Updated · Mike Certo, NMLS #260555
Ohio Conveyance Fee and Closing Costs (2026)
Ohio does not call it a transfer tax. It is the conveyance fee, and unlike most states the seller customarily pays it. The rate is not the same everywhere either: it runs $3 to $4 per $1,000 of price depending on your county. Here is how it works and where it fits in your closing costs.
How much is the conveyance fee in Ohio?
The state piece is fixed: $1 for every $1,000 of the sale price, which is one tenth of one percent. On top of that, each county may levy a permissive fee of up to $3 per $1,000. So the real number depends on where the property sits. Most Ohio counties land at $3 total, a handful at the $4 ceiling. On a $285,000 home, the median Ohio price, that is roughly $855 in a $3 county.
Which Ohio counties charge more?
The variation is all in the permissive add-on. Here are three of the largest counties so you can see the spread.
| County | Rate per $1,000 | Breakdown | On a $285,000 home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin (Columbus) | $3.00 | $1 state + $2 permissive | ≈ $855 |
| Hamilton (Cincinnati) | $3.00 | $1 state + $2 permissive | ≈ $855 |
| Cuyahoga (Cleveland) | $4.00 | $1 state + $3 permissive (max) | ≈ $1,140 |
County rates verified at the respective county auditor sites, August 2026. Permissive rates are set locally and can change, so confirm the current figure with your county auditor before you rely on it. A per-parcel transfer fee, commonly $0.50, applies as well.
Who pays the conveyance fee, buyer or seller?
In Ohio, custom puts it on the seller. No statute assigns it, so the purchase contract controls, but the default across most of the state is seller-paid. That makes it different from many states, where buyer and seller split a transfer tax. For an Ohio buyer, this is good news on the cash-to-close side, though a seller pricing a home should build it into their net.
What else is in Ohio closing costs?
The conveyance fee is a seller line, so a buyer's closing costs sit elsewhere. Expect roughly 2% to 5% of the price on the buyer side, depending on your loan and lender. The usual pieces:
- Title insurance and search at Ohio rates, plus settlement and escrow fees.
- Lender and third-party fees (appraisal, credit, flood certification) itemized on your Loan Estimate.
- Prepaids and escrows for homeowners insurance and property taxes, which in Ohio are billed in arrears.
- County recording fees.
OHFA's Your Choice assistance is built for the buyer side of this. It gives 2.5% or 5% of the price toward down payment and closing costs, forgiven after seven years, so it can absorb much of what a buyer brings to the table. The down payment assistance page shows how it layers.
When does an Ohio purchase become a jumbo loan?
Above $832,750. That is the 2026 conforming limit, and in Ohio it applies in every one of the 88 counties, because no Ohio county qualifies as high-cost. Some blogs suggest a handful of Ohio counties carry a higher limit. They are usually confusing the FHA loan limit, which is elevated in ten Columbus-area counties, with the conforming limit, which is not. Cross $832,750 and you are in jumbo territory, with stricter underwriting and a larger down payment.
Ohio conveyance fee FAQ
How much is the conveyance fee when I sell in Ohio?
The state conveyance fee is $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. The seller customarily pays, and a small per-parcel fee applies too.
Does the buyer or the seller pay the conveyance fee in Ohio?
The seller customarily pays it in Ohio. No statute assigns it, so the purchase contract can shift it, but seller-paid is the default across most of the state. That is different from many states where buyer and seller split a transfer tax. For an Ohio buyer, it means one less line on your cash-to-close.
Does Ohio have any high-cost mortgage counties?
No. Every one of Ohio's 88 counties uses the 2026 conforming baseline of $832,750, and none qualifies for the high-cost conforming ceiling. Ten Columbus-area counties do carry a higher FHA loan 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.
What are total closing costs in Ohio?
Plan on roughly 2% to 5% of the purchase price on the buyer side, on top of your down payment. That covers title insurance at Ohio rates, lender and third-party fees, prepaids and escrows, and county recording fees. The conveyance fee is a separate seller line. Every buyer cost appears on your Loan Estimate, and OHFA's Your Choice assistance can cover much of it.