Hawaii Closing Costs: What Buyers and Sellers Pay

Hawaii buyers usually pay loan fees, about half the escrow charge, recording fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance. Sellers usually pay the state conveyance tax, the owner's title policy, and the other half of escrow, plus any negotiated commission. The CFPB says closing costs often run 2% to 5% of the price, not counting the down payment.

Updated November 2026. By Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR, The Kawaguchi Group, eXp Realty.

Hawaii closing cost figures, updated November 2026

These figures come from official rate pages, not estimates. Lender fees, prepaid taxes and insurance, association dues, inspections, and any real estate commission are extra and come from your Loan Estimate, the contract, and your net sheet. Title Guaranty of Hawaii is one published schedule; other escrow and title companies set their own rates.

Hawaii conveyance tax rates (Tax Facts 2026-1, issued October 2026)
Actual and full consideration Condo or single-family home if the buyer is not eligible for a county homeowner's exemption All other transfers (including when the buyer is eligible for that exemption)
Less than $600,000 0.15% ($0.15 per $100) 0.10% ($0.10 per $100)
$600,000 to under $1,000,000 0.25% 0.20%
$1,000,000 to under $2,000,000 0.40% 0.30%
$2,000,000 to under $4,000,000 0.60% 0.50%
$4,000,000 to under $6,000,000 0.85% 0.70%
$6,000,000 to under $10,000,000 1.10% 0.90%
$10,000,000 or more 1.25% 1.00%

Source: Hawaii Department of Taxation, Tax Facts 2026-1, Conveyance Tax (issued October 2026), implementing HRS section 247-2. The tax is generally imposed on the seller (the grantor). The minimum tax is $1. See also the DOTAX conveyance tax forms page and the City and County of Honolulu home exemption page, which is the county exemption those rates refer to on Oahu.

Example amounts at October 2026 Oahu median prices
Line item Oahu condo median, $499,000 Oahu single-family median, $1,150,000
Conveyance tax if the buyer is eligible for a county homeowner's exemption (seller-paid) $499 (0.10%) $3,450 (0.30%)
Conveyance tax if a condo or single-family buyer is not eligible (seller-paid) $748.50 (0.15%) $4,600 (0.40%)
Title Guaranty escrow fee, sales price up to $500,000 / $1,200,000 (total, before GET) $2,250 $3,418
Each party's 50% escrow share (before GET) $1,125 $1,709
Standard owner's or ALTA loan policy premium, coverage up to $500,000 / $1,200,000 $2,168 $4,422
Published 60% seller / 40% buyer portions of that premium $1,300.80 / $867.20 $2,653.20 / $1,768.80
Minimum concurrent ALTA loan policy with an owner's policy (loan up to $2,000,000) $250 $250
Bureau of Conveyances recording, per document up to 50 pages Regular System $41; Land Court $36, plus $50 if a Certificate of Title is issued Same statewide fees

Median prices: Honolulu Board of REALTORS October 2026 Oahu resale report, released November 6, 2026 (HBR newsroom release; Monthly Statistical Report PDF). Conveyance tax amounts are the official rates applied to those medians. Escrow and title figures are from the Title Guaranty fee schedule effective August 12, 2026. The $499,000 condo median falls in the "sales price up to $500,000" escrow row and the "coverage up to $500,000" title row; $1,150,000 falls in the "up to $1,200,000" rows. Hawaii general excise tax is added to escrow charges and to title fees except title insurance premiums; it is not included in the dollar figures above. Recording fees: Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances recording fee schedule. CFPB national range for closing costs, not including the down payment: 2% to 5% of the purchase price.

What Hawaii buyers usually pay

If you are financing, the Loan Estimate is the document that lists your lender charges: origination or underwriting, the appraisal, and a credit report. Compare more than one Loan Estimate line by line. Those lender items, plus the prepaid tax and insurance reserves your loan requires, are often the largest part of a buyer's cash to close.

On top of the loan side, Oahu buyers commonly pay:

  • About half of the escrow fee, as shown on the published schedule above, plus general excise tax. The contract can set a different split.
  • The lender's title insurance policy, if you finance. A concurrent loan policy issued with an owner's policy has a published minimum charge of $250 when the loan is not more than $2,000,000.
  • Recording fees at the Bureau of Conveyances for the documents that are recorded in your name, such as the deed and the mortgage.
  • Prepaids and reserves: an initial cushion for property taxes and insurance, and prepaid interest from the closing date to the end of the month.
  • Inspections you order, such as a general home inspection and a termite inspection.

Cash buyers skip lender fees and the lender's title policy, but still have escrow, recording, and any agreed share of title charges. For the steps before you write an offer, see Buying a Home in Hawaii and Hawaii Home Financing.

What Hawaii sellers usually pay

Sellers usually carry the conveyance tax, the owner's title policy, and their half of escrow, plus any commission negotiated in the listing agreement. Buyer-agent compensation is a separate conversation in the offer, not an automatic split. I will put the commission, the correct conveyance tax tier, and any withholding on a written net-proceeds estimate in the first week, not the last.

