Baltimore City Transfer/Recordation Tax Office
200 Holliday Street, Suite 1B
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410)396-5122
CHECKLIST
Please place all documents in the following order to ensure accurate and timely processing.
Original Deed - signed and notarized.
Current Lien Certificate
- photocopies will not be accepted. ALL LIENS MUST BE PAID IN
FULL prior to submitting document(s) to the transfer tax office (Validated receipts must be
attached to the Lien Certificate).
If the lien sheet includes any notations for Clean and Boards, Alley Paving and/or
Miscellaneous bills, please call the number on the lien sheet to see if an amount
is due. If an amount is due, you must go to the lien section, request a bill and pay
the bill prior to submitting your documents to the transfer tax office.
In the event of a Homeowner’s Tax Credit appearing on the Lien Certificate;
please call the telephone number listed on the lien sheet to obtain the amount
that is due, and submit corresponding payment (Must be a separate check made
payable to the Director of Finance).
If the new owner is taking the Owner Occupancy Credit, a signed affidavit of
principal residence must be included in your deed.
If the Lien sheet indicates that the property was included in a Tax Sale, the
property must be redeemed and the Tax Sale line on the Lien sheet must be
signed off by the Tax Sale Section prior to transfer.
If a lien sheet indicates that the real property tax bill had a “Homestead Credit”
and the document being presented for transfer is a “Foreclosure “deed, the
“Homestead Credit” will need to be repaid prior to transfer.
Completed Intake Sheet
- Currently the Maryland State Intake Sheet can be obtained in the
transfer tax office and at www.courts.state.md.us
. All copies of the intake sheet must be
legible and legal size (8.5x14).
** Important Notice- Effective 7/1/2014 the Transfer Tax Office will no longer be accepting
the Maryland State Intake Sheet. A new intake sheet has been specially designed for the
Transfer Tax Office. Customers will be able to download and print the new intake sheet by
visiting our website at www.baltimorecity.gov
.
Copy of a Settlement sheet, contract of sale, or a report of sale
Check(s) made payable to the Director of Finance for City Transfer Tax
Separate check made payable to Director of Finance for Recordation Tax (if
applicable)
No Consideration Deed
- If you are claiming an exemption for a no consideration deed, a
zero consideration affidavit may be required. It is advisable to call the office to see if you
need an affidavit and obtain one if applicable. Examples of reasons for an exemption are
“Gift to child, no consideration, no open mortgage”. “Adding wife, no consideration, no
refinance”
HOW TO CALCULATE BALTIMORE CITY TRANSFER TAX
Basic Sale of Property
Multiply the consideration x 1.5%.
No Consideration, gift to a family member or friend
Need to know if there is an open mortgage. If there is an open mortgage it will not be
considered a bonafide gift and therefore will be taxed on the open mortgage x 1.5%.
If there is no open mortgage, please include “No Consideration” affidavit.
Individual adding someone to title (including husband & wife)
If they are adding someone to title and there is no consideration and no refinance or new
loan, please include “No Consideration” affidavit.
However, if they are refinancing or taking out a new loan, it will be taxed on ½ of the new
loan x 1.5%.
Please note…If they are adding more than one person to title, for example if they are
adding 2 people to title, it will be taxed on 2/3 of the new loan. If in the zero
consideration they are doing both adding and removing, the adding will prevail.
Removing a person from title – Husband & wife
The only time a transfer is exempt between husband and wife is if it is “pursuant to a
divorce”. If this is the case, it must be clearly stated in the deed and on the intake sheet.
If it is not pursuant to a divorce, and there is a refinance, it will be taxed on ½ of
the existing mortgage x 1.5%.
Removing a person from title – other than spouse
When removing someone from title and there is no consideration and no refinance or
new loan, please s include “No Consideration” affidavit.
However, when removing someone from title and then refinancing the mortgage, the
conveyance will be taxed on ½ of the existing mortgage.
