By Paarth Shah, REALTOR® · August 3, 2026 · The Peninsula (San Mateo County)
When a home changes hands in San Mateo County, the county records the deed and collects a documentary transfer tax. It is a one-time tax on the sale, separate from your annual property tax bill, and on the Peninsula it is customarily paid by the seller (though, like everything in a purchase contract, it can be negotiated).
The county rate is simple: $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price, or 0.11 percent. Sell a $2,000,000 home in Burlingame, Menlo Park, San Carlos, Redwood City, Hillsborough, or most other Peninsula cities and the transfer tax is $2,200. Not painless, but small next to the other costs of selling.
The exception that matters is the City of San Mateo. It layers its own city transfer tax on top of the county's, bringing the combined rate to $6.10 per $1,000 for most sales, and $16.10 per $1,000 for transactions of $10 million or more. That same $2,000,000 sale inside San Mateo city limits carries about $12,200 in transfer tax, more than five times what an identical sale next door in Belmont would pay. If you own near a city boundary, it is worth confirming which side of the line your parcel sits on before you estimate your net proceeds.
A few practical notes. First, the tax is calculated on the full sale price (less any assumed liens in unusual cases), not on your equity. Second, certain transfers are exempt, such as gifts, transfers between spouses in a divorce, and some transfers into your own trust or entity; the county recorder's office publishes the list. Third, rates do change: San Mateo's city rate has been adjusted by ballot measure before, so verify the current figure with your title company before you count on a number.
For sellers running the math, transfer tax joins commissions, any agreed repairs or credits, and title and escrow fees in the column of costs that come out of the sale. On most Peninsula transactions it is one of the smaller lines. In the City of San Mateo it is big enough to plan around.
If you are thinking about selling and want a real net-proceeds estimate for your specific address, I am happy to run one. Reach out through the contact page or at paarth@brokerbela.com.
The county charges $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price, customarily paid by the seller. Inside the City of San Mateo the combined rate rises to $6.10 per $1,000, and $16.10 per $1,000 on sales of $10 million or more.
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This is general market commentary, not financial, investment, or legal advice; figures are as of publication and can change. Verify specifics, including any school assignments, ratings, or boundaries, independently. Bela Realty & Investments is committed to Equal Housing Opportunity and does not steer clients toward or away from any neighborhood on the basis of a protected characteristic.