Seller closing costs in Florida: what you’ll actually pay

When sellers ask me “what will I walk away with?”, I build a net sheet line by line. Here are the costs that usually show up for a Florida seller, especially in Miami-Dade, with the official sources for the tax numbers. Exact figures depend on your contract, your mortgage and your property.

1. Documentary stamp tax on the deed

Florida taxes the deed when a property changes hands, based on the sale price (Fla. Stat. 201.02). Under the standard Florida contracts, this is usually a seller cost.

• Miami-Dade County: $0.60 per $100 (or portion of $100) of the price, plus a $0.45 per $100 surtax, except the surtax doesn’t apply when the property is only a single-family residence. A condo unit counts as a single-family residence for this rule (Fla. Stat. 201.031).
• Every other Florida county, including Broward: $0.70 per $100.

Examples:

• $600,000 single-family home or condo in Miami-Dade: 6,000 × $0.60 = $3,600
• $600,000 duplex in Miami-Dade: 6,000 × $1.05 = $6,300
• $600,000 home in Broward: 6,000 × $0.70 = $4,200

Source: Florida Department of Revenue.

2. Real estate commission

Commissions in Florida are not set by law and are always negotiable. Since the National Association of Realtors settlement practice changes took effect in August 2024, offers of compensation to buyers’ agents are no longer posted on the MLS, and buyers sign written agreements with their own agents that spell out what that agent is paid. As a seller, you can still choose to pay some or all of the buyer’s agent fee, or offer a credit, as part of a negotiated deal. I’ll walk you through the options and how they affect the offers you get.

3. Title-related costs

Who pays for the owner’s title insurance policy varies by county custom and by what the contract says. In Miami-Dade, it’s common for the buyer to pay for the owner’s policy, while the seller covers items like updating the title search and the municipal lien search. Florida’s title insurance premium rates are set by the state, but the split of costs is up to your contract. Ask me or your title company for a quote early.

A municipal lien and open-permit search is worth doing early. Open or expired permits and unpaid code fines are common in older Miami-Dade homes and can delay closing if they surface late.

4. Your mortgage payoff

The title company pays off your loan at closing using a written payoff statement from your lender, including interest through the closing date. If you have a home equity line, it gets paid off too.

5. Prorated property taxes

Florida property taxes are paid in arrears: the bill for the current year comes out in November and is paid by March 31 of the next year, with discounts for paying early (4% in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February, Fla. Stat. 197.162). At closing, you credit the buyer for your share of the year’s taxes. You can look up your bill on the Miami-Dade Tax Collector’s site.

6. HOA and condo costs

• Estoppel certificate: a statement from the association of what’s owed on your unit. Florida caps the fee: a base of $250, $100 more for delivery within 3 business days, and up to $150 more if the account is delinquent, with the amounts adjusted for inflation every five years (Fla. Stat. 718.116 for condos, 720.30851 for HOAs).
• Condo documents: condo sellers must give buyers the governing documents and financial records at the seller’s expense.
• Prorated dues and any special assessment levied before closing, which is generally the seller’s unless the contract says otherwise.

7. Negotiated items

• Repairs or a repair credit after the buyer’s inspection
• Closing cost help for the buyer, if you agree to it
• A home warranty for the buyer (optional)
• Attorney fees, if you hire one. Florida doesn’t require an attorney at closing; title companies handle most closings.

8. Taxes on your gain

Florida has no state income tax. Federally, if the home was your main home for at least two of the last five years, you can generally exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly (IRS Topic 701). Investment property and second homes are taxed differently. If you’re a foreign person for tax purposes, the buyer may be required to withhold part of the price under FIRPTA. Talk to your CPA.

A quick net sheet example

Say you sell a single-family home in Miami-Dade for $650,000 with a $300,000 mortgage:

• Sale price: $650,000
• Mortgage payoff: about $300,000 (from your lender’s payoff letter)
• Doc stamps on the deed: 6,500 × $0.60 = $3,900
• Commission: whatever you negotiate with your listing agent, plus any buyer’s agent fee you agree to
• Title search update, lien search and settlement fees: from your title company’s quote
• Prorated property taxes and any HOA items

What’s left is your net. I’ll fill in the real numbers for your home when I prepare your free home value.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Florida Dept. of Revenue: Documentary Stamp Tax
• Fla. Stat. 201.02 (documentary stamp tax rate)
• Fla. Stat. 201.031 (Miami-Dade surtax; condo units count as single-family)
• Fla. Stat. 718.116 (condo estoppel certificates and fees)
• Fla. Stat. 720.30851 (HOA estoppel certificates)
• Fla. Stat. 197.162 (property tax early-payment discounts)
• Miami-Dade Tax Collector (property tax bills)
• National Association of Realtors: settlement facts
• IRS Topic 701: Sale of your home
• IRS: FIRPTA withholding
• Fla. Stat. 689.302 (seller flood disclosure)

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws and fees change; check the sources above and talk to your attorney or CPA about your situation.