Individual(s) to an LLC
Individuals to their fully owned LLC: If it is a Real Estate Enterprise pursuant to the
Annotated Code 12-108, 13-207(a)(18) and 13-405(c) it will be an exempt transfer. The
language and codes must be clearly stated both in your deed and on the intake sheet in
order to be eligible for the exemption. If it is not it will taxed on the assessed value.
LLC back to the original member(s)
The only time this transfer is exempt is if the LLC has been dissolved with the State. If
the LLC has been dissolved the “Articles of Cancellation” form from SDAT must be
submitted.
Otherwise it will be taxed on the assessed value.
No Consideration deed(s) being transferred from a company, corporation, or LLC
to another company, corporation, or LLC
Will be taxed on the assessed value x 1.5% (unless related entities)
Transfer between churches – No Consideration
A transfer between two churches, with no consideration, will be taxable on the assessed
value. Once the deed has been recorded the new owner can apply for an exemption with
State Department of Assessments and Taxation.
If the exemption is granted the new owner can then request a refund from the transfer
tax office.
Government Agencies
All transfers in which the property is being conveyed to a government agency are tax
exempt.
Life Estate
These transfers are exempt from Transfer Tax
FYI… a lien sheet is required with a creation of a Life Estate without powers.
Living Trust (Revocable)
A revocable trust is exempt from Transfer Tax.
Living Trust (Irrevocable)
An irrevocable trust is taxed on the assessed value.
FYI…a lien sheet is required only if someone is coming out of title. For example:
A conveyance going from Mary Smith to Mary Smith, Trustee of the Smith Family Trust,
does not need a lien sheet.
However, if it is going from Mary Smith, to the Smith Family Trust, Mary is coming out of
title; therefore you need a lien sheet.
Distribution of Estate – Personal Representative Deed(s)
When the property is being conveyed from the personal Representative to their heir with
no consideration, it is exempt from Transfer Tax. A lien sheet is required.
If the Personal Representative of the estate is selling the property the transfer will be
taxed on the consideration stated in the deed.
Ground Rent Deed(s)
Ground rent and Ground rent Merger/Redemption deeds are taxed on the consideration
stated in the deed. If there is no consideration, the transfer will be exempt.
No lien sheets or settlement sheets are required for these types of deeds.
FYI…anytime a transfer is exempt from Transfer Tax;
The reason must be clearly stated in the deed and on the intake sheet.
In addition, most zero consideration deeds will require a “No
Consideration” affidavit. Please call 410-396-5122 to obtain more details.
Lien Certificates
Applications for the Lien Certificates can be obtained from the City of Baltimore, Bureau
of Revenue Collections Lien Office, Room 1,Suite 1A, 200 Holliday Street, Baltimore,
MD 21202
Lien Sheets are $55 .
Lien Sheets are valid for a 45-day period (a lien sheet will expire 45 days from the date
of issuance or June 30
th
, whichever comes first). If a lien sheet expires, it will be
necessary to order a new one.
A Lien sheet is not required unless someone is coming out of title. Cases such as life
estates (with full powers), ground rents, adding names to title, and some living trusts do
not require a lien sheet.
If you have any questions regarding the recording of a deed in Baltimore City,
please contact the Transfer Tax Office at (410)396-5122.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Organization Address Phone
Transfer Tax Office 200 Holliday St, Rm 1 (410)396-5122
Lien Section 200 Holliday St, Rm 1 (410)396-3991
Tax Sale Inquiries 200 Holliday St, Rm 1 (410)396-3987
Billing Inquires 200 Holliday St, Counter 2, Lobby (410)396-3987
Land Records 100 N Calvert St, Rm 610 (410)333-3760
Rental Registration 417 E Fayette St, Rm 202 (410)396-3575
Orphans Court 111 N Calvert St, Rm 311 (410)396-5034
State Dept of Assessments 301 W Preston St, Rm 809 (410)767-1330
and Taxation
