Santa Clara County Transfer Tax Calculator: What to Expect

This simple calculator can help home sellers in Santa Clara County estimate their transfer taxes. To get a ballpark idea of the transfer fees you might pay, 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 Santa Clara 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.

How the Santa Clara County Transfer Tax is Calculated

Santa Clara County’s transfer tax, known as a documentary transfer tax, is calculated at a rate of $0.55 for every $500 of the property’s sale price.

For example, if you sold your home for $2,162,500 (Santa Clara County’s median home price), you could expect to pay $2,378 in Santa Clara County transfer taxes.

»Learn more: Understanding Santa Clara 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 California Closing Cost Calculator. You’ll also get a preliminary look at your estimated net proceeds.

Does the Seller Always Pay the Santa Clara County Transfer Tax?

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

Some sellers in Santa Clara might be eligible for transfer tax exemptions based on specific conditions. Here are some common exemptions:

Gifts: Transferring property as a gift with no payment.
Name changes: Confirming a change of name on the title.
Spousal transfers: Establishing a spouse’s separate property or changing how the title is held.
Government conveyances: Transfers to or from governmental agencies or nonprofit corporations.
Debt-related transfers: Conveyances to secure a debt or reconveyance after debt satisfaction.
Court-ordered transfers: Including those under a reorganization plan or by order of the SEC.
Partnership adjustments: Confirming dissolution of a partnership or changes in partnership interest.
Foreclosure alternatives: Deed in lieu of foreclosure or conveyances during marriage dissolution.

Make Buying and Selling Easier: Most Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County Home Sale

Here are some additional tools to help you plan your Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County home to get started. Along with your cash offer, you’ll also receive an expert estimate of what a top Santa Clara 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:

Santa Clara County Transfer Tax Calculator