Closing Costs in Florida | What a St. Petersburg Buyer and Seller Each Pay in 2026

A percentage range won't tell a St. Petersburg seller whether $10,000 or $40,000 is leaving their proceeds. The line items will. This guide breaks down closing costs in Florida by who pays them, shows how doc stamps and title insurance are calculated to the dollar, and walks through a full $1.5 million St. Pete sale.

Who Pays Closing Costs in Florida? The Short Answer

In a typical Pinellas County sale, the seller pays the documentary stamp tax on the deed, the buyer's owner's title insurance policy, real estate commissions agreed in the listing, and the association estoppel letter. The buyer pays every loan-related cost: doc stamps on the note, intangible tax on the mortgage, the lender's title policy, recording fees, and lender charges.

That split comes from the standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract and local custom. Custom is not law. Paragraph 9 of your contract decides who pays, and it is negotiable.

Florida Closing Costs Buyer vs Seller

Closing costs for sellers in Florida

• Doc stamps on the deed: 70 cents per $100 of the sale price
• Owner's title policy: customarily paid by the seller in Pinellas, who also picks the title company
• Commissions: as negotiated in the listing
• HOA or condo estoppel letter, if there's an association
• Mortgage payoff and recording its release
• Property tax proration credited to the buyer
• Settlement and title search fees

Buyers' closing costs in Florida

• Doc stamps on the note: 35 cents per $100 of the loan
• Intangible tax on the mortgage: 0.2% of the loan
• Lender's title policy
• Recording fees for the deed and mortgage
• Lender charges: origination, appraisal, credit report, points
• Survey, inspections, prepaid insurance, and escrow deposits

Cash buyers skip every loan-related item on that list.

Doc Stamps in Florida

Florida taxes real estate transfers under Chapter 201 of the 2026 Florida Statutes. The deed rate is 70 cents per $100 of the price (Miami-Dade uses a different rate; Pinellas uses the standard one). The note rate is 35 cents per $100 of the loan. On top of that, section 199.133 adds a one-time intangible tax of 2 mills, or 0.2%, on the mortgage.

A common error: some guides say note doc stamps are capped at $2,450. That cap applies to certain notes not secured by a Florida mortgage. A purchase mortgage has no cap, so a $1.2 million loan pays $4,200.

Title Insurance Cost in Florida

The state sets owner's policy premiums in Rule 69O-186.003: $5.75 per $1,000 on the first $100,000, $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million, and $2.50 per $1,000 from $1 million to $5 million, with lower tiers above that. Every title company quotes the same premium. What you can shop is the settlement, title search, and e-recording fees around it.

When the buyer finances, the lender's policy issued alongside the owner's policy costs $25 plus any endorsements the lender requires.

Who pays title insurance in Florida?

It depends on the county. A 2015 survey by Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund found 44 seller-pays counties and 22 buyer-pays counties. Pinellas follows the seller-pays custom, and under the standard contract, whoever pays for the owner's policy designates the closing agent.

Worked Example: A $1.5 Million Snell Isle Sale

Consider an illustrative sale: a Snell Isle waterfront home sells for $1,500,000 with a $1,200,000 loan. Closing is October 22, 2026, and the annual tax bill is $24,000.

The seller pays:

• Deed doc stamps: $10,500
• Owner's title premium: $6,325 ($575 + $4,500 + $1,250 across the tiers)
• Estoppel letter, if in an association: up to $299, the inflation-adjusted cap under section 720.30851, plus $119 to expedite
• Commissions: every 1% equals $15,000
• Tax proration: $18,558 credited to the buyer

Florida property taxes are billed each November for the year that is ending, so the seller owes the buyer for the days they owned the home. The standard contract prorates through the day before closing and allows for the 4% November discount: $24,000 × 0.96 × 294 ÷ 365 = $18,558.25.

The buyer pays:

• Note doc stamps: $4,200
• Intangible tax: $2,400
• Lender's title policy: $25 plus endorsements
• Recording fees (see the Pinellas Clerk's recording fee calculator), lender fees, inspections, and escrows

Pros and Cons of Two Common Closing Cost Choices

Sellers: paying the owner's title policy

Pros

• Under the standard contract, the seller who pays also picks the closing agent.
• The seller's chosen agent can clear the seller's own liens, open permits, and loan payoffs early.
• The premium itself is set by the state, so it won't vary between title companies.

