Taxes when buying a house in Virginia

A Virginia buyer pays recordation tax twice: about $0.33 per $100 of the price when the deed is recorded, and the same rate on the loan when the deed of trust is recorded. Each is a state tax of $0.25 per $100 plus a local tax of one third of that.

Purchase price

State

Down payment

Loan amount: $320,000. Some states tax the mortgage, so the loan size changes the result there. Paying cash? Enter 100.

Estimated taxes when you buyVirginia · Rates verified November 2026

Pay to the order ofState and county tax offices$2,400

Two thousand four hundred and 00/100 dollars

On a $400,000 purchase with a $320,000 loan

Taxes the buyer pays
Recordation tax on the deed$0.25 per $100 of the price, plus one third local	$1,333.33
Recordation tax on the deed of trust$0.25 per $100 of the loan, plus one third local	$1,066.67
Total buyer taxes	$2,400

Taxes only. Lender fees, title insurance, flat recording fees and prepaid property tax are separate closing costs.

What a Virginia home buyer is taxed on

Buyer's taxes: Recordation tax on the deed: $0.25 per $100 of the price, plus one third local, charged on the purchase price.
Recordation tax on the deed of trust: $0.25 per $100 of the loan, plus one third local, charged on the loan amount.
Transfer tax: The seller pays the grantor tax and the regional fees. The buyer pays the state and local recordation taxes.
Sales tax: None. A home is real estate, and sales tax does not apply to it.
Official source: Code of Virginia, Title 58.1, Chapter 8
Last verified: November 2026

The regional fees in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads are the seller's. They do not fall on the buyer.

Virginia buyer taxes at common prices

Purchase price	Loan with 20% down	Buyer's taxes
$150,000	$120,000	$900
$250,000	$200,000	$1,500
$400,000	$320,000	$2,400
$600,000	$480,000	$3,600
$1,000,000	$800,000	$6,000

Questions Virginia buyers ask

Do buyers pay transfer tax in Virginia?

The seller pays the grantor tax and the regional fees. The buyer pays the state and local recordation taxes.

Is there a mortgage tax in Virginia?

Yes. Recording the deed of trust costs $0.25 per $100 of the loan in state tax plus one third of that in local tax, about 0.33% of the loan.

Is there sales tax when you buy a house in Virginia?

No. Sales tax applies to goods and some services, and a house is real estate, which no state taxes that way. The one-time taxes a Virginia buyer does pay are listed on this page.

How much tax does a buyer pay at closing in Virginia?

On a $400,000 home bought with 20% down, a Virginia buyer pays about $2,400 in state and local taxes: $1,333.33 in recordation tax on the deed and $1,066.67 in recordation tax on the deed of trust. Lender fees, title insurance and prepaid property tax come on top.

Selling in Virginia? Use the Virginia transfer tax calculator.