State guide · NC
Transfer tax in North Carolina
North Carolina charges roughly 0.20% when a home changes hands — about $660 on a median-priced home, customarily paid by seller.
Rate
0.20%
On a median home
$660
Customarily paid by
Seller
Excise tax of $1 per $500 (0.2%); seven coastal counties add a local land transfer tax up to 1%.
Transfer taxes are one line of the larger closing bill. For the full picture in North Carolina — title, escrow, attorney conventions, and typical buyer costs — see our North Carolina closing costs guide, or estimate your own bottom line with the seller net proceeds calculator.
How North Carolina compares
Common questions
Does North Carolina have a real estate transfer tax?
Yes. Excise tax of $1 per $500 (0.2%); seven coastal counties add a local land transfer tax up to 1%. On a median-priced North Carolina home (about $330,000), that's roughly $660.
Who pays the transfer tax in North Carolina?
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 North Carolina? 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.