Miami Condo Closing Costs: Doc Stamps, Title and Fees

On a typical Miami-Dade condo purchase, the state taxes are the predictable part of closing: the seller customarily pays documentary stamp tax of $0.60 per $100 on the deed, and a buyer who finances pays $0.35 per $100 on the note plus a 0.2% intangible tax on the mortgage. Title insurance, which Miami-Dade buyers customarily pay, and lender fees make up most of the rest.

Deed stamps: why a condo unit pays $0.60, not $1.05

Florida charges documentary stamp tax of $0.70 per $100 on deeds in every county except Miami-Dade, where the base rate is $0.60 per $100, according to the Florida Department of Revenue. Miami-Dade also levies a $0.45 surtax, but only on property that is not a single-family residence.

For condo buyers the key detail is the definition. Section 201.031 of the Florida Statutes and Department of Revenue rule 12B-4.012 both say a single-family residence includes a condominium unit, so a deed for one residential condo unit pays the $0.60 rate without the surtax. The surtax comes in when a deed conveys more than one residence or a non-residential property. Who pays the deed stamps is set by the contract; the standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract lists them as a seller cost.

Taxes on the mortgage (financed buyers only)

• Documentary stamp tax on the note: $0.35 per $100 of the loan, per the Department of Revenue.
• Nonrecurring intangible tax: 2 mills, or $0.002 per dollar, on the amount secured by Florida real estate, under section 199.133.

A cash buyer pays neither.

A worked example at today's median price

Own.Miami's count of recorded deeds puts the median Miami-Dade condo resale at $380,000 in September 2026. On that price:

• Deed stamps at $0.60 per $100: $2,280 (customarily the seller's).
• A buyer putting 20% down borrows $304,000: note stamps $1,064 plus intangible tax $608, or $1,672 in loan taxes.

Had the $1.05 rate applied, the deed stamps would have been $3,990, which is why it is worth checking the rate on your closing statement.

Title insurance in Miami-Dade

Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation sets title insurance premium rates, so the premium for a given price does not change from one title company to another; the costs you can compare are the other title and closing charges. Who pays is local custom: in Miami-Dade the buyer customarily pays for and chooses the owner's policy, the reverse of the seller-pays custom in much of Florida. It is negotiable in the contract.

Association charges

Before closing, the association issues an estoppel certificate stating what the unit owes. Section 718.116 of the Florida Statutes caps that fee and indexes it to inflation every five years; after the 2022 adjustment the cap for a standard certificate is $299, with extra fees allowed for a rush request or a delinquent account. Some associations also charge application or transfer fees, so ask for the building's figures early.

Who is likely to pay these costs

Financing changes the bill. In the 806 condo buildings Own.Miami tracks, 2,616 of 8,738 recorded sales in the last 12 months, about 30%, were paired with a purchase mortgage from a regulated lender. In the other 70% of sales no regulated purchase loan was recorded; a buyer who pays cash skips the note stamps and intangible tax. A financed buyer adds those taxes plus lender fees and prepaid escrows. For the full budget, see how much it costs to buy a Miami condo.

Questions for your closing agent

• Is the deed taxed at $0.60 per $100, and if not, why?
• Who pays the deed stamps and the owner's title policy under my contract?
• What are this association's estoppel, application and transfer fees?

This guide is general education, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm the figures for your transaction with your closing agent, attorney or lender.