Published · Mike Certo, NMLS #260555
The Ohio conveyance fee, explained: who pays, how much by county, and the jumbo myth.
Two things trip up buyers and sellers on an Ohio closing. First, the conveyance fee is not the same in every county. Second, a lot of online guides claim Ohio has high-cost mortgage counties. It does not. Here is the straight version of both.
How the conveyance fee works
Ohio's conveyance fee is the state's version of a transfer tax. The mandatory piece is small: $1 for every $1,000 of the sale price, set by Ohio Revised Code 319.54. On top of that, each county may charge a permissive fee of up to $3 more per $1,000. So the total you actually pay depends entirely on the county.
How much by county
Most large Ohio counties sit at $3 per $1,000, a few at the $4 maximum. Here is the picture for three of the biggest.
| County | Rate per $1,000 | On a $285,000 home |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin (Columbus) | $3.00 | ≈ $855 |
| Hamilton (Cincinnati) | $3.00 | ≈ $855 |
| Cuyahoga (Cleveland) | $4.00 | ≈ $1,140 |
County rates verified at the county auditor sites, August 2026. Permissive rates are set locally and can change; confirm with your county auditor.
Who pays it
In Ohio, the seller customarily pays the conveyance fee. That is the opposite of many states, where a transfer tax gets split between buyer and seller. No statute forces it onto either party, so the contract can move it, but seller-paid is the norm across the state. For a buyer, that is one fewer line in your cash-to-close. For a seller pricing a home, build it into your net.
The high-cost county myth
Here is the one that confuses people. Some blogs, and even some calculators, say certain Ohio counties have higher mortgage limits. For conforming loans, that is wrong. All 88 Ohio counties use the same 2026 conforming baseline of $832,750, and not one qualifies for the high-cost conforming ceiling. Where the confusion comes from: ten Columbus-area counties carry a slightly higher FHA loan limit of $591,100. That is the FHA program, a different thing, and still well under the conforming baseline. If your Ohio loan crosses $832,750, it is a jumbo, anywhere in the state.
Where the down payment help fits
The conveyance fee is a seller cost, so it does not hit a buyer's closing directly. What does hit the buyer is the down payment plus 2% to 5% in closing costs. That is where OHFA's Your Choice assistance earns its keep. It gives 2.5% or 5% of the price toward down payment and closing, forgiven after seven years, and it applies to closing costs, not just the down payment. The down payment assistance guide shows how it layers.
Ohio conveyance fee FAQ
How much is the Ohio conveyance fee?
The state charges $1 per $1,000 of price, and counties add a permissive fee of up to $3 more, so the total runs $3 to $4 per $1,000. Franklin and Hamilton counties are $3; Cuyahoga is at the $4 maximum. On a $285,000 home that is about $855 in a $3 county. A small per-parcel fee applies as well.
Who pays the conveyance fee in Ohio, buyer or seller?
The seller customarily pays it in Ohio. No statute assigns it, so the purchase contract can shift it, but seller-paid is the default statewide. That differs from many states where buyer and seller split a transfer tax. For an Ohio buyer, it means one less cost at closing.
Does Ohio have high-cost mortgage counties?
No, not for conforming loans. Every Ohio county uses the 2026 conforming baseline of $832,750, and none reaches the high-cost ceiling. Ten Columbus-area counties carry a higher FHA limit of $591,100, but that is FHA, a separate program, not the conforming limit. Above $832,750 an Ohio loan is a jumbo everywhere in the state.
Figures verified against Ohio Revised Code, county auditors, and FHFA, August 2026. Local rates change; confirm with your county auditor. This is not a commitment to lend.