# Seller Closing Costs in Massachusetts, Line by Line

> What a Massachusetts home seller pays at closing: the deed excise, mortgage payoff and discharge, smoke certificate, Title 5, adjustments, and a worked example.

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- What Closing Costs Does a Seller Pay in Massachusetts?

Insights

# What Closing Costs Does a Seller Pay in Massachusetts?

October 20, 2026 Dunn & Phillips, P.C. [Real Estate](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/practice/real-estate/)

## The short version

- The seller customarily pays the Massachusetts deed excise: $4.56 for every $1,000 of the sale price, rounded up to the nearest $500. On a $300,000 sale that is $1,368.
- Your mortgage is paid off from the proceeds, and recording its discharge costs $105 at the registry.
- Most homes need a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate from the local fire department, and a home on septic needs a Title 5 inspection.
- Taxes, fuel and water are adjusted with the buyer to the closing date, which is why the net figure moves in the final week.

On this page

- [1. The Massachusetts deed excise](#1-the-massachusetts-deed-excise)
- [2. Paying off your mortgage](#2-paying-off-your-mortgage)
- [3. The smoke and carbon monoxide certificate](#3-the-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-certificate)
- [4. Title 5, if your home is on septic](#4-title-5-if-your-home-is-on-septic)
- [5. Adjustments with the buyer](#5-adjustments-with-the-buyer)
- [6. Commission and attorney's fees](#6-commission-and-attorneys-fees)
- [A worked example](#a-worked-example)
- [How we keep the numbers honest](#how-we-keep-the-numbers-honest)

When you sell a house, the figure that matters is not the sale price. It is what reaches your bank account after the mortgage is paid off and the closing costs come out. A Massachusetts seller's costs are fewer than a buyer's, but they are larger individually, and two of them catch sellers out every year: the state deed excise and the septic inspection. This guide goes through each one, with a worked example, so the closing statement holds no surprises.

The free **Massachusetts Home Seller's Checklist** below lists every deadline and document in the sale, and our [closing cost estimator](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/practice/real-estate/#closing-calculator) works out the tax and registry figures for your price.

## 1. The Massachusetts deed excise

The deed excise is the state's transfer tax on a sale, and in Massachusetts it is customarily paid by the seller. It is calculated on the sale price, **rounded up to the nearest $500**, at **$4.56 for every $1,000**.

Sale priceDeed excise

$250,000

$1,140

$300,000

$1,368

$400,000

$1,824

It is paid at closing, out of the proceeds, and it is usually the largest single cost after any commission. The purchase and sale agreement can shift it to the buyer, but that is unusual, so plan on paying it.

## 2. Paying off your mortgage

Your existing mortgage, and any home equity line, is paid off from the sale proceeds at closing. The closing uses a written payoff figure from your lender, good through the closing date. Interest runs daily, so the payoff is higher than your last statement balance.

Once the lender confirms it has been paid, the **discharge** is recorded at the registry of deeds. The recording fee is **$105**. Until the discharge is recorded, the old mortgage still appears on the title, which is why we track it until it lands.

## 3. The smoke and carbon monoxide certificate

Most residential transfers in Massachusetts need a **smoke and carbon monoxide compliance certificate** from the local fire department before closing. You arrange the inspection, and the fee is set by your city or town. If the detectors are old or in the wrong places, they have to be replaced before the inspector signs off. Book it early, because fire departments run on their own schedules.

## 4. Title 5, if your home is on septic

If your home is served by a **septic system** rather than town sewer, Massachusetts generally requires the system to be inspected under the state's **Title 5** rules before the sale. That is customarily the seller's responsibility. A passing report clears the way.

If the system fails, it has to be repaired or replaced, or the buyer and seller have to agree how that will be handled. That can mean a price adjustment, money held back at closing, or a later closing date. It is the one item on this list that can change the deal, so schedule the inspection before you list, not after you sign.

## 5. Adjustments with the buyer

Costs that run on a calendar are split at the closing date, so that you pay for the time you owned the house and the buyer pays for the rest:

- **Property taxes.** If you have paid the current bill, the buyer reimburses you for the days after closing. If it is unpaid, you credit the buyer for your portion.

- **Fuel oil or propane** in the tank, where the agreement provides for it.

- **Water and sewer.** The town takes a final meter reading, and any unpaid amount is paid from your proceeds. The **Municipal Lien Certificate** shows whether there are unpaid taxes, water or sewer charges on the property.

Adjustments are why the net figure moves in the last week. We recalculate them to the actual closing date.

## 6. Commission and attorney's fees

If you listed with a broker, the **commission** is set by your listing agreement and paid from the proceeds at closing. It is negotiable, and it is a contract term, so read the listing agreement before you sign it.

