Quick answer
A mortgage recording tax is a state or local tax on the amount you borrow, collected when the mortgage or deed of trust is recorded. Only 8 states charge one statewide, under names such as intangible tax, documentary stamp tax or mortgage registry tax, and it is generally paid at closing along with your other closing costs.
Key facts
1%
New York, outside New York City (approximate)
New York Department of Taxation and Finance · Dec 30, 2025
0.55%
Florida, stamp tax plus intangible tax
Florida Statutes 199.133; Florida DOR GT-800014 · Oct 28, 2026
The tax by state
| State | Rate on file | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0.15% | $450 |
| Florida | 0.55% | $1,650 |
| Georgia | 0.3% | $900 |
| Minnesota | 0.23% | $690 |
| New York | 1% | $3,000 |
| Oklahoma | 0.1% | $300 |
| Tennessee | 0.115% | $343 |
| Virginia | 0.25% | $750 |
Local rules change these figures. New York’s rate varies by county and is higher in New York City; Georgia caps its tax; Tennessee exempts a small first slice of the debt; and Virginia charges less on refinances. Your state page, for example New York, has the details.
How it differs from a transfer tax
A transfer tax is based on the sale price and applies whether or not you finance, while a mortgage tax is based on the loan amount, so a bigger down payment lowers it. Because it applies to each new mortgage, it can also come up when you refinance, which is why it matters for refinance closing costs. The closing cost calculator includes it for these states.
Related terms
- Recording fee, the flat government charge for recording
Sources
- Alabama Department of Revenue — State tax on recording a mortgage (Aug 14, 2023)
- Florida Statutes 199.133; Florida DOR GT-800014 — State tax on recording a mortgage (Oct 28, 2026)
- Georgia Department of Revenue — State tax on recording a mortgage (Oct 28, 2026)
- Minnesota Department of Revenue — State tax on recording a mortgage (Oct 28, 2026)
- New York Department of Taxation and Finance — State tax on recording a mortgage (Dec 30, 2025)
- 68 O.S. §1904 — State tax on recording a mortgage (Nov 1, 2025)
- Tennessee Department of Revenue — State tax on recording a mortgage (May 6, 2024)
- Code of Virginia, Title 58.1, Chapter 8 — State tax on recording a mortgage (Oct 28, 2026)
- CFPB: Loan Estimate explainer (taxes and other government fees)
Last reviewed Figures are checked against the sources above. Read our editorial policy. This page is general information, not financial advice — see the disclaimer.