NJ Realty Transfer Fee: Rates, Calculator & Who Pays

The NJ realty transfer fee is a state-imposed charge collected every time a deed is recorded in New Jersey. Sellers pay it. It is not a negotiating point. It shows up as a line item on your closing statement, deducted from your proceeds before you see a dollar. We opened in 2018 and have bought houses through every market cycle since. This fee surprises sellers more than almost any other closing cost we see. Our goal here is simple: know every fee before you sit down at the table, so the number you hear is the number you keep. Run your exact figure in the calculator above, then read on for the rules behind it.

NJ realty transfer fee calculator

How the Fee Is Calculated: The Per-$500 Rule

The NJ RTF is charged per $500 of consideration, rounded up to the next $500, then multiplied by the applicable rate for each bracket.

The state cuts your sale price into $500 chunks. If the price does not land exactly on a $500 increment, you round up to the next one. Then you multiply each $500 chunk by the rate tied to that price band. The math sounds straightforward, but the rate table has multiple bands. The rate you use depends on whether your total price sits at or under $350,000 or above it. The NJ Division of Taxation's realty transfer fee page publishes the official rate schedules. For a closer look at how this fee fits with everything else you owe at closing, read our guide to NJ seller closing costs.

The $350,000 Cliff: Why One Dollar Costs $634

Crossing $350,000 by even $1 forces the higher RTF table onto the entire sale price, jumping the fee from $2,105 to $2,739.80.

This is the detail that blindsides sellers every single year in Camden, Gloucester, and Burlington counties. At or under $350,000, you use the lower rate schedule. Over $350,000, the higher schedule applies to the whole price, not just the portion above $350,000. A $350,000 sale owes $2,105, but a $350,001 sale owes $2,739.80. That is a $634.80 difference for one dollar of consideration. We will admit the fee looks small and flat on most estimate sheets, and that is exactly why the cliff catches people: it is not predictable without doing the actual math. If your sale price is hovering near $350,000, the calculator above is the first thing you should use.

Standard Rate Table: Under vs. Over $350,000

Reduced Rate Worked Examples

A qualifying senior selling for $280,000 owes $475; at $400,000 the reduced fee is $1,495, far below the standard rates.

The savings add up fast. A qualifying 62-year-old New Jersey resident selling a home for $280,000 files Form RTF-1 and owes only $475 in realty transfer fee. Under the standard rate for that same price, the bill is $1,559. Move up to a $400,000 sale and the gap widens. The reduced fee comes to $1,495, while the standard rate runs $3,215. That is a $1,720 difference on a single transaction. You can check the reduced rate schedule and the FAQs yourself on the NJ RTF FAQ page. One point worth knowing clearly: the low and moderate income exemption is not about what you earn. It applies to deed-restricted affordable housing units. A seller with a modest income does not qualify for that exemption just because their income is low. The exemption follows the property, not the person.

When the Fee Is Paid and Who Collects It

The NJ realty transfer fee is paid at closing from the seller's proceeds, collected by the county clerk when the deed is recorded.

The fee is due at closing. Your title company or closing attorney deducts it from your proceeds and sends it to the county clerk when the deed is recorded. You never write a separate check. It happens quietly in the background. But it shows up on your settlement statement, and you should know the exact number before you sit down to sign. Whether you sell through a traditional listing or directly to a cash buyer, the realty transfer fee is the same. We charge no commission and cover our own closing costs. The transfer fee itself is set by law and owed on the sale either way, so ask any buyer, including us, to show it on the net sheet. For sellers working through a divorce, the full picture of taxable events is in our guide to taxes on selling the marital home in NJ.

Cash Sale vs. Listed Sale: The Fee Is Identical

The NJ realty transfer fee is the same whether a seller lists with an agent or sells directly to a cash buyer, price determines the fee, not method.

Most sellers assume a cash sale somehow changes the transfer fee. It does not. The fee is calculated on the sale price, full stop. What does change with a cash sale is what you skip paying: no agent commission, no repair credits, no inspection renegotiations. We charge no fees and no commission. Our offer comes with a net sheet that shows the transfer fee and any liens, so you can compare real numbers. The transfer fee is the same either way. Know that number before you compare your actual net. Know every fee before closing, so the number you hear on day one is the number you keep.

South Jersey Sellers: What to Expect at the County Clerk

In Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Atlantic, and other South Jersey counties, the deed and RTF are recorded at the county clerk within days of closing.

We buy homes in Camden, Gloucester, Burlington, Atlantic, Cumberland, Salem, Cape May, and Ocean counties. Every one of those counties collects the realty transfer fee at the clerk's office when the deed is filed. Timing shifts a little depending on where you are. Some counties record same-day, others take a few business days. If you're selling an inherited property in Gloucester County or a distressed home in Atlantic City, the fee calculation works exactly the same as any other sale. Inherited homes often carry their own tax questions on top of the transfer fee. Our guide to selling an inherited house in NJ covers the full picture. Our NJ exit tax calculator covers the nonresident seller estimated GIT payment, which is a separate cost from the RTF entirely. Both of these charges can show up on the same closing statement, so knowing what each one is before you get to that table matters.

Ready to Know Your Exact Net?

Calculate your transfer fee above, get a cash offer, and know your net, we cover our own closing costs, charge zero commission, and respond within 24 hours.

Use the calculator above to find your transfer fee, then reach out to us for a no-obligation cash offer. We pay our own closing costs, charge zero commission, and get back to you within 24 hours. You will know every fee before you sign anything.