Cons

• It's a real cost: $6,325 on a $1.5 million sale.
• Buyers in Pinellas expect it, so it's hard to negotiate away.

Buyers: asking for a seller credit toward closing costs

Pros

• Less cash needed on closing day.
• You may have leverage: Pinellas homes took a median of 75 days to sell in September 2026, up 12 days from a year earlier.
• Concessions are still allowed under the 2024 NAR practice changes.

Cons

• It can weaken your offer against a buyer who asks for nothing.
• Lenders cap seller contributions. For a conventional loan on a primary or second home, Fannie Mae allows 3% of the price (or appraised value, if lower) with less than 10% down, 6% with 10% up to 25% down, and 9% with 25% or more down. Credits can only count toward your actual closing costs. The buyer in our example would need a jumbo loan, and jumbo lenders set their own limits, so ask before you write the offer.
• If you raise the price to cover the credit, the appraisal has to support the higher number.

How to Estimate Your Own Closing Costs

1. Start with the contract price and loan amount. Buyers can run the loan through our mortgage calculator.
2. Calculate doc stamps. Sellers: price × 0.007. Buyers: loan × 0.0035, plus loan × 0.002 for intangible tax.
3. Calculate the owner's title premium using the tiers above.
4. Prorate taxes: tax bill × 0.96 ÷ 365 × days the seller owns the home that year.
5. Check the Closing Disclosure, which your lender must deliver at least three business days before closing. Compare it to your Loan Estimate.

Sellers planning a move can pair this with our guide to selling your house in St. Petersburg.

Two Things That Change the Math

Your taxes will reset. The Pinellas County Property Appraiser warns buyers not to rely on the seller's tax bill, because assessed value resets to market value the year after a purchase. File for homestead by March 1.

Foreign sellers face 15% withholding. Federal FIRPTA rules generally require the buyer to withhold 15% of the amount realized, which is $225,000 on a $1.5 million sale. Above $1 million, the way to reduce it is an IRS withholding certificate on Form 8288-B, filed well before closing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are closing costs in Florida?

There is no single percentage. Florida sellers pay deed doc stamps of 0.70% plus the owner's title premium in seller-pays counties like Pinellas, which together run a little over 1% on a $1.5 million sale before commissions. Financed buyers pay 0.55% of the loan in state taxes, plus lender fees, insurance, and escrows.

Who pays doc stamps in Florida, the buyer or the seller?

Both, on different documents. The seller customarily pays the doc stamp tax on the deed, at 70 cents per $100 of the sale price. The buyer pays the doc stamp tax on the promissory note, at 35 cents per $100 of the loan amount. A cash buyer has no note, so pays no note doc stamps.

How much does title insurance cost in Florida?

Owner's policy premiums are set by the state. They are $5.75 per $1,000 on the first $100,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 up to $1 million, then lower rates above that. A $1.5 million home carries a $6,325 premium. A lender's policy issued at the same time costs $25 plus endorsements.

Who pays title insurance in Pinellas County?

By local custom, the seller pays for the buyer's owner's title policy in Pinellas County and usually chooses the title company. The buyer pays for the lender's policy if financing. The purchase contract controls, and the parties can agree to a different split in the closing cost and title paragraph.

Do cash buyers pay closing costs in Florida?

Yes, but less. Cash buyers skip note doc stamps, the intangible tax, the lender's title policy, and lender fees. They still pay recording fees for the deed, any survey and inspections they order, their share of settlement fees, and homeowners insurance. In Pinellas, the seller typically still pays the owner's title policy.

Know Your Numbers Before You Sign

So who pays closing costs in Florida? In St. Petersburg, sellers carry deed doc stamps and the owner's title policy. Buyers carry the loan-related taxes and fees. Everything else is set in the contract, which is where these costs are won or lost.

Want a line-by-line net sheet built on your actual price, loan, and closing date? Contact Eagan Luxury and we'll run your numbers before you commit to anything.