Baltimore City Transfer and Recordation Taxes for Sellers
Baltimore City’s deed taxes are higher than Baltimore County’s because the City’s recordation tax is twice as high. On a typical sale they total 3% of the price, and most contracts split them 50/50 between buyer and seller. Over $1 million, the City’s yield tax pushes the total to 3.75%.
Updated November 2026
The three taxes on a $300,000 sale
| Tax | Rate | Total | Seller’s half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City transfer tax | 1.5% (first $22,000 excluded on an owner-occupied home) | $4,500 | $2,250 |
| Maryland transfer tax | 0.5% | $1,500 | $750 |
| Recordation tax | $5 per $500 (1%) | $3,000 | $1,500 |
| Total | 3% | $9,000 | $4,500 |
Rates from the Baltimore City Department of Finance and the Maryland Department of Legislative Services. The totals are before the $22,000 exclusion. All figures are estimates; your title company calculates the exact amounts at settlement.
Sales over $1 million: the yield tax
On a sale over $1 million, the City adds a yield tax of 15% of the recordation tax and 40% of the City transfer tax (Baltimore City Code, Article 28, Section 17.1-2). That makes the recordation tax 1.15% and the City transfer tax 2.1%, so the total goes from 3% to 3.75% of the price.
| On a $1,200,000 sale | Rate | Total | Seller’s half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City transfer tax with yield tax | 2.1% | $25,200 | $12,600 |
| Maryland transfer tax | 0.5% | $6,000 | $3,000 |
| Recordation tax with yield tax | 1.15% | $13,800 | $6,900 |
| Total | 3.75% | $45,000 | $22,500 |
Without the yield tax, the same sale would carry $36,000 in taxes, so it adds about $4,500 to each side on a 50/50 split. Estimates only; confirm the exact figures with your title company.
First-time buyers and the $22,000 exclusion
For a first-time Maryland home buyer, the state transfer tax drops to 0.25%, and Maryland law puts all of it on the seller. That’s usually the same dollar amount as your normal half, so your total rarely changes. The City also doesn’t tax the first $22,000 of the price when the buyer will live in the home, which saves $330 and usually goes to the buyer’s side.
What you can negotiate
The split is a contract term, and the market decides how much room you have. Compare offers by what you keep, not just the price.
- Every seller cost, with a calculator: what it costs to sell a house in Baltimore City.
- Title questions that can hold up a City settlement: title insurance in Maryland, explained and ground rent in Baltimore.
- Selling in the county instead? See Baltimore County transfer taxes, explained.
Questions people ask
Why are Baltimore City closing costs higher than the county's?
The recordation tax. Baltimore City charges $5 per $500 and Baltimore County charges $2.50, so on a $300,000 sale the seller’s half is about $750 more in the City.
What is the Baltimore City yield tax?
On sales over $1 million, the City adds 15% to the recordation tax and 40% to the City transfer tax. Total deed taxes go from 3% to 3.75% of the price.
Does the seller pay transfer tax in Baltimore City?
Usually half. It’s a contract term, and most local contracts split the transfer and recordation taxes 50/50.
Can I ask the buyer to pay all the taxes?
You can ask. It’s negotiable, and how much room you have depends on the market and the offers you get.
About Mike Fielder
Mike Fielder is a Baltimore Realtor and Sales Director of The Key Home Team at Cummings & Co. Realtors. Licensed since June 2016, he focuses on North Baltimore (Lake Evesham, Lake Walker, Cedarcroft, Hampden and Remington) and the Towson area. He works with buyers and sellers throughout Maryland and in parts of Pennsylvania, where he’s also licensed. He also serves as Vice President of the Lake Evesham Community Association.
Over his career, Mike has sold 190 homes worth more than $56 million. He’s backed by The Key Home Team, which has sold more than $375 million in real estate and closes about $30 million a year.
Mike founded Property Management of Baltimore in 2014, two years before getting his license, and still runs it. Managing rentals taught him what repairs really cost, which updates buyers pay for, and how to keep a deal moving when something breaks. Sellers get that judgment when deciding what to fix before listing. Buyers get it when they’re reading an inspection report.
A Towson University graduate, Mike keeps his approach simple: price from real recent sales, spend money only where it pays back, and compare offers by what the client actually keeps.
More from Mike: Selling with Mike · Neighborhood guide · Full bio
Want the taxes figured on your price?
I’ll run a net sheet with every tax line and what you’d keep. Call or text me at 410-905-6678.
The Key Home Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors
Cell: 410-905-6678
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-823-0033
222 W Cold Spring Ln, Suite C, Baltimore, MD 21210
Website: mikesellsbaltimore.com