Closing costs in Texas: what buyers and sellers pay

Why there is no single “typical” total

Some Texas closing costs are fixed by a government body: title insurance premiums (set by the Texas Department of Insurance, TDI) and recording fees (set by each county). Others are set by private companies and vary: lender charges, escrow fees, surveys, inspections and brokerage compensation. Prorated property taxes and insurance deposits depend on the house, the closing date and the loan.

So your total depends mostly on your loan, your contract and the date you close. The fixed pieces can be calculated exactly. The variable pieces appear on two federal forms: the Loan Estimate, which your lender must give you within three business days of your application, and the Closing Disclosure, which you must receive three business days before closing (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). For a general walk-through of each line, see closing costs explained.

Line by line: what each cost is

Lender charges. Origination charges, appraisal, credit report, underwriting and loan document fees are set by the lender and the companies it hires. No Texas rate table applies. Compare them across lenders on the standard Loan Estimate form; the CFPB notes that every lender must use the same form.

Title insurance. TDI fixes the premium, and every title company must charge the same amount for the same policy (TDI title insurance FAQ). The owner’s policy is priced on the sales price. When the lender’s policy is issued at the same time, it costs a flat $100 as long as the loan does not exceed the owner’s policy amount (Rate Rule R-5). The basic premium also covers the title search, the title examination and closing the transaction (Rate Rule R-1). Details and the full formula are in our Texas title insurance guide.

Escrow fee. The title company charges a separate escrow (closing) fee. TDI does not set it: its FAQ says escrow fees differ between agents and that you can shop for them. The TREC resale contract splits it half and half between buyer and seller.

Recording fees. The county clerk records the deed and the deed of trust. In Dallas County, the clerk charges $25 for the first page and $4 for each additional page of a real property document (Dallas County Clerk, as of October 2026).

Transfer tax. None. Since January 1, 2016, the Texas Constitution has barred any new law that taxes a transaction conveying fee simple title to real property (Art. 8, § 29). Our transfer tax page covers the details.

Survey. The TREC contract lets the parties use the seller’s existing survey with a TDI affidavit (form T-47 or T-47.1), or order a new one, and says who pays. Survey prices are not regulated; see what a land survey costs.

Attorney. TDI’s FAQ notes that you may have an attorney attend the closing with you. That fee is separate and set by the attorney. See when to hire a Texas real estate attorney.

Prepaids and prorations. Property taxes for the current year are prorated through the closing date (TREC contract, paragraph 13). If your lender requires reserve deposits for taxes and insurance, the TREC contract lists them among the buyer’s expenses; they fund your escrow account. How much depends on your tax bill; see Texas property tax.

Who pays what in Texas

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) promulgates the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), which TREC calls its most frequently used contract form. It covers resales of single-family homes up to four-plexes, not condominiums, new homes sold by a builder or farm and ranch property. The current version, TREC No. 20-19, took effect on July 1, 2026. Its paragraph 12 assigns the expenses below unless the parties agree otherwise.

TDI also says that buyer and seller may negotiate who pays the title premium. The contract leaves that choice to a checkbox; it does not set a default.

On brokerage compensation, the contract states that it “is not set by law and is fully negotiable.” See real estate commission.