Contra Costa County Transfer Tax Calculator

Published on July 16th, 2025

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Contra Costa County Transfer Tax Calculator: What to Expect

This simple calculator can help home sellers in Contra Costa County estimate their transfer taxes. To get a ballpark idea of the transfer fees you might pay in Coco County, enter your home’s estimated selling price above.

Need a selling price? Try HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator to see what your house might be worth. To receive a more accurate listing price, contact a top Contra Costa County real estate agent and request a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), a report that will compare your home against nearby listed and recently sold properties.

A top real estate agent can provide you with a Seller’s Net Sheet that breaks down all the costs of selling your home, along with an estimate of the proceeds you can expect. Use HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform to find a trusted local agent with excellent reviews and a proven track record.

How the Contra Costa County Transfer Tax is Calculated

Contra Costa County’s transfer tax, known as a Documentary Transfer Tax, is calculated at a rate of $0.55 per $500 of the property’s sale price.

For example, if you sold your home for $907,000 (Contra Costa County’s median home price), you could expect to pay $1,000 in Contra Costa County transfer taxes.

Another Transfer Tax Contra Costa County Sellers Typically Pay

Many counties and local governments also charge home sellers a real estate transfer tax.

If you’re selling a property in Richmond or El Cerrito in Contra Costa County, you are subject to additional transfer taxes. Transfer taxes in these cities are split between the buyer and the seller.

Richmond (% of purchase price):

$100 to $999,999: 0.7%
$1,000,000 to $2,999,999: 1.25%
$3,000,000 to $9,999,999: 2.5% $10,000,000 and above: 3%

El Cerrito – $12.00 per $100,000

»Learn more: Understanding Contra Costa County’s Transfer Tax: A Quick Guide

See the bigger home sale picture: To see what your entire home sale might cost, try HomeLight’s Contra Costa County Seller Closing Cost Calculator. You’ll also get a preliminary look at your estimated net proceeds.

Does the Seller Always Pay the Contra Costa County Transfer Tax?

While it’s customary for the seller to pay the Contra Costa County transfer tax, who pays can sometimes be a point of negotiation between the buyer and seller during the closing process.

Some Contra Costa County home sales may be exempt, such as:

When the value of the outstanding liens equals or exceeds the property’s value
The property is less than $100
Leasehold interest with a term, including options, of less than 35 years
Instrument securing a debt for collateral purposes only
A government agency is acquiring the title
Transfer between spouses due to divorce
The seller is a non-federal government agency
Buyer is a non-profit corporation
Interests transferred outright to, or in trust for the benefit of any person or entity
The transfer is the result of a gift (IRS gift tax may apply)
The property is being transferred due to a death

Make Buying and Selling Easier: Most Contra Costa County sellers are also buyers looking to purchase a new home. With HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program, you can make a non-contingent offer on your new home and only move once. Watch this short video to learn more.

More Resources to Plan Your Contra Costa County Home Sale

Here are some additional tools to help you plan your Contra Costa County home sale:

Sell fast without paying fees or commissions: Get a cash offer today.

With HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform, you can receive a no-obligation, all-cash offer for your Contra Costa County home in 24 hours. If you accept the offer, you can close in as few as 10 days. Answer a few questions about your Contra Costa County home to get started. Along with your cash offer, you’ll also receive an expert estimate of what a top Contra Costa County agent might be able to get for your home. Receive both selling options with one tool.

As you look ahead to your next home purchase, here are some helpful buyer tools:

At HomeLight, our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying. Therefore, we promote strict editorial integrity in each of our posts.