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Texas Closing Cost Calculator
Texas has no transfer tax; the state-set cost is title insurance, a $1,768 basic premium on a $300,000 policy. The premium schedule is set for the whole state, so a Houston, Dallas or Austin policy of the same amount starts from the same figure. Estimate a basic title premium using the March 2026 schedule, choose the contract allocation, and add your quoted closing charges.
Texas title premium and settlement worksheet
Ordinary fee-simple sale: no state real-estate transfer tax. A separate model estimates one basic title-policy premium using the TDI schedule effective March 1, 2026. Confirm the policy face amount and contract payer. Endorsements, simultaneous policies, special rate rules, recording, property-tax prorations and other charges require quotes.
| Parameter | Amount | In effect | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic premium, policies up to $100,000 | Fixed lookup: $308 at $25,000, rising to $780 at $100,000 | Rates effective March 1, 2026 | TDI basic premium chart |
| Policies of $100,001 to $1,000,000 | $780 plus 0.494% of the amount over $100,000, rounded to the nearest dollar | Rates effective March 1, 2026 | TDI basic premium chart |
| Policies of $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | $5,226 plus 0.406% of the amount over $1,000,000 | Rates effective March 1, 2026 | TDI basic premium chart |
| What the basic premium covers | Title insurance, examination and closing the transaction, subject to the other rate rules | Current rate manual | TDI rate rule R-1 |
| State deed transfer tax | None on an ordinary fee-simple sale | Current constitution | Texas Constitution, Article VIII, section 29 |
Use the policy amount and the current rate schedule
The Texas Department of Insurance's March 2026 chart uses a lookup table through $100,000 and a tiered calculation above it. Coverage of $25,001 moves into the next table row. Above $100,000, subtract the tier's base, multiply the difference by its rate, round to the nearest dollar and add the fixed premium.
For a $300,000 policy, ($300,000 − $100,000) × 0.00494 + $780 gives $1,768. This is a basic premium, not a percentage estimate of all closing costs. The coverage input is separate from sale price so you can match the policy commitment.
Harris, Dallas and Travis counties pay the same basic premium
Nothing in the TDI chart varies by county or city. A $350,000 policy on a house in Houston (Harris County), Dallas or Austin (Travis County) is ($350,000 − $100,000) × 0.00494 + $780 = $2,015 in each place. The rest of the bill is still specific to the transaction: the county clerk's recording charges, the property-tax proration for that property's own taxing units, and any owners-association charge. Get those from the title company handling the file.
Basic premium examples under the March 2026 schedule
| Policy face amount | Basic premium |
|---|---|
| $25,000 | $308 |
| $25,001 | $310 |
| $75,000 | $625 |
| $100,000 | $780 |
| $268,500 | $1,612 |
| $300,000 | $1,768 |
| $350,000 | $2,015 |
| $4,826,600 | $20,762 |
Allocate the title bill using your contract
Enter a seller share from zero to 100 percent. The buyer share is the remainder. For example, a seller paying 100 percent of the $1,768 basic premium receives that amount in the seller subtotal; a 50 percent agreement assigns $884 to each side. The worksheet leaves totals unresolved until you supply that allocation or your own title quote.
If the seller's complete title and settlement quote is $2,100, entering $2,100 replaces the modeled $1,768. It does not create a $3,868 charge. A confirmed zero quote also replaces the estimate. Keep a combined provider quote together instead of repeating its components in other fields.
Know when the basic premium is insufficient
TDI rate rule R-1 makes the basic schedule subject to other applicable rate rules. It includes title insurance, title examination and closing the transaction as defined in the manual. Do not add a second generic percentage for those same services.
This model does not price endorsements, simultaneous owner and loan policies, refinance credits, construction arrangements or multiple separate purchases. Get the title company's itemized quote for those situations and enter your side's total. Selecting an unsupported policy period disables the automatic premium while allowing a quote.
No state deed transfer tax does not mean a free closing
The Comptroller's tax inventory has no state real-estate conveyance tax. Article VIII, section 29 of the Texas Constitution prohibits new taxes on fee-simple real-property transfers after January 1, 2016. The ordinary sale modeled here therefore has no state transfer-tax amount.
Recording fees, property-tax adjustments, lender charges, reserves and agreed commissions still matter. Enter the relevant quotes, deposit, credits and payoff balance. A private association or deed-related charge should be checked separately; a zero state transfer tax does not determine whether that charge is due.
Last reviewed 2026-10-12. Settlement worksheet methodology.
Questions about Texas
- How much is a basic Texas title policy on $300,000?
- Under the TDI basic premium schedule effective March 1, 2026, a $300,000 policy has a $1,768 basic premium. Endorsements and special rate rules can change the actual policy quote.
- Does the seller always pay the Texas title premium?
- This worksheet requires the seller share from your contract. It does not assume a payer. An entered title or settlement quote for your side replaces the calculated premium share rather than being added again.