Updated November 2026. Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, City of Philadelphia and Allegheny County transfer tax pages, 68 Pa.C.S. § 5407, Zillow’s September 2026 home values and beycome.com prices checked on November 9, 2026.
Transfer tax is the big one for Pennsylvania sellers. On the state’s typical $287,100 home (Zillow, September 2026), a 2% total rate is $5,742, or $2,871 for your half if you split it with the buyer. In Philadelphia (4.578%) your half is $6,571.72; in Pittsburgh (5%) it’s $7,177.50. Title, payoff and prorated taxes come on top.
Jump to: 🏛️ Transfer tax · 🧾 Other seller lines · 🧮 Three towns, one price · 📑 Who runs settlement · 🏘️ HOA certificate · 🏷️ Listing side · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- The state takes 1%, and the town and school district add their own share. Your total depends on the exact address.
- By law buyer and seller are jointly liable. Splitting it evenly is the usual habit, not a rule.
- The agreement of sale decides who pays for title insurance. The guides we checked disagree on the custom.
- Beycome has started listing in Pennsylvania. A listing here runs up to 12 months, the maximum allowed in the state.
This page is the Pennsylvania version. The general rules on who pays closing costs are in our national guide.
How much is the realty transfer tax for a Pennsylvania seller?
The Department of Revenue charges 1% of the value of the real estate. Most places add a local realty transfer tax, which the county Recorder of Deeds collects with the state’s share when the deed is recorded. That local share can be split between the town and the school district.
The local part is what makes Pennsylvania hard to quote from a distance. Allegheny County says totals there run from 2% to 5%, depending on the town and school district. Pittsburgh is 5%: 1% state, 3% city and 1% school district. Philadelphia’s total is 4.578%, made up of 3.578% for the city and 1% for the state.
On who pays, the Department of Revenue is blunt: buyer and seller are “jointly and severally liable.” The City of Philadelphia says the tax is usually split evenly, but that the split isn’t required, and the city can collect the full amount from either side. So the 50/50 habit is just where talks start. Write the split into your agreement of sale. Our Pennsylvania realty transfer tax guide lists more town rates and the family exemptions.
What else does a Pennsylvania seller pay at settlement?
Here’s the rest of the seller’s side. Where no public rate exists, we tell you who to ask rather than guess.
| Line | Who pays | What sets the amount |
|---|---|---|
| State and local realty transfer tax | Both liable; usually split | 1% state plus your local rate |
| Owner’s title insurance | Whoever the agreement of sale names | Title company quote |
| Settlement or closing fee | Per the agreement and the title company’s charges | Title company quote |
| County, municipal and school property taxes | Seller for the days they owned the home | Prorated from your tax bills |
| Mortgage payoff | Seller | Your lender’s payoff letter |
| HOA or condo resale certificate | Seller must provide it | The association’s charge |
| Buyer’s agent pay (optional) | Only if you agree | Your written agreement; 3% on $287,100 would be $8,613 |
That 3% is an example only. Commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules and are negotiable. You choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation at all, and since August 17, 2024 offers aren’t shown on the MLS.
Pennsylvania property taxes can arrive on more than one bill, since the county, the town and the school district all tax real estate. The settlement sheet credits or charges each one for the days on either side of closing. Our Pennsylvania property tax search guide shows where to find your bills.
How much changes from town to town at $287,100?
Same house price, three addresses. We assume the usual even split and no assumed loan. The price is the state’s typical home value from the Zillow Home Value Index, September 30, 2026.
| Where | Total rate | Total tax | Seller’s half |
|---|---|---|---|
| A town at 2% total (1% state, 1% local) | 2% | $5,742 | $2,871 |
| Philadelphia | 4.578% | $13,143.44 | $6,571.72 |
| Pittsburgh | 5% | $14,355 | $7,177.50 |
All three grow in step with price. Move to $400,000 and the state’s 1% alone is $4,000. A flat listing fee doesn’t move at all, which matters more here than in a low-tax state. When the transfer tax already takes 1% to 2.5% of your price, every other line is worth a second look. Run your own numbers in our net proceeds calculator.
