Does Utah have a real estate transfer tax?

No. Utah does not impose any state or county real estate transfer tax, deed tax, or documentary stamp tax on property sales. It is one of about a dozen states with no transfer tax, so the transfer tax on any Utah home sale is zero.

What do I pay to record a deed in Utah?

Utah counties charge a flat recording fee, currently about $40 per document under state law, to record the deed. Additional documents like a mortgage or reconveyance each carry their own flat fee, but these are small recording charges, not a tax on value.

Is the recording fee based on the home's price?

No. Utah's recording fee is a flat per-document amount and does not scale with the sale price. Whether the home sells for $200,000 or $2,000,000, the recording fee for the deed is the same flat amount.

Who pays the recording fee in Utah?

By custom the buyer often pays to record the deed and the new mortgage at closing, but it is negotiable and can be split. Because the amounts are flat and small, recording fees are a minor line item in a Utah closing.

Are there other taxes when selling a home in Utah?

You may owe federal and Utah capital gains tax on the profit from the sale, but that is an income tax, not a transfer tax. Use the Utah capital gains calculator for that. Property taxes are prorated at closing but are also separate from any transfer tax.

Utah Real Estate Transfer Tax Calculator

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If you are budgeting for a Utah home sale, here is the good news: Utah charges no real estate transfer tax at all. This tool confirms the zero transfer tax and estimates the only mandatory charge you do pay — the flat county fee to record your documents.

How it works

Most states tax property transfers at a rate per 500 dollars of price, but Utah does not:

Utah state transfer tax    $0
Utah county transfer tax   $0
Deed / documentary stamp   none
Recording fee              ~$40 flat per document

The recording fee is a flat charge set by state law, currently about 40 dollars per document, regardless of the sale price. Recording the deed is one document; a new mortgage or a reconveyance each add another flat fee.

Example

Selling a 450,000 dollar home in Utah triggers 0 dollars of transfer tax. If you record the deed and a new mortgage, that is two documents at about 40 dollars each, so roughly 80 dollars in recording fees — the entire mandatory cost on the transfer side.

Notes

This covers transfer tax and recording fees only. Capital gains tax, prorated property taxes, title insurance, and escrow charges are separate. Recording fees vary slightly by county, so confirm your county recorder’s current schedule and verify there is no transfer tax at tax.utah.gov.