Indiana transfer tax: none, but a sales disclosure form is due

Does Indiana have a transfer tax?

Not that we found in the state’s tax laws. Title 6 of the Indiana Code (“Taxation”) has articles on property, sales and use, income, death, financial institution, motor fuel, tobacco and innkeeper’s taxes, among others. It has no article on a tax on deeds or real estate transfers. Marion County’s deed instructions list only service fees, and no tax.

No tax is calculated on the price. The costs below are flat fees. Counties set their own recording fees, so check with the recorder where the property sits.

What does a deed transfer cost in Marion County?

Marion County lists these charges for a deed. The Assessor stamps the deed first. The Recorder records it second.

The county pages do not say whether the buyer or the seller pays. The purchase contract decides, and the figure appears on the settlement statement. The county accepts separate checks for each office, and cannot process documents after 4 p.m. Marion County asks filers to create the sales disclosure form in its Properly system.

What is the sales disclosure form?

Indiana law requires a sales disclosure form (State Form 46021) whenever a conveyance document is filed. A conveyance is a transfer of a real property interest for valuable consideration. DLGF explains that the county auditor may not accept the deed if the form is missing, incomplete or not stamped by the county assessor.

Key points from DLGF’s guidance:

• Fee: $20 to the county auditor (Ind. Code § 6-1.1-5.5-4). In Marion County, the Assessor collects it. The 2021 instruction sheet still shows an older $10 fee; DLGF’s 2025 presentation says $20.
• No fee for conveyances to a charity, compulsory transfers (foreclosure, divorce, court order, condemnation, probate) and partitions between co-owners. The form is still required.
• No form for mortgages, leases shorter than 90 years, and public utility easements, among others.
• Signatures: the seller and buyer, or their representatives, sign under penalties of perjury. If the parties disagree on the information, each can file a separate form. DLGF’s instructions say knowingly falsifying the value or omitting required information is a Level 5 felony.
• Homestead: the buyer says whether the home will be a primary residence. The form can also serve as the application for the homestead deduction, which asks for the last five digits of a Social Security number or other ID.
• Public record: the assessor uses the form to compare sale prices with assessed values. DLGF has a public search of sales disclosures filed since July 1, 2008. Telephone and Social Security numbers are confidential.

Example: a $300,000 sale in Indianapolis

This is an illustration for a single-parcel sale with one deed.

The fees do not change with the price. A $150,000 sale would cost the same $65. Preparing the deed and form is a separate cost: Marion County tells owners to consult an attorney or title company for the deed. For the full list of other charges, see closing costs in Indiana.

What do you pay instead?

Property tax is the main ongoing cost. Bills arrive after the assessment date (the 2025 assessment is billed in 2026), so the contract and settlement statement decide how the current bill is split. The homestead deduction can lower the new owner’s bill; the application deadline is January 15. See Indiana property tax. For the full process, see the Indianapolis guide and closing costs explained.