Utah Closing Costs for Buyers: How Much You'll Pay

Transfer tax in Utah: none

Utah does not charge a tax on the transfer of real estate, which is the main reason its closing costs sit below the national picture. Utah has no state, county, or municipal real estate transfer tax. Utah Code Title 59 (Revenue and Taxation) contains no real estate transfer/conveyance tax chapter; Utah is one of a small group of U.S. states that does not tax the transfer of real property. Source

You still pay recording fees: $40 to record the deed and $40 for the mortgage at the County recorders statewide (fee set uniformly by Utah Code § 17-21-18.5, not by county discretion; Salt Lake County is Utah's largest county). Fee schedule

How much is title insurance in Utah?

On a $575,300 home in Utah, an owner's title policy costs about $2,631 and the lender's policy about $1,598 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. Utah 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 First American Title Fee Calculator (filed rates), Salt Lake County, Utah, read September 11, 2026.

Who pays the owner's policy: seller (First American's calculator default allocation for Salt Lake County; negotiable by contract) Source

Owner's policy on the full $575,300 price and the lender's policy on an 80% loan ($460,240), quoted together so the simultaneous-issue rate applies; First American filed rates for Salt Lake County. Utah title insurance is regulated by the Utah Insurance Department's Title & Escrow division;

Utah-specific buyer costs on a $575,300 home

These are the line items set by Utah law or filed rates. Lender fees, appraisal, escrow and prepaid taxes and insurance come on top and depend on your loan.

Other Utah specifics

• Trust deed (mortgage) recording. Utah properties are typically financed with a deed of trust rather than a mortgage; recording it costs the same flat $40 statutory fee as the deed (Utah Code § 17-21-18.5(1)(a)-(b)). Source

How much are closing costs in Utah?

For a buyer, closing costs usually run 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On Utah's median-priced home (about $575,300), that is roughly $11,506 to $28,765, 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 Utah transfer tax, plus prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance.

Why Utah 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 Utah closing costs

Buyer commission rebates are legal in Utah. Because a rebate can be paid as a credit at closing, it can erase a meaningful share of these costs. On a $575,300 home, a 2% rebate is about $11,506, often enough to cover much of the closing bill.

See Utah buyer rebates and how to get one →

Sources

• Utah transfer tax statute
• First American Title Fee Calculator (filed rates), Salt Lake County, Utah, read September 11, 2026
• County recorders statewide (fee set uniformly by Utah Code § 17-21-18.5, not by county discretion; Salt Lake County is Utah's largest county) recording fees
• Utah Insurance Department, Title & Escrow (regulatory overview)
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: buyer closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the purchase price

Utah figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.