A Guide to California Closing Costs

Country Escrow Charges Title Fees Owner's Policy "Documentary
Transfer Tax $1.10 per $1,000
or $0.55 per $500"		 City Transfer Tax
Amount per $1,000
Alameda Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays
  • Buyer-Seller 50%
  • Albany - $11.50
  • San Leandro - $6.00
  • #1Hayward - $8.50
  • Emeryville - $12.00
  • Piedmont - $13.00
  • Alameda - $12.00
  • #2Berkeley
  • up to $1,500,000 - $15.00
  • $1,500,001 or more - $25.00
  • #3Oakland
  • up to $300,000 - $10.00
  • $300,001 to $ 2,000,000 - $15.00
  • $2,000,001 to $ 5,000,000 - $17.50
  • $5,000,001 or more - $25.00
Alpine Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer Pays Seller Pays
Amador Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer Pays Seller Pays
Butte Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Calaveras Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Colusa Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Contra Costa Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays
  • Buyer - Seller 50%
  • #5El Cerrito $12.00
  • #4Richmond
  • up to $999,999,999 - $7.00
  • $1,000,000 to $ 3,000,000 - $12.50
  • $3,000,001 to $ 10,000,000 - $25.00
  • $10,000,001 or more - $30.00
Del Norte Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
El Dorado Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Fresno Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Glenn Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Humboldt Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Imperial Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Inyo Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Kern Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays Split: Ridgecrest
Kings Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Lake Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays
Lassen Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Los Angeles Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays Transfer Tax varies by city.
Madera Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Marin Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays Seller pays - San Rafael $2.00
Mariposa Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Mendocino Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays
Merced Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Modoc Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Mono Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Monterey Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Napa Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays
Nevada Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Orange County Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Placer Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Plumas Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Riverside Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays $1.10 in city of Riverside
Sacramento Buyer- Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays Buyer - Seller Pays $2.75 in city of Sacramento
San Benito Seller Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays
San Bernardino Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
San Diego Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
San Francisco Buyer Pays Buyer Pays "Included in the City Transfer Tax"
  • Seller Pays
  • Through $250,000 - $5.00
  • $250,001 to $999,999 - $6.80
  • $1,000,000 to $4,999,999 - $7.50
  • $5,000,000 to $9,999,999 - $22.50
  • $10,000,000 to $24,999,999 - $27.50
  • $25,000,000 or more - $30.00
San Joaquin Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
San Luis Obispo Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
San Mateo Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays
  • Buyer-Seller - 50% $0.30 in Hillsborough
  • Buyer-Seller - 50% $5.00 in San Mateo
Santa Barbara Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays
Santa Clara Seller Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays
  • Buyer-Seller - 50%
  • Palo Alto - $3.30 San Jose - $3.30
  • Mountain View - $3.30
Santa Cruz Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Shasta Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Sierra Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Siskiyou Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Solano Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays $3.30 in city of Vallejo
Sonoma Buyer Pays Buyer Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays Santa Rosa $2.00 Petaluma $2.00
Stanislaus Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays except Turlock 50/50 Seller Pays
Sutter Seller Pays Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Tehama Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Trinity Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Tulare Seller Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays
Tuolumne Buyer - Seller 50% Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays
Ventura Seller Pays Seller Pays Seller Pays
Yolo Buyer - Davis Seller - All Other Buyer - Davis Seller - All Other Seller Pays
Yuba Buyer - Seller 50% Seller Pays Seller Pays