Your own **attorney** reviews the purchase and sale agreement, prepares the deed, gets the payoff, answers title questions, and checks the closing statement on your behalf. Our fee for representing a seller is a **flat fee, quoted before you commit**.

## A worked example

Take a $300,000 sale of a home on town sewer, with a mortgage payoff of $180,000. The costs come out like this:

ItemAmount

Sale price

$300,000

Mortgage payoff

− $180,000

Deed excise

− $1,368

Discharge recording fee

− $105

Smoke and CO certificate (set by the town)

varies

Commission, if any (set by your listing agreement)

varies

Attorney's fee (flat, quoted in advance)

varies

Tax, fuel and water adjustments

+ or −

The fixed items alone come to $1,473 before commission and fees. Use the [closing cost estimator](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/practice/real-estate/#closing-calculator) with your own figures.

## How we keep the numbers honest

We send you the **closing statement** before you sign, with every line explained, and reconcile it against the purchase and sale agreement and your lender's payoff. Our guide to [how a Massachusetts closing works](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/blog/how-a-closing-works/) explains the stages from offer to recording, and our [purchase and sale checklist](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/blog/purchase-and-sale-checklist/) covers the clauses that matter most.

If you are selling in Western Massachusetts, call us before you sign the purchase and sale agreement.

**Real estate closings office:** 198 Belmont Avenue, Springfield, MA 01108 (by appointment)
**Phone:** (413) 787-9955

Questions

## Frequently asked questions

What closing costs does a seller pay in Massachusetts?Customarily, the deed excise; the payoff of the existing mortgage and the fee to record its discharge; the smoke and carbon monoxide certificate; a Title 5 inspection if the home is on septic; any real estate commission under the listing agreement; the seller's attorney; and adjustments with the buyer for taxes, fuel and water. The purchase and sale agreement can change who pays what.

How is the Massachusetts deed excise calculated?The sale price is rounded up to the nearest $500, and the tax is $4.56 for every $1,000 of that figure. On a $300,000 sale the deed excise is $1,368. It is customarily paid by the seller.

What does it cost to discharge my mortgage?The mortgage itself is paid off from the sale proceeds at closing, using a payoff figure from your lender. Recording the discharge at the registry of deeds costs $105.

Do I need a smoke certificate to sell my house?Most residential transfers in Massachusetts need a smoke and carbon monoxide compliance certificate from the local fire department before closing. The seller arranges the inspection, and the fee is set by the city or town.

What is a Title 5 inspection?If the home is served by a septic system rather than town sewer, Massachusetts generally requires the system to be inspected under the state's Title 5 rules before the sale. It is customarily the seller's responsibility. If the system fails, it has to be dealt with, and that can affect the price and the timeline, so schedule it early.

How do I estimate my net proceeds?Start from the sale price, take off the mortgage payoff, the deed excise, the discharge recording fee, any commission, and your other costs, then add or subtract the adjustments. Our closing cost estimator does the tax and registry math for you, and we send you the full closing statement before you sign.

These answers are general information, not legal advice, and do not create an attorney-client relationship.

Free worksheet - PDF

## Get the Massachusetts Home Seller's Checklist

Every deadline and document for your sale, in one PDF worksheet. From a Western Massachusetts firm that has handled local closings since 1988.

[Download the worksheet (PDF)](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/downloads/dunn-phillips-home-seller-closing-checklist.pdf)
Saves to your device as a fillable PDF you can complete or print. It is free: no email required.

Using this does not make us your attorneys. It is general information, not legal advice.

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Related reading

## More on Real Estate

- [What Closing Costs Does a Buyer Pay in Massachusetts? A line-by-line guide to a Massachusetts buyer's closing costs: the lender's charges, title insurance, recording fees, prepaids and adjustments, and the ones you can shop for.](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/blog/buyer-closing-costs-massachusetts/)
- [How a Massachusetts Real Estate Closing Works, Start to Finish A plain-language guide to a Massachusetts closing: the seven stages from offer to recording, what to expect on closing day, and the homestead tip worth real money.](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/blog/how-a-closing-works/)
- [Do I Need a Closing Attorney to Buy a Home in Massachusetts? Massachusetts handles real estate closings differently from many states. Here is who the closing attorney represents, and why buyers often want their own counsel.](https://www.dunnandphillips.com/blog/do-i-need-a-closing-attorney/)

This page is general information only, not legal advice for any specific situation, and reading it does not
create an attorney–client relationship. Every matter depends on its own facts; for advice on your
particular circumstances, talk to a licensed attorney. Published by Dunn & Phillips, P.C., 185 Belmont Avenue, Springfield, MA 01108. Responsible
attorney: Cornelius W. Phillips, III.

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