What is the real estate transfer tax in Iowa?

In Iowa, a tax is imposed on each deed or other writing that conveys real property, at 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the consideration above the first $500, and there is no tax when there is no consideration. Consideration means the full actual sale price, including a lien on the property the buyer assumes, and personal property is deducted only if its value is stated on the deed. A declaration of value signed by a seller, a buyer or an agent must be given to the county recorder when the deed is presented for recording. Exempt instruments include mortgages and their releases, and deeds between husband and wife or parent and child without actual consideration. Counties and cities can add their own tax where state law lets them, so check the county where the deed is recorded. This is Iowa Code §§ 428A.1, 428A.2.

WhatIowa
State transfer tax80¢ per $500 of price above the first $500

What the statute says

“When there is consideration and the actual market value of the real property transferred is in excess of five hundred dollars, the tax is eighty cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part of five hundred dollars in excess of five hundred dollars.”

Quoted word for word from the section’s text.

Source

Iowa Code §§ 428A.1, 428A.2

Read the statute in the Iowa Code (Iowa Legislature): legis.iowa.gov.

Checked against the statute on November 15, 2026.

This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.

How Seayora uses this rule

This page states the state’s rule so the costs and paperwork of a sale can be checked against it before a contract is signed. An owner on Seayora keeps each property’s owners of record and its documents in one place.

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