Updated November 2026. Fidelity National Title’s county chart (revised January 6, 2026), the Revenue and Taxation Code, Zillow’s September 2026 home values and beycome.com prices checked on November 9, 2026.
On California’s typical $761,500 home (Zillow, September 2026), the only seller cost set by state law is the county transfer tax: $837.65. Escrow and the owner’s title policy follow county custom. In Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties the seller usually buys the title policy; in San Francisco and most of the East Bay the buyer does.
Jump to: 🧾 The line items · 🗺️ County customs · 🧮 $761,500 example · 🏛️ FTB withholding · 📅 Property taxes · 🏷️ Listing side · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- The county tax is $1.10 per $1,000 everywhere in the state. Some cities, like Los Angeles, Oakland and San Jose, add their own.
- Who buys the owner’s title policy and who pays escrow changes from one county to the next, so read your county’s custom before you price.
- Escrow may hold back 3⅓% of the price for the Franchise Tax Board. It’s a tax prepayment, not a fee, and most owners selling their main home can claim an exemption.
- A percentage listing fee is usually the largest line on the statement. With a flat fee, that line stops growing with your price.
This guide is about California only. For the general split between buyers and sellers in any state, read who pays closing costs when selling a home.
What shows up on a California seller’s closing statement?
In California an escrow holder usually runs the closing. Your escrow officer pulls these items together on one statement. Here’s what to expect, who usually pays, and where each rule comes from.
| Item | Who usually pays | On a $761,500 sale | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| County documentary transfer tax | Seller, in every county on Fidelity’s chart | $837.65 | Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911: $0.55 per $500 |
| City transfer tax | Varies by city; the chart shows seller-paid in Los Angeles and split in Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose | $0 in most cities; $3,426.75 in the City of Los Angeles | City ordinance |
| Owner’s title insurance policy | County custom (see the next section) | Ask the title company for a quote | Local custom, then your contract |
| Escrow fee | County custom: often split, sometimes all buyer or all seller | Ask for a written quote | Local custom, then your contract |
| Prorated property tax | Seller, for the days they owned the home | Depends on your bill | Your purchase agreement |
| Mortgage payoff | Seller | Your lender’s payoff statement | Your loan |
| HOA documents for the buyer | Seller | The association’s written estimate | Civil Code § 4530 |
| Buyer’s agent pay (optional) | Only if you agree to it | 2.5% would be $19,037.50 (example only) | Your written agreement |
About that last row. It’s an example only. Commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules, and they’re negotiable. You choose whether to offer a buyer’s agent anything, and since August 17, 2024 offers of compensation aren’t shown on the MLS.
Who pays escrow and title in your county?
California has no statewide rule for these two. Custom splits roughly north and south, with plenty of exceptions. Fidelity National Title publishes a county-by-county chart, last revised January 6, 2026. Here’s what it shows for the larger counties.
| County | Escrow fee | Owner’s title policy |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Split | Seller |
| Orange | Split | Seller |
| San Diego | Split | Seller |
| Riverside | Split | Seller |
| San Bernardino | Split | Seller |
| Sacramento | Split | Seller |
| Fresno | Split | Seller |
| Santa Clara | Seller | Seller |
| San Francisco | Buyer | Buyer |
| Alameda | Buyer | Buyer |
| Contra Costa | Buyer | Buyer |
| San Mateo | Buyer | Buyer |
Custom is a starting point, not a law. Your purchase agreement can assign each of these costs, and whatever it says wins. A buyer in Orange County can ask you to cover the escrow fee in full. A seller in Alameda can agree to buy the owner’s policy to close a deal. Write it down, then make sure your escrow instructions match.
What would a seller net on a $761,500 California home?
Let’s run one sale at the state’s typical home value, $761,500 (Zillow Home Value Index, September 30, 2026). We’ll put the home in the City of Los Angeles, where the city tax is seller-paid by custom. Then we’ll move the price to $1,000,000 to see which lines grow.
| Line | $761,500 | $1,000,000 | Grows with price? |
|---|---|---|---|
| County transfer tax | $837.65 | $1,100 | Yes |
| City of Los Angeles tax ($2.25 per $500) | $3,426.75 | $4,500 | Yes |
| Owner’s title policy | Quote | Quote | Yes, premiums rise with the price |
| Escrow fee (your half if split) | Quote | Quote | Often, ask how it’s figured |
| Beycome Basic listing | $129, $0 at closing | $129, $0 at closing | No |
| Buyer’s agent pay at 2.5% (only if offered) | $19,037.50 | $25,000 | Yes |
The county math: round the price up to the next $500, divide by 500, times $0.55. That’s 1,523 units here. Outside a city with its own tax, the county line is the whole transfer tax. Inside one, the numbers jump. A $761,500 Oakland sale pays about $11,422.50 in city tax at $15 per $1,000, split between the parties by custom. Our California transfer tax guide has the city rates.
