In short
The District of Columbia charges two deed taxes: Deed recordation tax, Deed transfer tax. On the median owner-occupied home ($733,400), they come to $21,269, or 2.9% of the price.
Median value: $733,400 median value of owner-occupied homes, District of Columbia (Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B25077). It is an owner estimate, not a sale price.
What you pay at different prices
| Price | Deed recordation tax | Deed transfer tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $3,300 | $3,300 | $6,600 |
| $500,000 | $7,250 | $7,250 | $14,500 |
| $733,400 median home | $10,634 | $10,634 | $21,269 |
| $1,000,000 | $14,500 | $14,500 | $29,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $29,000 | $29,000 | $58,000 |
Before exemptions and credits (first-time buyers, transfers between relatives…), which are listed below when the source gives them. The tax due on your deed is the one the recorder computes.
The rates, tax by tax
Deed recordation tax
Residential: 1.1% of consideration (or FMV if consideration is nominal) below $400,000; 1.45% on the ENTIRE amount at $400,000 or more.
Exemptions: Eligible first-time District homebuyers (income limit, DC resident) pay a reduced recordation rate of 0.725% on a deed (DC Code §42-1103(e)); benefit allocated to the grantees.
In force: Current OTR FAQ (read Oct. 2026); first-time buyer rate since Oct. 1, 2017. Source: Recorder of Deeds FAQs - DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
Deed transfer tax
Residential: 1.1% of consideration (or FMV if consideration is nominal) below $400,000; 1.45% on the ENTIRE amount at $400,000 or more.
In force: Current OTR FAQ (read Oct. 2026). Source: Recorder of Deeds FAQs - DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
Questions
How much local transfer tax do you pay on a median home in District of Columbia?
$21,269 on $733,400, the median value of owner-occupied homes (Census ACS). Payotte computes it from the rates published by the official sources cited on the page.
Is the local tax on top of the District tax?
The District has no separate state tax: the recordation and transfer taxes are the only deed taxes, each at its own rate.
General information drawn from the official sources cited and dated on this page. It is not legal, tax or financial advice: for your own situation, ask a licensed professional.