $786,285 | $13,422 | $170,679 | $865 |
| 4 bedrooms | $923,521 | $15,423 | $200,127 | $1,016 |
| 5 or more bedrooms | $1,265,483 | $20,409 | $273,506 | $1,392 |
| Higher-priced third of homes | $1,423,567 | $22,714 | $307,427 | $1,566 |
Who pays closing costs in California
| Line | Customary payer | Rate or amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local transfer tax | Negotiable | At 0.11% of the sale amount | landcan.org |
| With Measure ULA, Los Angeles has a city transfer tax (Los Angeles) | Negotiable | At 0.45% up to $5,400,000, then 4.45% from $5,400,000 up to $10,900,000, then 5.95% above $10,900,000 | finance.lacity.gov |
| San Francisco transfer tax | Negotiable | At 0.5% up to $250,000, then 0.68% from $250,000 up to $1,000,000, then 0.75% from $1,000,000 up to $5,000,000, then 2.25% from $5,000,000 up to $10,000,000, then 5.5% from $10,000,000 up to $25,000,000, then 6% above $25,000,000 | sf.gov |
| Owner's title policy | Varies by county | filed by each insurer rate | insurance.ca.gov |
| Origination charge | Buyer | At 1% of the loan amount | bankrate.com |
| Appraisal | Buyer | $359 | angi.com |
| Buyer's agent commission | Set in the buyer agreement | 2.42% average | redfin.com |
California's transfer tax
With Measure ULA, Los Angeles has a city transfer tax, Los Angeles
The rate of the band applies to the entire price.
Transfer tax in San Francisco
The rate of the band applies to the entire price.
California's transfer tax
A sale may trigger a transfer tax as the deed passes from seller to buyer. 0.11% of the sale price applies as California's local rate. That comes to $440 on a $400,000 sale, and $838 on a $762,000 home. Of the 36 states with DC that charge a tax of this kind, California ranks 28th, which puts it close to the lower end.
Who pays is up for negotiation between buyer and seller; our calculator lists it among the seller's costs. Some cities layer on a tax of their own, and those rates can run much higher.
Is there a mansion tax in California?
Los Angeles and San Francisco each levy a city transfer tax. Those rates climb as the sale price rises, most of all on higher-priced homes.
Los Angeles layers Measure ULA on top of its city transfer tax: 0.45% on sales of $5,400,000 or less, then 4.45% up to $10,900,000.
| LA sale price band | LA transfer tax rate |
|---|---|
| Sales of $5,400,000 or less | 0.45% |
| From $5,400,000 up to $10,900,000 | 4.45% |
| Over $10,900,000 | 5.95% |
Another local tax applies in San Francisco, split across more brackets.
| SF sale price band | SF transfer tax rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $250,000 | 0.5% |
| From $250,000 up to $1,000,000 | 0.68% |
| From $1,000,000 up to $5,000,000 | 0.75% |
| From $5,000,000 up to $10,000,000 | 2.25% |
| From $10,000,000 up to $25,000,000 | 5.5% |
| Over $25,000,000 | 6% |
A small price change can move a sale into the next bracket, so knowing the exact amount helps before you pick a price. When you work out the costs of a home in Los Angeles or in San Francisco, check the rate that city charges.
California realtor commission
The seller's costs can grow by a large amount once commission is added. 2.42% of the sale price is the national average for buyer's-agent commission, though the rate in your buyer agreement is what applies.
We leave commission out of the totals until you supply a rate. That keeps the totals accurate, since your own agreement may not line up with the national average. Add the rate listed in your agreement to find out your net proceeds.
What the California transfer tax calculator shows
Type your sale price; the calculator then puts the transfer tax under the seller's costs. A $400,000 sale puts $440 in the seller's costs before commission and the loan payoff, which is right at the median for the states.
The total leaves out recording fees, so plan to add them on top. Take Tulare County as an example: recording a deed there is $14.00 for page one, plus $3 for every page after. Other counties may charge different fees.
Recording a deed also requires a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report; it shows the county who owns the home now. Should that form reach the county recorder later instead of alongside the deed, the $20 fee may apply.
How to use the California closing cost calculator
1. Type in the sale price so every rate is worked out from it. 2. Enter your down payment so the estimate reflects your purchase. 3. If you're selling, add your commission rate so the net figure is complete. 4. Go through the buyer and seller lines to find out who pays each fee.
The worked example covers prepaid interest, homeowners insurance, an owner's title policy and a lender origination charge. On a $400,000 home with 20% down, buyers in California pay $7,790; that's $60 below the median for all 50 states and DC.
A buyer pays about the same for a $762,000 home in a neighboring state.
- California: $13,068 for buyer closing costs plus an $838 transfer tax
- Arizona: $13,128 for buyer closing costs plus a $0 transfer tax
- Nevada: buyer closing costs of $13,068 plus a transfer tax of $2,972
- Oregon: $13,240 for buyer closing costs plus a $0 transfer tax
Every line depends on your price and down payment; the calculator gives you an estimate before you sign. Now enter your price and down payment to see estimated buyer and seller costs, including the cash you may need at closing.
What it costs to close in nearby states
On the $762,000 California home, a buyer pays $13,068. Each neighbouring state brings its own taxes, plus its own title rates and recording fees, so the buyer pays between $13,068 and $13,240 for that same home: