State guide · KY
Transfer tax in Kentucky
Kentucky charges roughly 0.10% when a home changes hands — about $220 on a median-priced home, customarily paid by seller.
Rate
0.10%
On a median home
$220
Customarily paid by
Seller
Deed tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.1%).
Transfer taxes are one line of the larger closing bill. For the full picture in Kentucky — title, escrow, attorney conventions, and typical buyer costs — see our Kentucky closing costs guide, or estimate your own bottom line with the seller net proceeds calculator.
How Kentucky compares
| Rank | State | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| #32 | Alabama | 0.10% |
| #33 | Georgia | 0.10% |
| #34 | Kentucky | 0.10% |
| #35 | South Dakota | 0.10% |
| #36 | Colorado | 0.01% |
Common questions
Does Kentucky have a real estate transfer tax?
Yes. Deed tax of $0.50 per $500 (0.1%). On a median-priced Kentucky home (about $220,000), that's roughly $220.
Who pays the transfer tax in Kentucky?
Seller. Like every closing cost, this is custom rather than law — the purchase contract can assign it to either side, and in competitive negotiations it sometimes moves.
Selling in Kentucky? See what you'd keep
Sale price minus commissions, payoff, and taxes like this one — the number that actually lands in your account.
Open the net proceeds calculatorRates are representative combined state and typical local figures compiled from public sources and rounded for readability; graduated schedules, exemptions, and city add-ons can change your number. Confirm with your closing agent or county recorder. Median home values are approximate.