Maine Real Estate Transfer Tax ($2.20 per $500), Buyer Exemptions and Closing Costs — Maine Home in View
Updated October 2026
On a $350,000 Maine home transfer, the standard real estate transfer tax totals $1,540, with $770 ordinarily allocated to the buyer and $770 to the seller. This expense is separate from the down payment and often appears alongside recording and settlement charges in the closing paperwork.
Calculate the tax and ordinary split
Maine charges $2.20 for each $500, or fraction of $500, of taxable value. That equals a nominal total rate of 0.44%, split into 0.22% buyer and 0.22% seller shares. Because the calculation uses $500 increments, a simple percentage can differ slightly when the taxable value is not an exact multiple of $500.
| Taxable value | Total transfer tax | Ordinary buyer share | Ordinary seller share |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $1,100 | $550 | $550 |
| $350,000 | $1,540 | $770 | $770 |
| $500,000 | $2,200 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
These examples assume a taxable transfer without an exemption. Ask the closing professional to identify the taxable value, applicable exemption and allocation reflected in your transaction. A negotiated closing credit should also be shown distinctly rather than obscuring the underlying charge.
Check the MaineHousing buyer exemption
Eligible MaineHousing First Home buyers are exempt from the buyer half of the transfer tax. On the $350,000 example, that removes the ordinary $770 buyer charge. It does not automatically exempt the seller or eliminate other closing expenses.
Review eligibility through MaineHousing and tell the closing team early that your mortgage uses First Home Loan. The First Home Loan and Advantage guide explains how this exemption differs from the $5,000 Advantage grant.
Keep the benefits separate in your budget: one removes an eligible tax charge, while the other helps pay qualifying down payment and closing costs.
Build a complete cash-to-close estimate
Transfer tax is only one part of settlement. Your remaining expenses may include:
- Lender origination charges and any discount points.
- Appraisal, title search, settlement and title insurance charges.
- Registry recording fees and prepaid homeowners insurance.
- Prepaid interest, escrow deposits and municipal tax prorations.
Use the closing cost estimator to organize these categories. Avoid counting an earnest-money deposit twice; it generally becomes a credit toward the final funds due.
Compare your Loan Estimate with the Closing Disclosure using guidance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Ask about changed figures before arranging the final payment, especially transfer-tax exemptions, seller credits and the tax proration period.
Compare Current Mortgage Rates
Compare current APRs, points, fees, and estimated monthly payments from participating lenders below.
Loan Program Comparison: 2026 Benchmarks
Maine Real Estate Transfer Tax ($2.20 per $500), Buyer Exemptions and Closing Costs — Separate monthly debt-service-to-income from upfront cash: down payment plus fees and prepaids, less deposits and approved credits. Avoid counting earnest money twice.
Historical 2025 one-unit comparison: conforming $832,750; FHA floor $541,287. County and unit-count limits can differ.
| Loan program | Down payment / equity | 2026 one-unit baseline | Costs and page-specific comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3%–5% subject to eligibility | $832,750 | PMI generally below 20% down |
| FHA | 3.5% at 580+; 10% at 500–579 | $541,287 floor | 1.75% upfront MIP; 0.55% annual for >95% LTV, base loan ≤$726,200, term >15 years |
| VA | 0% for eligible borrowers | No VA limit with full entitlement | No monthly PMI; funding fee unless exempt |
| USDA | 0% for eligible borrowers | Income, address and repayment eligibility | Guarantee and annual fees; confirm current schedule |
| Jumbo | Lender-specific cash and reserves | Above applicable conforming limit | Lender-specific pricing and insurance |
| Home Equity / Refinance | Equity and underwriting dependent | Property and lender dependent | Compare closing costs, term and break-even |
Sources: FHFA limits; HUD FHA limits.
Editorial Methodology & Primary Sources
Verification date: Not recorded; check the primary source and lender timestamp before relying on an estimate.
Rate comparisons use participating lender feeds, not a whole-market survey or guaranteed offers. Freddie Mac PMMS is a market benchmark, not a personalized quote. Calculator models rely on published regulatory formulas and disclosed assumptions rather than fabricated first-person loan testing.
Monthly principal and interest use the amortization formula P × r / (1 − (1 + r)−n), where r is the monthly note rate and n is the number of payments; at zero interest use P / n. PITI adds monthly property taxes and homeowners insurance; PMI is separate. APR includes applicable finance charges under Regulation Z and is not the note rate used for payments. Compare lender Loan Estimates for actual APR and fees.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — Loan Estimates, APR and borrower disclosures; Regulation Z.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD / FHA) — FHA program guidance.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — VA loan eligibility and benefits.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — published rate benchmarks.
- U.S. Census state tax collections — state property tax benchmarks; confirm parcel-specific assessments and exemptions with the state revenue department and local assessor.
- MaineHousing — state housing finance and property tax authority.
- Maine Revenue Services — state housing finance and property tax authority.
The payment snapshot uses illustrative annual taxes of 1% of home price, $1,200 insurance and 0.5% PMI below 20% down, not verified local quotes. Other calculators disclose their inputs and assumptions. Published guidance and lender feeds may change independently; confirm current program rules, taxes and offers before a decision.