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HB286 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DECREASING THE STATE'S REALTY TRANSFER TAX RATE OF TAXATION.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DECREASING THE STATE'S REALTY TRANSFER TAX RATE OF TAXATION.

Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Yearick
Last action
2026-01-29
Official status
House Revenue & Finance 1/29/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text and official digest do not provide specific details about the timing of when the tax reductions will be implemented.

Act to Reduce Realty Transfer Tax for Residential Properties

This act removes the state's realty transfer tax for residential properties valued at less than $350,000 and reduces the tax rate by 1/4% each year over four years for properties between $350,000 and $500,000.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the state's realty transfer tax for residential property conveyances valued at less than $350,000.
  • Reduces the realty transfer tax rate by 1/4% each year over four years for properties valued between $350,000 and $500,000.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Home buyers and sellers whose property values fall within the specified ranges.

Terms To Know

Realty Transfer Tax
A tax imposed on the transfer of real estate, typically paid by both the buyer and seller.
Conveyance
The act of transferring property from one person to another through a legal document.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify an effective date for when these changes will take effect.
  • Only applies to residential properties and does not cover commercial or other types of real estate transactions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-29 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Revenue & Finance Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DECREASING THE STATE'S REALTY TRANSFER TAX RATE OF TAXATION.
For conveyances having a property value of less than $350,000, the state will not assess a realty transfer tax. This Act also reduces the State's rate of realty transfer tax by 1/4% per year for 4 years, for residential property conveyances having a property value of $350,000 to $500,000.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Yearick & Sen. Buckson

Rep. Michael Smith; Sen. Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 286

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DECREASING THE STATE'S REALTY TRANSFER TAX RATE OF TAXATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 5402, Title 30 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 5402. Rate of tax; when payable; exception [For application of this section, see 81 Del. Laws, c. 56, § 2 and 81 Del. C. 384, § 3].

(a)

(1)

Every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document, except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed, delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 3 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 2 ½ percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

(a)(2) For every residential property convenance having a property value of $350,000 or less, there shall be no realty transfer tax payable to the state.

(a)(3) For every residential property conveyance having a property value of more than $350,000 but less than $500,000, every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed. delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 2 3/4 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1 ½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 2 1/4 percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

Section 2. Amend § 5402, Title 30 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 5402. Rate of tax; when payable; exception [For application of this section, see 81 Del. Laws, c. 56, § 2 and 81 Del. C. 384, § 3].

(a)

(1)

Every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document, except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed, delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 3 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full

1½

percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case

2.25

2 1/2

percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

(a)(2) For every residential property convenance having a property value of $350,000 or less, there shall be no realty transfer tax payable to the state.

(a)(3) For every residential property conveyance having a property value of more than $350,000 but less than $500,000, every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed. delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 2 1/2 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1 ½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 2 percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

Section 3. Amend § 5402, Title 30 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 5402. Rate of tax; when payable; exception [For application of this section, see 81 Del. Laws, c. 56, § 2 and 81 Del. C. 384, § 3].

(a)

(1)

Every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document, except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed, delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 3 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 2 1/2 percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

(a)(2) For every residential property convenance having a property value of $350,000 or less, there shall be no realty transfer tax payable to the state.

(a)(3) For every residential property conveyance having a property value of more than $350,000 but less than $500,000, every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed. delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 2 1/4 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1 ½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 1 3/4 percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

Section 4. Amend § 5402, Title 30 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 5402. Rate of tax; when payable; exception [For application of this section, see 81 Del. Laws, c. 56, § 2 and 81 Del. C. 384, § 3].

(a)

(1)

Every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document, except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed, delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 3 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 2 1/2 percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

(a)(2) For every residential property convenance having a property value of $350,000 or less, there shall be no realty transfer tax payable to the state.

(a)(3) For every residential property conveyance having a property value of more than $350,000 but less than $500,000, every person who makes, executes, delivers, accepts or presents for recording any document except as defined or described in § 5401(5) of this title, or in whose behalf any document is made, executed. delivered, accepted or presented for recording shall be subject to pay for and in respect to the transaction, or any part thereof, a realty transfer tax at the rate of 2 percent of the value of the property represented by such document, unless the municipality or county where the property is located has enacted the full 1 ½ percent realty transfer tax authorized by § 1601 of Title 22 or § 8102 of Title 9, in which case 1 1/2 percent, which tax shall be payable at the time of making, execution, delivery, acceptance or presenting of such document for recording. Said tax is to be apportioned equally between grantor and grantee.

Section 5. Section 1 of this Act shall become effective January 1, 2027.

Section 2 of this Act shall become effective January 1, 2028.

Section 3 of this Act shall become effective January 1, 2029.

Section 4 of this Act shall become effective January 1, 2030.

SYNOPSIS

For conveyances having a property value of less than $350,000, the state will not assess a realty transfer tax. This Act also reduces the State's rate of realty transfer tax by 1/4% per year for 4 years, for residential property conveyances having a property value of $350,000 to $500,000.