How much is San Francisco's transfer tax, and who pays it?
San Francisco's real property transfer tax is among the highest in the United States. By local custom the seller usually pays it, though who pays is negotiable in the purchase contract. The structure has a feature every seller near a bracket line needs to understand: the rate applies to the entire sale price, not just the amount above the threshold. Crossing a line by one dollar re-rates every dollar below it.
Calculate your transfer tax
The full schedule
| Sale price | Rate per $500 | Effective rate | Tax on a sale at the top of the band |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 – $250,000 | $2.50 | 0.50% | $1,250 |
| $250,001 – $999,999 | $3.40 | 0.68% | $6,800 |
| $1,000,000 – $4,999,999 | $3.75 | 0.75% | $37,500 |
| $5,000,000 – $9,999,999 | $11.25 | 2.25% | $225,000 |
| $10,000,000 – $24,999,999 | $27.50 | 5.50% | $1,375,000 |
| $25,000,000 and above | $30.00 | 6.00% | — |
The City charges its rate on each $500 of the entire price, or portion of $500. The calculator rounds up the same way. Source: SF Assessor-Recorder, Transfer tax.
The cliffs, concretely
A sale at $4,999,999 owes about $37,500. A sale at $5,000,001 owes about $112,500. A two-dollar increase in price costs $75,000 in tax. The $10 million cliff is worse: $9,999,999 owes about $225,000, while $10,000,001 owes about $550,000 — a $325,000 swing.
The Pacific Heights single-family median sits between those two cliffs, which makes this the most consequential, least understood number in this neighborhood's market. Here is what the jump means for net proceeds, counting this tax alone. Just above each line there is a band where the higher price leaves the seller with less:
- $5 million line: a sale at $4,999,999 leaves $4,962,499 after transfer tax. The higher price only catches up at about $5,077,000. So an offer at $5,040,000 leaves about $35,899 less than one at $4,999,999, while a $5.1 million sale leaves about $22,751 more ($4,985,250).
- $10 million line: the band is wider. A sale at $9,999,999 leaves $9,774,999 after this tax, and the break-even is about $10,344,000. A $10.2 million sale leaves about $135,999 less than a sale just under $10 million.
- $25 million line: the break-even is about $25,133,000.
These comparisons assume the taxable amount equals the sale price, no exemption applies, and the seller pays the whole tax. Commission, other closing costs, and income taxes are left out, and they also move with price.
A seller can celebrate crossing $5 million and still net less than an offer just under it, if the new price lands between $5 million and about $5.077 million. Before you counter near a bracket line, run both numbers. It takes thirty seconds and it is why this calculator exists.
Exemptions and fine print
Transfers between spouses or domestic partners, property passing to heirs by operation of law, and no-change-in-ownership transfers into revocable trusts are exempt (each requires a Transfer Tax Affidavit with the Assessor-Recorder). There is no first-time-buyer exemption. A proposal to cut the top rates was withdrawn in June 2026; the rates above are the City’s current published schedule.
This page describes San Francisco's transfer tax only and is for general education, not tax or legal advice. Who pays the tax is negotiable in the purchase contract, and other selling costs are not included here. Confirm the total transfer cost for your specific sale with your escrow officer, and if you see a different rate quoted somewhere, check it against the City’s published schedule.
Selling near a cliff? This is exactly the conversation to have before you list. Call or text 415-583-5121.