Do I have to pay sales tax if I buy a home in Florida?

Mark, the good news is you don’t pay sales tax when buying a home in Florida. What you will see are closing costs like documentary stamp tax on the deed (in Volusia County it’s $0.70 per $100 of purchase price) and fees if you’re taking out a mortgage. For example, on a $200,000 home in DeLand, deed stamps alone would run about $1,400. So no sales tax—but definitely budget for those closing costs.

As a real estate expert in Southwest Florida, I understand the importance of clarifying costs for homebuyers to ensure you can make informed decisions.
In Florida, you do not have to pay sales tax on the purchase of a home, whether it’s a primary residence, vacation home, or investment property. Real estate, including single-family homes, condos, and land, is considered real property under Florida law and is exempt from the state’s sales tax, which typically applies to tangible personal property and certain services.

Nope—you do not have to pay sales tax when purchasing a home in Florida. Real estate, including land and permanent structures, is exempt from sales tax under Florida law because it’s not considered tangible personal property. You will have some closing costs, attorney and mortgage fees (depending if you get a mortgage). So while you dodge the sales tax bullet, these other costs can still add up. Want help estimating your total closing costs or comparing counties in Florida? I can break it down for you.

Great Question. There is not a sales tax to pay, but at closing there are "stamps" to be paid on the deed. Depending on the way your contract is written these may be paid by you or the seller. They are reffered to as "Doc stamps"