Closing costs in Florida: the complete list

Florida's transaction taxes

These are set by statute and are not negotiable. What does vary is who pays them, and on new construction the builder usually absorbs the one on the deed.

In numbers: a 350,000 dollar home with a 245,000 loan generates about 2,450 in doc stamps on the deed, 858 on the note and 490 in intangible tax. Miami-Dade County applies a different rate on the deed; Central Florida counties follow the table above.

Rates in force as of November 2026 per the Florida Department of Revenue. Doc stamps are calculated per 100 dollars or fraction thereof, so the amount rounds up. Confirm final figures on the closing statement before wiring funds.

Title, closing and due diligence

• Owner's title insurance. Protects your ownership against prior claims. In Florida the rate is promulgated, and on new construction the builder usually pays it if you use its title company.
• Lender's title insurance. If you finance, the bank requires its own policy. It is cheaper when issued alongside the owner's policy.
• Title search and closing fee. 400 to 1,200 dollars. Covers reviewing the chain of title and conducting the closing.
• Survey. 350 to 700 dollars. On new construction it is sometimes already done.
• Appraisal. 550 to 900 dollars if you finance. On foreign national loans it can cost more.
• Private inspection. 400 to 900 dollars, optional but strongly advised, and more so on new construction.

What is prepaid and is not an expense

Here is the most common confusion. A large share of the money at closing is not a cost: it is your own money paid forward, sitting in an account in your name.

• First year of homeowners insurance. Paid in full at closing, 1,500 to 3,000 dollars on a new block home.
• Prorated property tax. Adjusted between seller and buyer according to the closing date.
• Escrow funding. The lender holds 2 to 6 months of tax and insurance to make sure the bills get paid. That is your money held, not a charge.
• Interest for the current month. The days between closing and month end.
• Initial HOA fees. There is usually a one-time capital contribution, 100 to 500 dollars, plus the first quarter in advance.

What the builder can cover

This is the practical difference of buying new. On a resale, closing costs come almost entirely out of your pocket; on new construction there is an incentive budget that usually points right at them.

The way I work is to ask for both quotes and set the numbers side by side: what you save with the credit at closing versus what you save with the rate buydown across the time you plan to keep the home. The answer changes with the horizon, which is why it cannot be decided from memory.

Three warnings about closing day

• Confirm wire instructions by voice. Wire fraud is the most frequent crime in US real estate. Call the title company at a number you already had, not the one in the email, and verify bank, account and beneficiary by reading them aloud.
• Ask for the closing statement days in advance. You have the right to review it beforehand. If you finance, the official disclosure must reach you at least three business days before signing.
• Read it line by line and ask. I have found duplicated charges and insurance the client never requested. Fixing them before signing takes minutes; afterward, weeks.

Market ranges for Central Florida as of November 2026, for planning. Not tax or legal advice. Final amounts depend on the county, the lender, the title company and the incentives in force, and appear on the closing statement for your transaction.