The conveyance tax is a state transfer tax on the actual and full consideration, which is usually the sale price. The rate depends on the price tier and on whether the buyer of a condominium or single-family home is eligible for a county homeowner's exemption. Use the official table above rather than a neighbor's closing statement, because a different buyer can put the same house in a different tier.

Sellers also typically prorate real property taxes and any association dues through the closing date, and pay off the existing mortgage and liens from the proceeds. If you are considering a tax-deferred exchange after the sale, see the 1031 exchange guide. For the listing process, see Selling Your Hawaii Home.

HARPTA and FIRPTA for out-of-state and foreign sellers

If you are selling Hawaii property and you are not a Hawaii resident, the buyer is generally required to withhold 7.25% of the amount realized under HARPTA (the Hawaii Real Property Tax Act) and send it to the Department of Taxation. A Hawaii resident can usually avoid withholding by giving the buyer Form N-289. HARPTA is not a final tax. It is an estimated payment credited when the seller files a Hawaii income tax return, and any overpayment can be refunded.

If the seller is a foreign person, FIRPTA withholding also applies. The IRS generally requires 15% of the amount realized, with exceptions on some residential sales. HARPTA and FIRPTA can both apply on the same closing. These rules are technical, so bring in a Hawaii tax professional early, especially if you are leaving on a PCS or moving back to the mainland. Military families can start with the Hawaii PCS Guide.

Sources: Hawaii Department of Taxation, Tax Facts 2010-1, Understanding HARPTA (revised April 2025); IRS, FIRPTA withholding.

How to keep the number from surprising you

Buyers should have a Loan Estimate and a buyer's cost sheet before they are deep into a contract. Sellers should have a net sheet that uses the correct conveyance tax tier and, if they live off-island, any HARPTA or FIRPTA withholding. A seller credit can help a buyer with cash at closing, but it also changes the seller's net and must fit the loan program.

If you want these line items on a specific price or property, call or text (808) 201-3577 or send a message. I'll build the estimate for your actual situation.

Hawaii Closing Costs FAQ

Who pays closing costs in Hawaii, the buyer or the seller?

Both, and the split is set in the purchase contract. The state imposes the conveyance tax on the seller (the grantor). Title Guaranty's published residential schedule, effective August 12, 2026, shows escrow split 50/50 and a 60% seller / 40% buyer allocation of the standard owner's title premium. Buyers who finance also pay lender fees, the lender's title policy, recording fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance. Every line can be negotiated.

How much are closing costs for a buyer on Oahu?

It depends on the price, the loan, prepaid taxes and insurance, and any seller credit. The dated tables on this page show the state conveyance tax, a published escrow and title schedule, and Bureau of Conveyances recording fees. Lender fees and prepaids appear on your Loan Estimate. I'm Aloha Tony, and I will run a written cost sheet for your price and loan before you write an offer.

Why is the conveyance tax higher on one Hawaii sale than another?

Two official reasons. The rate rises in tiers as the sale price rises. A higher rate also applies to the sale of a condominium or single-family home when the buyer is not eligible for a county homeowner's exemption. The lower schedule applies to all other transfers, including a sale where the buyer is eligible for that exemption. See the rate table above and Tax Facts 2026-1.

I live on the mainland. Will HARPTA take 7.25% of my sale price?

Escrow generally withholds 7.25% of the amount realized when a nonresident sells Hawaii real property. That is a prepayment toward the seller's Hawaii income tax, not an extra tax on top of your final bill. If you owe less when you file, you can receive a refund. A limited exception can apply when the property was your principal residence in the year before the sale and the amount realized is $300,000 or less. Ask a Hawaii tax professional before closing.

Can I ask the seller to pay some of my closing costs?

Yes. A seller credit toward buyer closing costs is a normal offer term, subject to the contract and your loan program's credit limits. The credit changes the seller's net and can affect the appraisal, so we map the numbers before we write the offer. See my Hawaii financing guide for how credits interact with the loan.

What are the recording fees when you close a Hawaii home?

Hawaii records deeds and mortgages at the state Bureau of Conveyances, not at a county recorder. The published fee is $41 per document up to 50 pages in the Regular System, or $36 per document up to 50 pages in Land Court, plus $50 if a Land Court Certificate of Title is issued. Longer documents have a higher flat fee. Confirm the system and page count with escrow.

Do VA or military buyers pay different closing costs in Hawaii?

VA loan rules can change which fees a veteran may pay and how large a seller credit can be, but you still have closing costs, prepaids, and recording fees. Your Loan Estimate is the document that lists them. If you are moving on orders, start with the Hawaii PCS Guide and your lender. This is not a no-cost loan.

Related Hawaii buying and selling guides

This page is general information, not tax, legal, or lending advice. Run your numbers with your lender, your escrow officer, and a licensed Hawaii tax professional or attorney before you rely on them.

Continue with Buying a Home in Hawaii, Hawaii Home Financing, Selling Your Hawaii Home, the Hawaii PCS Guide, or current Oahu homes for sale.