Closing costs by state
Closing costs in North Carolina
Closing costs in North Carolina 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. North Carolina charges a state transfer tax of $1.00 per $500 of consideration (excise tax on conveyances, G.S. 105-228.30), about 0.2% of the price, and the seller customarily pays it. Seven northeastern counties (Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Washington) levy an additional 1% land transfer tax under local acts.
Last verified ·Sources:law.onecle.com·ncbar.gov·perquimanscountync.gov
The rules
What North Carolina does differently
- State transfer tax
- $1.00 per $500 of consideration (excise tax on conveyances, G.S. 105-228.30) (about 0.2% of the price at $400,000).
- Who pays it
- Seller, by custom.
- County and city add-ons
- Seven northeastern counties (Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Washington) levy an additional 1% land transfer tax under local acts.
- Attorney at closing
- North Carolina requires an attorney to conduct or supervise the closing, so an attorney fee is a normal line on both sides.
- Owner’s title policy
- Who pays the owner’s title policy in North Carolina varies by county or region; it is set by local custom and the contract.
- Notes
- The statute assigns the excise tax to the transferor. $800 on a $400,000 sale. A North Carolina attorney must supervise a residential closing (State Bar Authorized Practice Advisory Opinion 2002-1). Local practice decides who pays the owner's policy; the seller commonly does.
- law.onecle.com — “one dollar ($1.00) on each five hundred dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof ... The transferor must pay the tax”
- ncbar.gov — “only persons who are licensed to practice law in this state may handle most of these functions.”
- perquimanscountync.gov — “The land transfer tax equals $1.00 per $100.00 or fraction thereof (1% rounded up to the next dollar)”
Worked example
A $400,000 home in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina’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 (0.2%) | $800 |
| Total | $25,800 |
Questions
What people ask about North Carolina
- Who pays the transfer tax in North Carolina?
- North Carolina charges a state transfer tax of $1.00 per $500 of consideration (excise tax on conveyances, G.S. 105-228.30), about 0.2% of the price, and the seller customarily pays it. Seven northeastern counties (Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Washington) levy an additional 1% land transfer tax under local acts.
- Do you need an attorney to close on a house in North Carolina?
- North Carolina requires an attorney to conduct or supervise the closing, so an attorney fee is a normal line on both sides.
- Who pays for the owner’s title policy in North Carolina?
- Who pays the owner’s title policy in North Carolina varies by county or region; it is set by local custom and the contract.
- How much are seller closing costs in North Carolina?
- On a $400,000 sale with a 5% commission, the worked example on this page comes to $25,800 for the seller, including $800 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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