Kentucky closing cost calculator
Enter a sale price, and you can see every line for the buyer and seller.
It assumes a conventional loan that includes lender fees along with a lender's policy and prepaids, using the sources cited on this page; the default is 20% down until you provide your own, and a commission appears only after you enter it.
- Transfer tax on real estate
- 0.1% applied to the price
- Which party pays
- SellerThe law places this duty on the grantor (seller). When the deed is recorded, the county clerk collects the tax.
See an itemized estimate for both sides. Add the price and the down payment you want to the Kentucky closing cost calculator. The estimate leaves out county recording fees. When you are selling, include the transfer tax in your plans, since the county clerk collects it before the deed is accepted for recording.
How Kentucky differs
- 0.1% of the price, which sellers customarily pay as the real estate transfer tax. The law places this duty on the grantor (seller). When the deed is recorded, the county clerk collects the tax. apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Before taking a deed for recording, the county clerk takes the transfer tax. apps.legislature.ky.gov
- A sale's tax uses the full amount paid or payable, and any liens on the property are included. apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Transfers between spouses are exempt from the transfer tax, including those to former spouses that are part of a divorce. apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Transfers between a parent and child, or between a grandparent and grandchild, are exempt if the consideration paid is only nominal. apps.legislature.ky.gov
- No transfer tax applies to foreclosure transfers or voluntary surrenders in place of foreclosure. apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Each transaction is taxed only once, in the county that must record the deed. apps.legislature.ky.gov
For a $231,000 home, these are the Kentucky closing costs
The typical Kentucky home is the starting point for our Kentucky closing cost calculator. The Zillow Home Value Index valued it at $230,909 in September 2026. Our starting figure becomes $231,000 after rounding. After a $46,200 down payment, or 20%, you still need a $184,800 loan.
For this home, buyer closing costs total $5,326, or about 2.3% of what you pay. The down payment plus those closing costs adds up to the $51,526 you need at closing.
To arrange your loan, the lender charges a setup fee. It covers the days between closing and the start of your first complete payment month. Our calculator has no Kentucky title-rate table, so it uses a national estimate for the $970 owner's title insurance cost.
You also pay county recording fees beyond these amounts. We were unable to find a Kentucky amount with a source, so the calculator leaves it out. Your home won't match this example. Enter your own price to see the line items for your home.
| Line | Paid by | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origination charge | Buyer | $1,848 | 1% of $184,800 |
| Appraisal | Buyer | $359 | |
| Credit report | Buyer | $30 | |
| Owner's title policy | Buyer | $970 | 0.42% of $231,000 |
| Homeowners insurance, 12 months | Buyer | $1,569 | |
| Prepaid interest, 15 days | Buyer | $550 | 7.24% on $184,800 |
| Transfer tax on real estate | Seller | $231 |
Closing costs in Kentucky by home type
In Kentucky, the lower-priced third of homes had a typical value of $120,561, while the higher-priced third was $392,589 (September 2026). Assume a 20% down payment and no commission: buyer costs range from $3,716 to $9,332.
| Home | Typical value | Buyer closing costs | Cash to close, 20% down | Seller costs before commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower-priced third of homes | $120,561 | $3,716 | $27,828 | $121 |
| 1 bedroom | $130,162 | $3,856 | $29,888 | $130 |
| 2 bedrooms | $172,164 | $4,468 | $38,901 | $172 |
| Condo or co-op | $224,678 | $5,234 | $50,169 | $225 |
| 3 bedrooms | $251,401 | $5,623 | $55,904 | $251 |
| Single-family house | $231,124 | $5,328 | $51,553 | $231 |
| 4 bedrooms | $378,901 | $7,482 | $83,263 | $379 |
| 5 or more bedrooms | $505,733 | $9,332 | $110,478 | $506 |
| Higher-priced third of homes | $392,589 | $7,682 | $86,200 | $393 |
Who pays closing costs in Kentucky
| Line | Customary payer | Rate or amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax on real estate | Seller | At 0.1% of the sale amount | apps.legislature.ky.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 |
What are closing costs in Kentucky?
Your price is the main factor in your closing costs. For Kentucky home types at the lower and higher prices, typical values ranged from $120,561 to $392,589 in September 2026. Our calculator puts buyer closing costs at $3,716 to $9,332 with 20% down.
Consider a $400,000 home with 20% down. For a Kentucky buyer, our calculator estimates closing costs of $7,790. Kentucky comes in $60 below the median of $7,850 for all 50 states plus DC. A seller owes $400 at that same price, before any commission and mortgage payoff; that figure is $40 below the median for states.
The median annual property tax bill for an owner-occupied Kentucky home is $1,544. This is roughly 0.75% of the value of a typical home, based on US Census data. Unless you add it, agent commission is not included in the totals. Nationally, Redfin puts the average buyer's agent commission at 2.42% of the sale price.
State rules in Kentucky also decide who handles closings. According to the Kentucky Bar Association, an attorney should supervise closings. Although the attorney need not attend in person, a title agency cannot handle a closing by itself without separate legal counsel.
In every neighboring state we checked, buyer closing costs for the same $231,000 home came out higher in our calculator. The buyer does not necessarily pay the transfer tax listed for each state.
- Kentucky: $5,326 in buyer closing costs; $231 transfer tax
- Illinois: $5,494 in buyer closing costs; $231 transfer tax
- Indiana: $5,406 in buyer closing costs; $0 transfer tax
- Missouri: $5,378 in buyer closing costs; $0 transfer tax
- Ohio: $5,394 in buyer closing costs; $231 transfer tax
- Tennessee: $6,417 in buyer closing costs; $855 transfer tax
- Virginia: $6,395 in buyer closing costs; $578 transfer tax
- West Virginia: $5,380 in buyer closing costs; $508 transfer tax
What Kentucky charges for a transfer
The tax rate in Kentucky is 0.1% of the price. That comes to $231 for the $231,000 home and $400 for a $400,000 sale. In 36 states, including DC, this tax is levied. When the highest levies come first, its rank is 32nd.
Kentucky law sets the tax on the whole amount paid or payable, and that amount includes liens tied to the property. The term lien means a debt attached to the property, such as a mortgage. Type in your sale price for your transfer tax in seconds; an exempt sale may leave you owing nothing at all.
The transfer tax in Kentucky
State law places this payment on the seller. The county clerk collects the tax before accepting a deed for recording. The state statute taxes each sale once, in the county where the deed is recorded.
Some transfers carry no tax:
- a transfer where one spouse gives it to the other, including cases where a former spouse receives it as part of a divorce
- parent-to-child or grandparent-to-grandchild transfers, when the amount paid is only nominal
- a foreclosure transfer, or property handed to the lender to prevent foreclosure
Are you selling? Add the sale price to find your transfer tax, and include a commission rate if you want it in the estimate.
Closing costs for nearby states
For the $231,000 Kentucky home, a buyer pays $5,326. Apply each neighbouring state's taxes, title rates and recording fees, and the same home costs buyers $5,378 to $6,417: