Colorado Property Transfer Fee Calculator
Use this free Colorado property transfer fee calculator to estimate the state documentary fee, local municipal transfer tax if applicable, and the $43 deed recording fee for a Colorado property purchase. No statewide real estate transfer tax applies — most buyers pay under $100 in state-level fees.
Quick answer: Colorado charges no statewide real estate transfer tax. On a $500,000 home: state documentary fee = $50, recording fee = $43, total transfer fees = $93. If you are buying in Aspen (1.5% local tax), add $7,500. For properties outside municipalities with a local transfer tax, the state documentary fee plus the $43 recording fee is often under $100 on a typical Colorado home sale.
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Colorado’s Documentary Fee — How It Works
Quick answer: Colorado charges 0.01% of the sale price as a state documentary fee — $50 on a $500,000 home. No statewide transfer tax applies. The only other closing cost related to the deed is the $43 flat recording fee (effective July 1, 2025, C.R.S. § 30-10-402).
Colorado is one of the most buyer-friendly states for property transfer costs. Unlike New York (which charges up to 1.4%), California (which charges 0.11%), or resort states like Vermont (which charges 1.25%), Colorado’s state-level fee on a typical home sale is negligible. A buyer closing on a $650,000 home in Fort Collins (Larimer County) pays $65 in state documentary fee and $43 for deed recording — $108 total in state-level transfer costs.
The fee formula is simple: multiply the purchase price by 0.0001. For $300,000 — $30. For $750,000 — $75. For $1,200,000 — $120. The only exception is commercial property, where the value of personal property included in the sale (equipment, furniture, inventory) can be deducted from the taxable consideration before calculating the fee.
Who pays? By Colorado real estate convention, the buyer typically pays the recording fee and the seller typically pays the documentary fee — but this is negotiable in the purchase contract. In resort towns with local transfer taxes, the specific ordinance determines who owes the tax.
Calculation Examples
| Purchase Price | State Doc Fee (0.01%) | Recording Fee | Local Tax (if any) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $30.00 | $43.00 | None | $73.00 |
| $500,000 | $50.00 | $43.00 | None | $93.00 |
| $750,000 | $75.00 | $43.00 | None | $118.00 |
| $500,000 in Aspen | $50.00 | $43.00 | $7,500 (1.5%) | $7,593.00 |
| $1,200,000 in Vail | $120.00 | $43.00 | $12,000 (1.0%) | $12,163.00 |
| $2,000,000 in Telluride | $200.00 | $43.00 | $60,000 (3.0%) | $60,243.00 |
Colorado Counties With Local Transfer Taxes
Quick answer: Local transfer taxes in Colorado are concentrated in certain municipalities, particularly resort communities. The highest are Telluride and Mountain Village (3%), Crested Butte and Carbondale (1.5–3%). Most Colorado counties — including Denver, Arapahoe, Jefferson, El Paso, Adams, Larimer, Douglas, Boulder, and Weld — have no local transfer tax.
A buyer purchasing a $1.5 million ski condo in Telluride (San Miguel County) pays $200 in state documentary fee, $43 in recording fee, and $45,000 in local transfer tax — the resort town tax is 300 times larger than the state fee. This is why identifying whether your target property sits within a resort town boundary is essential before closing.
| County | City / Town | Local Transfer Tax | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archuleta | Pagosa Springs | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| Eagle | Vail | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| Eagle | Avon | 2.0% | Local tax applies |
| Eagle | Gypsum | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| Garfield | Carbondale | 1.5% | Local tax applies |
| Grand | Winter Park | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| Gunnison | Crested Butte | 3.0% | Local tax applies |
| Gunnison | Mt. Crested Butte | 2.0% | Local tax applies |
| Pitkin | Aspen | 1.5% | Local tax applies |
| Pitkin | Snowmass Village | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| Routt | Steamboat Springs | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| San Miguel | Telluride | 3.0% | Local tax applies |
| San Miguel | Mountain Village | 3.0% | Local tax applies |
| Summit | Breckenridge | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| Summit | Frisco | 1.0% | Local tax applies |
| All other counties | All cities/unincorporated | None | State fee only |
Local transfer tax rates are subject to change. Always verify with the city or title company before closing.
The $43 Deed Recording Fee — Colorado
Quick answer: Effective July 1, 2025, Colorado standardized the deed recording fee to a flat $43 per document (C.R.S. § 30-10-402), regardless of page count. This replaced the previous per-page fee structure that charged more for longer deeds. The $43 applies when recording a warranty deed, quitclaim deed, or beneficiary deed.
Before July 2025, Colorado’s recording fee was calculated per page — a simple 2-page deed might cost $13, while a complex 8-page deed with legal descriptions cost $52. The standardization to $43 flat makes title costs more predictable for buyers and sellers in all 64 counties.
The $43 recording fee is separate from the documentary fee and is paid to the County Clerk and Recorder at the time of recording, typically handled by the title company at closing. When you pull your property record through the Colorado Property Records guide, the recorded deed information includes the recording fee paid and the document reception number.
💡 Checking your deed: After closing, your deed should appear in the county Clerk and Recorder’s online portal within a few days of recording. Search by your name or property address. The reception number on your deed is your permanent record of ownership transfer. See how in our Colorado Property Records Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Municipal Ordinances
Resort town transfer tax rates — verified August 2026
Not affiliated with any government agency. Estimates only — verify with title company or county Clerk. Last reviewed August 15, 2026.