Closing costs in Virginia
Virginia is the DMV's cheapest place to close. Buyers pay a recordation tax of about 0.33% (state plus local); sellers pay a grantor tax of 0.1% — though in Northern Virginia, two regional fees triple the seller side to 0.3%. Even so, the combined government take is well under half of DC's or Montgomery County's. The calculator below is preset for a Northern Virginia deal.
Preset for Northern Virginia (regional fees included) — flip the toggle to compare. Guides: Washington, DC · Maryland · all three side by side.
Sellers: this excludes the real-estate commission, which is separate and negotiated in your listing agreement.
Get an exact estimate from Kelly →Rough estimate only — not a quote, and not legal or tax advice. Rates below are cited directly to the Code of Virginia and current as of September 2026. Statutory defaults name who pays, but — as everywhere — the parties may reallocate them in the contract. Confirm exact figures with your lender and settlement/title company — Kelly will walk you through the real numbers for your deal.
Virginia's taxes, piece by piece
| Tax | Rate | Who pays (statutory default) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| State recordation tax | 0.25% | Buyer, by universal practice | §58.1-801 |
| Local recordation tax | ⅓ of the state rate (≈0.083%) | Buyer | §58.1-814 |
| State grantor's tax | 0.1% | Seller — “shall be paid by the grantor” | §58.1-802 |
| Regional WMATA fee (NoVA only) | 0.1% | Seller | §58.1-802.3 |
| Regional congestion fee (NoVA only) | 0.1% | Seller | §58.1-802.4 |
Net effect: buyers pay about 0.33% everywhere in Virginia, and sellers pay 0.3% in Northern Virginia — or just 0.1% in the rest of the state, where the two regional fees don't apply.
Which places count as “Northern Virginia”?
The two regional seller-side fees apply in exactly nine jurisdictions — the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. Sell in Arlington and the seller side is 0.3%; sell in, say, Fredericksburg and it's 0.1%. Nearly all of Kelly's Virginia business — Arlington, McLean, Great Falls — sits inside the fee region, which is why the calculator's Virginia preset includes them.
Why Virginia closings cost less
Add both sides together and Virginia's government take on a Northern Virginia sale is about 0.63% of the price — versus 2.2%–2.9% in DC — and Montgomery County, with its graduated recordation ladder plus state and county transfer taxes, runs higher still. On a $750,000 home, that's several thousand dollars staying in the parties' pockets, and it's a genuine factor when buyers weigh the same budget across the river. The DC guide and Maryland guide show the other side of the comparison.
What else is in “closing costs”
Beyond taxes: title search and insurance, settlement fees, lender charges and prepaid escrows — roughly ~1–1.5% more for buyers as a planning figure (the calculator's "other" field). Sellers separately account for the commission in their listing agreement. For the process end to end, see the buyer's guide and seller's guide.
Virginia closing costs, asked and answered
Who pays closing costs in Virginia?
By statutory default the buyer pays the recordation taxes (about 0.33% combined state and local) and the seller pays the grantor tax — 0.1% statewide, plus two 0.1% regional fees in Northern Virginia that bring the seller side to 0.3%. Each side also carries its own title, settlement and lender charges, and the parties can reallocate any of it in the contract.
How much are closing costs in Virginia for a buyer?
Plan on roughly 0.33% in recordation taxes plus about 1–1.5% for title, lender and escrow charges — typically 1.5–2% of the price all-in, the lightest closing-tax load in the DMV. Kelly builds an exact, deal-specific estimate before any offer goes in.
What is the grantor tax?
Virginia's seller-side tax on the deed — 50 cents per $500 of price (0.1%), which the statute says the seller pays. In Northern Virginia, the regional WMATA and congestion-relief fees ride on top of it, at 0.1% each.
Why do sellers pay more in Northern Virginia than the rest of the state?
Two regional levies — a transportation fee that funds Metro and a congestion-relief fee — apply only in the nine NoVA jurisdictions (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, plus Alexandria, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park). They add 0.2% to the seller side there, tripling it from 0.1% to 0.3%.
Does Virginia have a first-time homebuyer tax break at closing?
Not on these taxes — unlike DC's reduced recordation rate and Maryland's first-time transfer-tax rule, Virginia's recordation and grantor taxes have no first-time-buyer discount. First-time help in Virginia comes through loan and grant programs instead, which your lender can walk through.
Are Virginia closing costs lower than DC and Maryland?
Substantially. Combined government charges on a Northern Virginia sale run about 0.63% of the price, versus 2.2–2.9% in DC, with Montgomery County running higher still. The three-jurisdiction calculator on this page makes the comparison instantly for your price.
Know your Virginia costs before you write the offer.
Kelly builds every client a clear, deal-specific cost estimate up front — and negotiates credits and terms to keep more in your pocket.