Seller Closing Costs in Miami: Full Line-by-Line Breakdown

A Miami condo seller's net proceeds are not sale price minus mortgage. Five cost categories come out before you see a dollar: documentary stamp tax, title insurance, commission, HOA estoppel, and prorations. What each one costs, who pays what, and where Miami-Dade differs from the rest of South Florida.

Published August 31, 2026

Documentary stamp tax: the line sellers most often underestimate

Florida imposes a documentary stamp tax on every deed transfer under Section 201.02 of the Florida Statutes: 70 cents per $100 of consideration, or 0.7 percent of the sale price. In Miami-Dade County, that is not the complete number. Under the Miami-Dade Affordable Housing Surtax Program, authorized by Florida Statute 201.031, an additional 60 cents per $100 applies to residential deed transfers — bringing the combined rate to $1.30 per $100, or 1.3 percent of the gross sale price, paid by the seller.

On a $600,000 condo, that is $7,800. On a $1.2 million unit, $15,600. This is not a negotiated cost — it is a tax set by statute and county ordinance, and it does not move regardless of how the contract is written.

Sellers who have transacted in Broward or Palm Beach often assume Miami-Dade works the same way. The state base rate of $0.70 is uniform statewide; the county surtax is not. Miami-Dade's $0.60 surtax is higher than the surtax in most other Florida counties. Run the combined $1.30 rate before you sign a listing agreement so it does not surface as a surprise on the settlement statement.

Separately, the buyer pays their own documentary stamps on the new mortgage note ($0.35 per $100 of loan amount under FL Stat 201.08) and an intangible tax on the mortgage (0.2 percent of the loan amount). These appear on the buyer's side of the closing disclosure, not the seller's.

Owner's title insurance: who pays depends on the county

Florida does not mandate which party pays for the owner's title insurance policy — the contract controls. In Miami-Dade, the local custom is for the seller to pay for the owner's policy. In Broward and Palm Beach, the custom runs the other way; buyers typically pay. If you have bought or sold in Broward and assume Miami-Dade follows the same practice, correct that assumption before listing.

Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation sets promulgated title insurance rates — the rate is not negotiated between title companies and does not vary from one closing agent to the next. The premium is calculated on the purchase price. If the property was insured within the relevant lookback period, a reissue credit may be available; ask your closing agent whether the prior title commitment qualifies. The owner's policy is a one-time premium covering title defects that existed prior to closing — a lien the seller did not disclose, an error in a prior deed, a boundary dispute. For the seller, it is simply a line on the HUD-1 or ALTA statement.

Agent commission: post-August 2024 structure

The NAR settlement that took effect in August 2024 changed how commissions are structured and disclosed. MLS rules no longer allow sellers to make blanket offers of buyer-agent compensation through the listing database. Commissions are now negotiated directly: what you pay your listing agent, and separately what you are willing to contribute toward the buyer's agent compensation.

In practice, many Miami condo transactions still reflect total commission figures in the 4 to 6 percent range, split under various arrangements between the listing side and the buyer side. On a $600,000 condo at 5 percent total, that is $30,000. Commission is the largest single variable in the seller's cost calculation, and it is the only cost category where the number is fully negotiated.

Condo estoppel certificate

Every condo sale requires an estoppel certificate from the association: a document certifying the seller's account status — monthly assessment amount, any outstanding balance, any pending special assessments, and whether the unit is current. Lenders and buyers require it; the association is the only entity that can produce it.

Section 718.503(1) of the Florida Statutes caps the estoppel fee at $299.50 for a standard certificate. An expedited certificate — prepared within three business days — permits an additional fee beyond that cap. The estoppel fee is typically the seller's cost, though it can be negotiated. Request the estoppel as early as possible in the contract period — late requests routinely end up in the expedited tier regardless of intent, and the fee increases accordingly.

Prorations and remaining items

Florida property taxes are paid in arrears: you pay this year's taxes next year. A closing in August 2026 means the buyer receives a credit for the portion of the 2026 tax year the seller occupied the property — estimated at closing using the 2025 bill, re-prorated when the actual 2026 bill issues in late October. Most contracts include a re-proration provision for the difference.

HOA dues or maintenance fees prorate through the closing date. If you have prepaid a quarter or month that extends beyond closing, the buyer owes you the unused portion. If you are behind, it appears on the estoppel and is deducted at closing.

Deed recording fees are a minor item. The Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts charges $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page of the recorded deed. A standard two-page deed costs $18.50 to record. Who bears the recording fee is a contract question — it is typically a small enough number that neither party pushes hard on it.

A worked example on a $600,000 condo

Documentary stamp tax on deed

$7,800 — 1.3% of $600,000 (FL Stat 201.02 + Miami-Dade surtax under FL Stat 201.031)

Owner's title insurance

Florida promulgated rate on the purchase price — confirm with your closing agent

Agent commission at 5%

$30,000 — fully negotiated; this is an illustrative figure

HOA estoppel certificate

Up to $299.50 standard; additional fee for expedited (FL Stat 718.503(1))

Property tax proration

Varies; estimated at closing against the prior year bill, re-prorated when actual bill issues

Deed recording fee

$18.50 for a standard two-page deed (contract-dependent)

For a $600,000 sale with a 5 percent commission and the seller paying owner's title, total seller costs typically land between 7 and 8.5 percent of the sale price before any mortgage payoff. The documentary stamps and title insurance are effectively fixed by statute and promulgated rate; commission is where the number moves.

Before listing, review the association's records for any pending special assessment or reserve shortfall — an assessment disclosed late in a transaction can reopen negotiations or kill a deal entirely. Knowing what the estoppel will show before the buyer sees it is the most useful thing a seller can do in the first week after signing a listing agreement.

Frequently asked questions

Does the seller always pay the documentary stamp tax in Florida?

Yes, by statute. Section 201.02 of the Florida Statutes places the documentary stamp tax on deed transfers on the seller. In Miami-Dade, the county surtax under FL Stat 201.031 also falls on the seller. The combined Miami-Dade rate is $1.30 per $100 of the sale price.

Why is Miami-Dade's doc stamp rate higher than Broward's?

Miami-Dade collects an additional affordable housing surtax of $0.60 per $100 under state authority (FL Stat 201.031). Most other Florida counties impose a smaller surtax or none at all. The Miami-Dade surtax has been in place since 1984 and funds the county's Housing Assistance Loan Trust Fund.

Who pays for title insurance in Miami-Dade?

By local custom, the seller pays for the owner's title insurance policy. This differs from Broward and Palm Beach counties, where the buyer typically pays. The allocation is a contract provision, not a legal requirement — but most Miami-Dade transactions follow the local custom unless a party specifically negotiates otherwise.

When does the HOA estoppel cost more than $299.50?

When the request is expedited (within three business days), or if the association's governing documents permit additional fees beyond the statutory cap. The standard cap under FL Stat 718.503(1) is $299.50. Request the estoppel at contract execution, not during the inspection period, to keep the standard fee and avoid the expedited tier.

Are there closing costs the seller can negotiate?

The documentary stamp tax is set by statute — it does not move. Title insurance uses Florida promulgated rates — the same regardless of which title company handles the closing. Commission is fully negotiable and is the largest variable. The allocation of estoppel fees, recording fees, and prorations can all be addressed in the contract, but they are small numbers relative to commission and doc stamps.

Stefania Riverin, Licensed Real Estate Sales Associate · FL SL3620067 · Brokered by NB Elite Realty · 1101 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131 · Equal Housing Opportunity. General information only — not legal or tax advice.