New Hampshire Closing Costs for Buyers: How Much You'll Pay
In New Hampshire, the state transfer tax is 1.5% (about $7,503 on a $500,200 home), and an owner's title policy runs about $1,378 plus $75 for the lender's policy. An attorney handles the closing here. Figures below come from New Hampshire statutes, the state's revenue and insurance regulators and filed title rate cards, read on September 11, 2026.
Transfer tax in New Hampshire
| Jurisdiction | Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire (state) | Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), RSA 78-B:1: $.75 per $100 (or fractional part thereof) of the price or consideration, charged SEPARATELY to both the buyer and the seller - a combined effective rate of $1.50 per $100 (1.5%) across the transaction. | source |
More on New Hampshire (state)
Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), RSA 78-B:1: $.75 per $100 (or fractional part thereof) of the price or consideration, charged SEPARATELY to both the buyer and the seller - a combined effective rate of $1.50 per $100 (1.5%) across the transaction. Where the price or consideration is $4,000 or less there is a minimum tax of $20 (per party). The computed tax is rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
None separate from the RETT above; New Hampshire has no local/optional transfer-tax variant - the statewide RETT is uniform across all towns and counties.
Who pays: Both parties pay their own $.75-per-$100 share by statute (RSA 78-B:1) - this is not a single tax split by custom, it is legally two separate, equal taxes, one on the buyer and one on the seller. Source
Worked example: On a $500,200 home anywhere in New Hampshire: buyer's RETT = 5,002 x $0.75 = $3,751.50, rounded to $3,752; seller's RETT = the same $3,752; combined transfer tax = $7,504.
How much is title insurance in New Hampshire?
On a $500,200 home in New Hampshire, an owner's title policy costs about $1,378 and the lender's policy about $75 when both are issued together (the simultaneous-issue discount). The seller customarily pays for the owner's policy; the buyer pays the lender's policy. New Hampshire 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 WFG National Title Insurance Company - State of New Hampshire Manual of Title Insurance Premiums, effective March 1, 2023 (filed with and approved by the New Hampshire Insurance Department).
Who pays the owner's policy: seller customarily pays the owner's policy and the buyer pays the lender's policy in most New Hampshire transactions, though this is negotiable Source
New Hampshire underwriters file all-inclusive rate manuals with the NH Insurance Department;
New Hampshire-specific buyer costs on a $500,200 home
These are the line items set by New Hampshire law or filed rates. Lender fees, appraisal, escrow and prepaid taxes and insurance come on top and depend on your loan.
| Transfer or recordation tax (buyer share) | $3,752 |
|---|---|
| Lender's title policy | $75 |
| Deed recording | $35 |
| Mortgage recording | $35 |
| State-set items, total | $3,897 |
Do you need a closing attorney in New Hampshire?
Yes. New Hampshire is an attorney state: an attorney is required for the closing of a residential real estate transaction.
Recording fees
Recording the deed costs $35 and the mortgage $35 at the Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds (Manchester/Nashua, New Hampshire's most populous county) - statewide statutory fee. Fee schedule
Other New Hampshire specifics
- LCHIP surcharge is mandatory, not optional. RSA 478:17-g(II) layers a mandatory $25 Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) surcharge onto every recorded deed, mortgage, and mortgage discharge, on top of the base $10-first-page/$4-per-additional-page recording fee - so a simple one-page deed costs $35 to record ($10 + $25), not $10, and a one-page mortgage/deed of trust likewise costs $35. The LCHIP charge is paid by the grantee on a deed and by the grantor on a mortgage. Source
How much are closing costs in New Hampshire?
For a buyer, closing costs usually run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On New Hampshire's median-priced home (about $500,200), that is roughly $10,004 to $25,010, 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 New Hampshire transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.
Why New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire closing costs
Buyer commission rebates are legal in New Hampshire. Because a rebate can be paid as a credit at closing, it can erase a meaningful share of these costs. On a $500,200 home, a 2% rebate is about $10,004, often enough to cover much of the closing bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much is title insurance in New Hampshire?
About $1,378 for an owner's policy on a $500,200 home, plus about $75 for the lender's policy when both are issued together. Rates vary by insurer, so get two quotes.
Who pays closing costs in New Hampshire?
Transfer tax: Both parties pay their own $.75-per-$100 share by statute (RSA 78-B:1) - this is not a single tax split by custom, it is legally two separate, equal taxes, one on the buyer and one on the seller. The seller customarily pays for the owner's policy; the buyer pays 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 New Hampshire?
Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), RSA 78-B:1: $.75 per $100 (or fractional part thereof) of the price or consideration, charged SEPARATELY to both the buyer and the seller - a combined effective rate of $1.50 per $100 (1.5%) across the transaction. Where the price or consideration is $4,000 or less there is a minimum tax of $20 (per party). The computed tax is rounded to the nearest whole dollar.. On a $500,200 home that is about $7,504, of which the buyer's customary share is about $3,752.
Do you need an attorney to close on a house in New Hampshire?
Yes. New Hampshire is an attorney state: an attorney is required for the closing of a residential real estate transaction.
How much are closing costs in New Hampshire?
Buyer closing costs in New Hampshire typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On New Hampshire's median-priced home (about $500,200) that is roughly $10,004 to $25,010, on top of your down payment.
What do closing costs include in New Hampshire?
Lender or origination fees, an appraisal, title insurance, escrow and settlement fees, recording fees and any New Hampshire transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.
Can a buyer rebate offset closing costs in New Hampshire?
Often yes. In New Hampshire, buyer commission rebates are legal, and a rebate can be applied as a credit toward your closing costs at the settlement table.
Sources
- New Hampshire transfer tax statute
- Who pays the transfer tax
- WFG National Title Insurance Company - State of New Hampshire Manual of Title Insurance Premiums, effective March 1, 2023 (filed with and approved by the New Hampshire Insurance Department)
- Who pays the owner's title policy
- Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds (Manchester/Nashua, New Hampshire's most populous county) - statewide statutory fee recording fees
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: buyer closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the purchase price
New Hampshire figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.
New Hampshire title insurance at every purchase price, with a calculator →
New Hampshire 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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