Closing costs by state
Closing costs in California
Closing costs in California run about 2% to 5% of the price for a buyer, made of lender fees, title and settlement, recording, prepaid interest and escrow reserves; on a $400,000 home the worked example below comes to $10,055. California charges a state transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of consideration (documentary transfer tax authorized by Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911 and levied by every county), about 0.11% of the price, and the seller customarily pays it. Charter cities add their own transfer tax: Los Angeles $2.25 per $500 (0.45%) plus Measure ULA of 4% to 5.5% on sales above roughly $5.4 million; San Francisco $3.40 per $500 between $250,001 and $999,999 and $3.75 per $500 from $1 million; Oakland 1% to 2.5%; Berkeley 1.5% to 2.5%; San Jose, Alameda and Richmond also levy one.
Last verified ·Sources:leginfo.legislature.ca.gov·first-american-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com·finance.lacity.gov
The rules
What California does differently
- State transfer tax
- $0.55 per $500 of consideration (documentary transfer tax authorized by Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911 and levied by every county) (about 0.11% of the price at $400,000).
- Who pays it
- Seller, by custom.
- County and city add-ons
- Charter cities add their own transfer tax: Los Angeles $2.25 per $500 (0.45%) plus Measure ULA of 4% to 5.5% on sales above roughly $5.4 million; San Francisco $3.40 per $500 between $250,001 and $999,999 and $3.75 per $500 from $1 million; Oakland 1% to 2.5%; Berkeley 1.5% to 2.5%; San Jose, Alameda and Richmond also levy one.
- Attorney at closing
- California does not require an attorney at closing; a title or escrow company usually conducts it, and an attorney is optional.
- Owner’s title policy
- Who pays the owner’s title policy in California varies by county or region; it is set by local custom and the contract.
- Notes
- The tax is county-imposed under state authorization, so 0.11% applies statewide in practice ($440 on $400,000); city taxes in the Bay Area are often split. Owner's policy: seller pays in Southern California, buyer pays in the Bay Area, split in many rural counties. Escrow companies conduct closings.
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov — “a tax at the rate of fifty-five cents ($0.55) for each five hundred dollars ($500) or fractional part thereof”
- first-american-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com — “Los Angeles ... Split - Buyer/Seller Seller Seller - $1.10”
- finance.lacity.gov — “The Base Tax rate of $2.25 per $500 or part thereof”
Worked example
A $400,000 home in California, 20% down
Loan of $320,000 at 6.5%, closing on the 15th. Lender, title and recording figures are typical line items used for illustration, the same on every state page; the transfer tax follow California’s rules above. Not a quote: the calculator takes your own figures.
Buyer pays
| Loan origination, 1% of the loan | $3,200 |
| Appraisal | $550 |
| Title and settlement services | $1,800 |
| Lender’s title policy | $900 |
| Recording | $150 |
| Prepaid interest, 15 days at 6.5% | $855 |
| Escrow reserve, 3 months of tax at 1.1% | $1,100 |
| First year of homeowners insurance | $1,500 |
| Total (2.514% of price) | $10,055 |
Seller pays
| Commission, 5% | $20,000 |
| Title and escrow fees | $2,000 |
| Owner’s title policy (estimate) | $1,500 |
| Prorated property tax | $1,500 |
| Transfer tax, seller’s share (0.11%) | $440 |
| Total | $25,440 |
Questions
What people ask about California
- Who pays the transfer tax in California?
- California charges a state transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of consideration (documentary transfer tax authorized by Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911 and levied by every county), about 0.11% of the price, and the seller customarily pays it. Charter cities add their own transfer tax: Los Angeles $2.25 per $500 (0.45%) plus Measure ULA of 4% to 5.5% on sales above roughly $5.4 million; San Francisco $3.40 per $500 between $250,001 and $999,999 and $3.75 per $500 from $1 million; Oakland 1% to 2.5%; Berkeley 1.5% to 2.5%; San Jose, Alameda and Richmond also levy one.
- Do you need an attorney to close on a house in California?
- California does not require an attorney at closing; a title or escrow company usually conducts it, and an attorney is optional.
- Who pays for the owner’s title policy in California?
- Who pays the owner’s title policy in California varies by county or region; it is set by local custom and the contract.
- How much are seller closing costs in California?
- On a $400,000 sale with a 5% commission, the worked example on this page comes to $25,440 for the seller, including $440 of transfer tax, before the mortgage payoff and any concessions or repairs. The seller net sheet calculator shows the walk-away figure.
Last reviewed September 8, 2026 by the EstatePass editorial team. Formulas and program limits are checked against the published rules; figures on this page are arithmetic, not market statistics.
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