We left the title and escrow lines as quotes on purpose. Prices differ from one company to the next, and we’d rather you get a real number than read a made-up average. Ask two escrow companies for a seller estimate in writing; it takes a day. Then drop the totals into our net proceeds calculator.
Why might escrow hold back 3⅓% of your price?
California asks the buyer, through escrow, to withhold state income tax on many sales. The Franchise Tax Board’s guide (Publication 1016, revised February 2026) puts the standard amount at 3⅓% of the sale price. On $761,500, that’s $25,383.33.
Two things to know. First, it isn’t a fee. It’s a prepayment you claim back, or apply, on your state return. Second, most people selling the home they live in never have it taken. If the home was your main residence under the federal two-of-five-years test, you certify that on Form 593 through escrow and no withholding applies. Tell escrow early so it lands on the estimate, not as a surprise on the final statement.
How do California property taxes get split at closing?
County tax bills are paid in two halves. The first is due November 1 and late after December 10. The second is due February 1 and late after April 10. Escrow checks which half you’ve paid and settles the difference to the day.
So timing matters. Close on December 1 after paying the first half, and the buyer credits you for the days you prepaid. Close in early December before paying it, and escrow pays it from your proceeds, then the buyer credits back their share. Either way the cost follows the days you owned the home, not who happened to write the check.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →If you’re in a condo or HOA, the association must give the buyer its documents, and the seller pays the association’s fee for them. Ask for the written fee estimate when you list, so the number is on your first escrow estimate.
How does a flat fee change the listing side in California?
Everything above stays the same whoever lists your home. The listing fee is the line you control. Beycome Basic is $129 in California, Enhanced is $399, and Concierge is $1,399. You pay upfront, and $0 is due to Beycome at closing, at any price. Your home goes on the major home search sites and the MLS.
With Concierge, an expert works with you on pricing, offers and escrow whenever you need it, and every decision stays yours. Compare the packages on our California flat fee MLS page, or read how Concierge works. 22,000+ homeowners have used Beycome, saving over $225 million in total (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
Selling without a listing agent at all? Our guide to selling a California home without a realtor covers the disclosures and escrow steps.
California seller closing cost questions
How much are closing costs for the seller in California?
The fixed part is the county transfer tax, $837.65 on a $761,500 home. Title, escrow, city tax and any agent pay depend on your county, city and contract, so get a written seller estimate from escrow.
Does the seller pay title insurance in California?
In much of Southern California, yes, by custom. Fidelity’s January 2026 chart shows the seller buying the owner’s policy in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties, and the buyer in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo.
Who pays escrow fees in California?
It depends on the county. They’re usually split in Los Angeles and San Diego, paid by the buyer in San Francisco and Alameda, and paid by the seller in Santa Clara. Your purchase agreement can change any of it.
Who pays the transfer tax in California?
State law doesn’t name a payer. By custom the seller pays the county tax everywhere on Fidelity’s chart, while city taxes are seller-paid in some cities and split in others.
Is the 3⅓% California withholding a closing cost?
No. It’s a state income tax prepayment that you settle on your return. If the home was your main residence, you can usually certify an exemption on Form 593 and nothing is withheld.
Do I have to pay a buyer’s agent when I sell in California?
No. It’s optional and negotiable. You decide whether to offer anything, and the terms go in a written agreement.
How much does Beycome charge California sellers?
Basic is $129, Enhanced is $399 and Concierge is $1,399, paid upfront, with $0 due to Beycome at closing.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty Inc., licensed real estate brokerage (CA CalBRE #02247733). Licenses: beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Prices were read on beycome.com on November 9, 2026 and may change. In California, Basic is $129, Enhanced is $399 and Concierge is $1,399. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; transfer taxes, escrow, title, prorated taxes and any buyer’s agent pay you agree to still apply.
Tax figures are examples we computed from the rates in the sources below, not quotes. The 2.5% figure is an example only: commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are negotiable, sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, and offers aren’t shown on the MLS since August 17, 2024.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Customs vary by county and your contract controls, so confirm every figure with your escrow officer.
Sources
- Fidelity National Title, Who Pays What in California? (revised January 6, 2026), read November 9, 2026.
- California Revenue and Taxation Code, § 11911; rate confirmed in the Fidelity chart on November 9, 2026 (the code site blocked our reader that day).
- Franchise Tax Board, Publication 1016, Real Estate Withholding Guidelines (revised February 2026); search excerpt read November 9, 2026.
- San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Secured Property Taxes; search excerpt read November 9, 2026.
- California Civil Code, § 4530 (seller pays for HOA documents); search excerpt read November 9, 2026.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index, California, September 30, 2026 snapshot.
- National Association of REALTORS®, Settlement FAQs, read November 9, 2026.
- Beycome, Flat Fee MLS California, read November 9, 2026.
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