Connecticut Closing Costs for Buyers: How Much You'll Pay
In Connecticut, the state transfer tax is 0.75% (about $3,338 on a $445,100 home; county and city taxes can push the total to about $4,451), and an owner's title policy runs about $1,594 plus $1,488 for the lender's policy. An attorney handles the closing here. Figures below come from Connecticut statutes, the state's revenue and insurance regulators and filed title rate cards, read on September 11, 2026.
Transfer tax in Connecticut
| Jurisdiction | Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut (state) | State real estate conveyance tax: 0.75% of consideration on residential property up to $800,000, per Conn. | source |
| Targeted investment communities (e.g. Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport) | Municipal conveyance tax up to 0.50% instead of the standard 0.25% | source |
More on Connecticut (state)
State real estate conveyance tax: 0.75% of consideration on residential property up to $800,000 (1.25% on the portion from $800,000-$2,500,000, 2.25% above $2,500,000), per Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 12-494(b)(2). Plus a municipal conveyance tax, optional per town but imposed by virtually all 169 towns, generally 0.25% (up to 0.5% in 'targeted investment communities' such as Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport).
Connecticut has no separate mortgage/recordation tax beyond the town clerk's flat recording fees (see recording_fees); the conveyance tax is the only ad valorem transfer levy.
Who pays: The grantor (seller) files Form OP-236 and pays the conveyance tax; CT DRS guidance and the OP-236 instructions identify the grantor/grantor's attorney as the filer and payer unless the parties' contract shifts it. Source
Worked example: On a $445,100 home in a standard-rate town (0.25% municipal add-on), the state tax is about $3,338 (0.75% of $445,100) and the municipal tax is about $1,113 (0.25%), for a combined conveyance tax near $4,451 (about 1.0% of price), customarily paid entirely by the seller.
How much is title insurance in Connecticut?
On a $445,100 home in Connecticut, an owner's title policy costs about $1,594 and the lender's policy about $1,488 when both are issued together (the simultaneous-issue discount). The buyer customarily pays for the owner's policy and the lender's policy. Connecticut is a filed-competitive state: each title insurer files its own rates, so premiums differ by company and it pays to get two quotes. Premiums computed from CATIC (Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company) Connecticut Standard ALTA Premium Rate Schedule (Rev. 01-16, effective Jan. 1, 2016; amounts computed at the $446,000 rate bracket, the schedule's next increment above $445,100).
Who pays the owner's policy: buyer (customary Connecticut closing practice; not fixed by statute)
Connecticut title insurance is a filed-rate market under Title 38a; CATIC (the state's dominant attorney-owned underwriter) is used here because it publishes a full public rate schedule.
Connecticut-specific buyer costs on a $445,100 home
These are the line items set by Connecticut law or filed rates. Lender fees, appraisal, escrow and prepaid taxes and insurance come on top and depend on your loan.
| Owner's title policy | $1,594 |
|---|---|
| Lender's title policy | $1,488 |
| Deed recording | $62 |
| Mortgage recording | $62 |
| State-set items, total | $3,206 |
Do you need a closing attorney in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut requires a Connecticut-licensed attorney in good standing to conduct real estate closings, effective October 1, 2019 under Public Act 19-88 (codified at Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 49-4a et seq. / Sec. 51-88). Conducting a closing without one is unauthorized practice of law. Source
Recording fees
Recording the deed costs $62 and the mortgage $62 at the Hartford Town Clerk (Land Records), Connecticut records land documents at the town level (no county recording system); fee is statutory statewide, not county-specific. Fee schedule
Other Connecticut specifics
- Community Investment Account fee. An extra $40 statutory fee is charged on top of the base recording fee for each document recorded in the land records (Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 7-34a(e)); the $10/$5 base page fee, a $2 OPM data-reporting fee, and a $10 historic-documents fee are also added, bringing the effective first-page total for a warranty or mortgage deed to about $62. Source
How much are closing costs in Connecticut?
For a buyer, closing costs usually run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On Connecticut's median-priced home (about $445,100), that is roughly $8,902 to $22,255, and it is separate from your down payment. The exact figure depends on your lender, your loan, and local taxes.
What closing costs include
Closing costs are a bundle of one-time fees due at settlement: lender or origination fees, an appraisal, title insurance, escrow and settlement fees, recording fees and any Connecticut transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.
Why Connecticut closing costs vary
The single biggest reason closing costs differ from state to state is transfer taxes, which states and sometimes counties and cities charge on the sale. Title insurance customs and whether an attorney is required at settlement also matter.
How a rebate offsets Connecticut closing costs
Buyer commission rebates are legal in Connecticut. Because a rebate can be paid as a credit at closing, it can erase a meaningful share of these costs. On a $445,100 home, a 2% rebate is about $8,902, often enough to cover much of the closing bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much is title insurance in Connecticut?
About $1,594 for an owner's policy on a $445,100 home, plus about $1,488 for the lender's policy when both are issued together. Rates vary by insurer, so get two quotes.
Who pays closing costs in Connecticut?
Transfer tax: The grantor (seller) files Form OP-236 and pays the conveyance tax; CT DRS guidance and the OP-236 instructions identify the grantor/grantor's attorney as the filer and payer unless the parties' contract shifts it. The buyer customarily pays for the owner's policy and the lender's policy, plus lender fees, appraisal and prepaid taxes and insurance. Sellers often cover part of the buyer's costs through a negotiated concession.
How much is the transfer tax in Connecticut?
State real estate conveyance tax: 0.75% of consideration on residential property up to $800,000 (1.25% on the portion from $800,000-$2,500,000, 2.25% above $2,500,000), per Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 12-494(b)(2). Plus a municipal conveyance tax, optional per town but imposed by virtually all 169 towns, generally 0.25% (up to 0.5% in 'targeted investment communities' such as Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport).. On a $445,100 home that is about $4,451, customarily paid by the seller. Targeted investment communities (e.g. Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport) add local taxes on top.
Do you need an attorney to close on a house in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut requires a Connecticut-licensed attorney in good standing to conduct real estate closings, effective October 1, 2019 under Public Act 19-88 (codified at Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 49-4a et seq. / Sec. 51-88). Conducting a closing without one is unauthorized practice of law.
How much are closing costs in Connecticut?
Buyer closing costs in Connecticut typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On Connecticut's median-priced home (about $445,100) that is roughly $8,902 to $22,255, on top of your down payment.
What do closing costs include in Connecticut?
Lender or origination fees, an appraisal, title insurance, escrow and settlement fees, recording fees and any Connecticut transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.
Can a buyer rebate offset closing costs in Connecticut?
Often yes. In Connecticut, buyer commission rebates are legal, and a rebate can be applied as a credit toward your closing costs at the settlement table.
Sources
- Connecticut transfer tax statute
- Who pays the transfer tax
- CATIC (Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company) Connecticut Standard ALTA Premium Rate Schedule (Rev. 01-16, effective Jan. 1, 2016; amounts computed at the $446,000 rate bracket, the schedule's next increment above $445,100)
- Connecticut closing attorney rule
- Hartford Town Clerk (Land Records) -- Connecticut records land documents at the town level (no county recording system); fee is statutory statewide, not county-specific recording fees
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: buyer closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the purchase price
Connecticut figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.
Connecticut title insurance at every purchase price, with a calculator →
Connecticut transfer tax at every purchase price, who pays and local surcharges →
Read the full buyer closing-costs guide →
Figures are typical 2026 ranges and vary by lender, loan, and location. This is general information, not financial advice; confirm your numbers with your lender and closing agent.
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