Updated · Mike Certo, NMLS #260555
Massachusetts Deeds Excise, Land Bank Fees, and Closing Costs (2026)
Massachusetts calls its transfer tax the deeds excise, and the seller pays it. It runs about $4.56 per $1,000 statewide, more on Cape Cod, and the islands add a 2% Land Bank fee the buyer covers. This page walks the rates, the loan limits, and the transfer fee that did not become law.
How the deeds excise works
Massachusetts charges a deeds excise, its version of a transfer tax, when property changes hands. The statutory base is $2.00 per $500 of price, and with the state surtax the effective rate is $2.28 per $500, which is $4.56 per $1,000, or about 0.456%. The seller pays it and affixes the tax stamps at the registry of deeds. On the state median single-family price of about $715,000, the excise comes to roughly $3,260, and it scales with the sale.
The Cape and the islands cost more
Two parts of the state run higher. Barnstable County, which is Cape Cod, charges $6.48 per $1,000 rather than the statewide $4.56, because a county excise is layered on top of the state rate. And on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, the Land Bank adds a 2% fee that the buyer pays, funding conservation. Both islands exempt a large chunk of the price for a qualifying first-time buyer, so the fee often lands only on the amount above the exemption. If you are buying on the Cape or the islands, budget for the higher figure.
| Location | Transfer cost | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Most of Massachusetts | $4.56 per $1,000 (deeds excise) | Seller |
| Barnstable County (Cape Cod) | $6.48 per $1,000 | Seller |
| Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard | 2% Land Bank fee, plus the state excise | Buyer pays the 2% |
Rates per M.G.L. c.64D and the county and Land Bank schedules, verified August 2026. Island exemption amounts reset annually; confirm the current figure with the Land Bank.
The transfer fee that did not happen
You may have read that Massachusetts towns can now charge a transfer fee on million-dollar home sales. They cannot, at least not yet. A local-option transfer fee of up to 2% on high-value sales was proposed and then stripped out of the 2024 Affordable Homes Act before it passed. It lives on only as pending legislation and a set of home-rule petitions. As of 2026, no Massachusetts municipality actually levies one. If a calculator adds a local transfer fee to a Boston or Cambridge sale, it is charging you for something that is not law.
The Boston-metro loan limit most sites get wrong
Because Massachusetts is expensive, the loan limit matters here, and one number is widely misquoted. In the Boston-metro counties, Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, and Plymouth, the 2026 limit is $962,550 for both conforming and FHA loans, and those two happen to match. It is not $1,249,125, the figure many websites stamp on the whole area. Only Dukes and Nantucket counties reach that ceiling. The rest of the state, including Barnstable and the western counties, uses the $832,750 baseline. Cross your county's limit and you are in jumbo territory.
What else is in Massachusetts closing costs?
Beyond the excise, plan for the usual buyer costs, roughly 2% to 5% of the price:
- Title insurance and search at Massachusetts rates, plus settlement fees.
- Lender and third-party fees (appraisal, credit, flood certification) on your Loan Estimate.
- Prepaids and escrows for homeowners insurance and property taxes.
- Recording fees at the registry of deeds.
MassHousing assistance is built for the buyer side. It gives up to $30,000 as a 0% deferred second, and the ONE Mortgage keeps the down payment at 3% with no mortgage insurance. The down payment assistance page shows how they layer.
Massachusetts deeds excise FAQ
How much is the Massachusetts deeds excise?
About $4.56 per $1,000 of price statewide, and the seller pays it. On a $715,000 home that is roughly $3,260. Barnstable County, on Cape Cod, is higher at $6.48 per $1,000. The excise is Massachusetts's version of a transfer tax, and the seller affixes the tax stamps at the registry of deeds.
Do Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard have extra transfer fees?
Yes. Both islands add a 2% Land Bank fee that the buyer pays, on top of the state deeds excise. Each island exempts a large portion of the price for a qualifying first-time buyer, the first $1.4 million on Nantucket in 2026, so the 2% often applies only to the amount above the exemption. Confirm the current exemption with the Land Bank.
Can Massachusetts towns charge a transfer fee on expensive sales?
No, not today. The local-option transfer fee on high-value sales was removed from the 2024 Affordable Homes Act before it passed, and it exists now only as pending legislation. As of 2026, no Massachusetts town levies one. Sellers pay the state deeds excise, and the Cape and islands carry their higher local rates, but there is no municipal transfer fee in effect.
What is the Boston-area conforming loan limit for 2026?
$962,550 in Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, and Plymouth counties, for both conforming and FHA, which match in the Boston metro. That is lower than the $1,249,125 many sites quote; only Dukes and Nantucket reach that ceiling. The rest of Massachusetts uses the $832,750 baseline. Above your county's limit, a loan is a jumbo.