Recording fees
The fees the county charges to record the deed and mortgage in the public records. Small compared to other closing costs, but never zero.
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Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
The county charges to record the deed and the mortgage release, and the fees are small and on the settlement statement. By custom the seller pays to record the release of their own mortgage and the buyer pays to record the deed.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
At closing you pay about $60 to record your mortgage release, and the buyer pays about $150 to record the deed and their mortgage.
| The document | Who usually pays to record it |
|---|---|
| The deed | The buyer |
| The buyer's mortgage | The buyer |
| The release of the seller's mortgage | The seller |
Recording fees are small, fixed, and split by who benefits from each document.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That recording fees are the transfer tax. The tax is a percentage of the price; the fee is the clerk's charge per page.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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