Updated October 2026. Rates and rules checked with the Minnesota Department of Revenue and the Revisor of Statutes on October 31, 2026.
Minnesota’s deed tax is 0.33% of the net price, due when the deed is recorded. Hennepin and Ramsey counties add 0.01%, for 0.34% in all. As of October 2026, that’s $1,320 on a $400,000 sale in most counties and $1,360 in Minneapolis or Saint Paul. The statute doesn’t say who pays; your purchase agreement does.
Jump to: 🧮 Rate and examples · ➖ Net consideration · 🚫 Exemptions · 🤝 Who pays · 📎 Paperwork at recording · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- The tax is figured on net consideration, so a mortgage the buyer assumes comes off the base.
- Seller-paid closing costs folded into the price stay in the base, per the Department of Revenue.
- Sales of $3,000 or less pay a flat $1.65.
- The Hennepin and Ramsey surcharge funds each county’s environmental response fund; the authority now runs to January 1, 2036.
How much is the deed tax in Minnesota?
The rate is set in Minn. Stat. 287.21: 0.0033 of the net consideration when the price is over $3,000. Hennepin County (383B.80) and Ramsey County (383A.80) may each add 0.0001, and the Department of Revenue’s rate page shows both doing so. Every other county pays the state rate only.
Here’s what that looks like at common prices, assuming no assumed mortgage or other lien stays on the property:
| Net price | Most counties (0.33%) | Hennepin or Ramsey (0.34%) | Of which county ERF tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $660 | $680 | $20 |
| $300,000 | $990 | $1,020 | $30 |
| $400,000 | $1,320 | $1,360 | $40 |
| $500,000 | $1,650 | $1,700 | $50 |
| $750,000 | $2,475 | $2,550 | $75 |
The Department’s own example matches: $660 on a $200,000 sale, or $680 in Hennepin or Ramsey. Rounding at the closing table may move these by a dollar.
For a sense of scale, the deed tax on a $400,000 home is about a third of one percent. A 3% listing commission on the same home, as an example only, would be $12,000. Commissions aren’t set by law and are negotiable, and you choose whether to offer anything to a buyer’s agent.
What counts as “net consideration” for the deed tax?
Net consideration is the price minus any lien that was on the property before the sale and isn’t paid off by it (287.20). In practice, the classic example is a buyer who takes over your mortgage. The Department of Revenue’s consideration page walks through three cases:
| Situation | Deed tax base |
|---|---|
| $150,000 sale; the buyer assumes your $50,000 mortgage | $100,000 |
| $250,000 sale; you use part of the money to repay yourself for a garage repair | $250,000 |
| $500,000 auction sale with a 5% buyer’s premium | $525,000 |
Two more rules surprise people. First, costs you agree to pay for the buyer, such as seller-paid closing costs, stay in the base. Second, for a home with one, two or three units, personal property included in the price is taxed too, according to the Department’s personal property page. So listing the washer and dryer separately won’t shrink the tax on a house.
Paying off your own mortgage at closing doesn’t reduce anything. That loan is released by the sale, so it isn’t a lien “remaining” on the property.
Which Minnesota transfers don’t pay the deed tax?
Section 287.22 lists 15 exemptions. The ones homeowners meet most often:
- A transfer on death deed, and documents that reference one.
- A deed of distribution from a personal representative settling an estate.
- A divorce decree, or a deed between the spouses made under it.
- A deed partitioning property between co-owners.
- Easements, leases, mortgages and plats.
- A contract for deed itself, as an executory contract.
Gifts aren’t on that list. Instead, 287.21 sets a flat $1.65 tax when there’s no consideration, or when it’s $3,000 or less. Certain transfers between an owner and their own entity, called designated transfers, also pay $1.65, with a clawback if ownership changes within six months.
Who pays the deed tax in Minnesota, buyer or seller?
The law answers when it’s paid, not who pays. Under 287.21, the tax is due when the deed is presented for recording, and the county collects it. Which side covers it is a term of your purchase agreement.
So read that clause before you sign, and put it in your net sheet. If you’re selling without an agent, our guide to drafting a Minnesota purchase agreement shows where the closing-cost terms go. For how other closing costs are often split, see who pays closing costs.