Who runs a Pennsylvania settlement?
Pennsylvania doesn’t require a lawyer at the table. Title companies run many settlements, and some sellers hire a real estate attorney too. The title company collects the transfer tax on the settlement sheet and pays it when it records the deed, so you rarely write a separate check to the county.
Ask for a written estimate of your side before you sign the agreement of sale, and again a few days before settlement. If the deal is complex, our guide on whether you need a lawyer to sell in Pennsylvania explains when one is worth it.
What does a Pennsylvania HOA certificate cost you in time?
In a planned community, 68 Pa.C.S. § 5407 makes the seller hand the buyer the declaration, bylaws, rules and a certificate from the association. The certificate covers dues, unpaid assessments, planned capital spending, reserves and pending suits. The association has 10 days after your request to provide it.
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 →Order it early. Until the buyer has the certificate, and for five days after, the buyer can void the contract. The statute doesn’t set the fee, so ask the association what it charges and add it to your estimate.
How does a flat fee change the listing side in Pennsylvania?
Beycome has started listing Pennsylvania homes. Your home goes on the major home search sites and the MLS for Basic $99, Enhanced $399 or Concierge $1,399, paid upfront, with $0 due to Beycome at settlement. A Pennsylvania listing runs up to 12 months, the maximum allowed in the state.
On Concierge, an expert works with you on pricing, offers and the agreement of sale whenever you want help. Every decision stays yours. See the Pennsylvania flat fee MLS packages, or read how to list your Pennsylvania home on the MLS by owner. 22,000+ homeowners have used Beycome, saving over $225 million in total (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
Pennsylvania seller closing cost questions
How much are seller closing costs in Pennsylvania?
Start with transfer tax: your half is $2,871 on a $287,100 home at a 2% total rate, and more in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Title charges, prorated taxes, your payoff and any agent pay you agree to come on top.
Does the seller pay transfer tax in Pennsylvania?
Buyer and seller are jointly and severally liable. By custom they usually split it evenly, but the agreement of sale can say otherwise.
What is the transfer tax in Philadelphia for a seller?
The total is 4.578%. If you split it evenly, your half on $287,100 is $6,571.72.
Who pays for title insurance in Pennsylvania?
Whoever the agreement of sale names. The guides we checked disagree on the custom, so settle it in writing.
Do I need a lawyer to close in Pennsylvania?
No. A title company often runs settlement. You can hire an attorney if you want one.
How long can a Beycome listing run in Pennsylvania?
Up to 12 months, the maximum allowed in Pennsylvania.
Does Beycome take a fee at settlement in Pennsylvania?
No. You pay $99, $399 or $1,399 upfront, and $0 is due to Beycome at settlement.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, licensed real estate brokerage (PA #RB070477). 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 Pennsylvania, Basic is $99, Enhanced is $399 and Concierge is $1,399; listings run up to 12 months. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at settlement. Transfer taxes, title charges, other closing costs and any buyer’s agent pay you agree to still apply.
The 3% 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. Tax figures are our math from the published rates, not quotes. Local rates change by ordinance.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check with your title company or a Pennsylvania real estate attorney for your situation.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Realty Transfer Tax, read November 9, 2026.
- City of Philadelphia, Realty Transfer Tax, read November 9, 2026.
- Allegheny County, Realty Transfer Taxes, read November 9, 2026.
- Pennsylvania Uniform Planned Community Act, 68 Pa.C.S. § 5407, read November 9, 2026.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index, Pennsylvania, September 30, 2026 snapshot.
- National Association of REALTORS®, Settlement FAQs, read November 9, 2026.
- Beycome, Flat Fee MLS Pennsylvania, read November 9, 2026.
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