Don’t confuse the deed tax with the mortgage registry tax. That one is 0.0023 of the loan amount, and 287.035 makes the borrower liable for it. Hennepin and Ramsey add 0.0001 there too. If your buyer is financing, that’s their line, not yours.
What else is filed with a Minnesota deed?
The deed rarely travels alone. Your closer usually files these at the same time:
- An electronic Certificate of Real Estate Value (eCRV). Required for sales over $3,000 under 272.115. It reports the full price, including any lien the buyer assumes, and lists personal property separately.
- A well disclosure certificate. Or a statement on the deed that you know of no wells, under 103I.235.
- Deed tax documentation. The Department of Revenue can require it to be attached to the deed.
Notice the twist: the eCRV includes an assumed mortgage in value, while the deed tax subtracts it. Both are right for their own purpose. Our Minnesota parcel ID guide shows where to find the numbers these forms ask for.
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Buy a home →How should a Minnesota seller plan for the deed tax?
Build it into your bottom line early. Start from your expected price, apply 0.33% or 0.34%, and add it to your other closing costs: mortgage payoff, prorated property taxes, title charges and any repair credits. Then compare offers on what you keep, not on the headline price.
The deed tax is the same however you sell. What changes is the listing side. With Beycome, your home goes on NorthstarMLS and the major home search sites for $99 (Basic) or $399 (Enhanced), with $0 due to Beycome at closing. Concierge is $999 until November 2, 2026, then $1,399 list price, and your expert works with you, always on your side.
For the full process, read our guide to selling a Minnesota home without a realtor, or check a price range with our free home value calculator.
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Minnesota deed tax FAQ
What is the Minnesota deed tax rate in 2026?
0.0033 of the net consideration, or 0.33%. Hennepin and Ramsey counties add 0.0001, for 0.34%.
How much is the deed tax on a $300,000 house in Minnesota?
$990 in most counties, or $1,020 in Hennepin or Ramsey, if no lien stays on the property.
Who pays the deed tax in Minnesota?
The statute doesn’t assign it. It’s due at recording, and your purchase agreement decides which side pays.
Is an assumed mortgage taxed in Minnesota?
No. A mortgage the buyer assumes is subtracted from the price to get net consideration.
Is there a deed tax on a gift of property in Minnesota?
A deed with no consideration, or $3,000 or less, pays a flat $1.65.
Is a transfer on death deed subject to deed tax?
No. Section 287.22 exempts transfer on death deeds and related documents.
When is the Minnesota deed tax paid?
When the deed is presented for recording. The county recorder or registrar of titles collects it, usually from closing funds.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, licensed real estate brokerage (MN #40776967). Licenses: beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Prices were read on beycome.com on October 31, 2026 and may change. In Minnesota, Basic is $99 and Enhanced is $399. Concierge is $999 until November 2, 2026 at 9 a.m. ET, then $1,399 (its list price). “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing. Taxes, recording and title charges, other closing costs and any buyer’s agent pay you agree to still apply.
Deed tax examples use 0.0033, or 0.0034 in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, on the full price with no lien remaining, before any exemption. Your closer’s figure controls.
Commission figures are examples only. Real estate commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any compensation to a buyer’s agent, and how much; since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and every sale has its own facts, so check with your closing agent or a Minnesota real estate attorney for your situation.
Sources
- Minnesota Department of Revenue, Deed Tax Rate, Deed Tax Consideration and Deed Tax Personal Property, read October 31, 2026.
- Minnesota Statutes 287.20 (definitions), 287.21 (rate) and 287.22 (exemptions), read October 31, 2026.
- Minnesota Statutes 383B.80 (Hennepin County) and 383A.80 (Ramsey County), read October 31, 2026.
- Minnesota Statutes 287.035 (mortgage registry tax), read October 31, 2026.
- Minnesota Statutes 272.115 (certificate of value) and 103I.235 (well disclosure), read October 31, 2026.
- Beycome, Flat Fee MLS Minnesota (packages and prices), read October 31, 2026.
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