Taxes When Selling A House In Florida: What To Expect

In Florida, we are lucky to have an incredibly low tax burden. In fact, Florida comes in second as the state with the lowest taxes in the country. Florida is well known for not having an estate or inheritance tax - and it also does not have an individual income tax.

No state income taxes mean you won’t pay any taxes to the state on any profit you earn from selling your house in Florida. However, you may still need to pay a federal capital gains tax, a transfer tax, and any outstanding property taxes for the year. The taxes you will owe will be based on the value of your home and the length of time you owned it.

At Eaton Realty, we know that the decision to sell a house is a big one. We are committed to walking our clients through each step of the process, from the initial decision list to pricing to staging and marketing to closing. If you’re interested in selling your house in Hillsborough County, reach out to our real estate team to learn more about our full-service brokerage.

What Taxes Will You Pay When Selling Your House in Florida?

Florida is indeed an incredibly favorable state when it comes to taxes. If you live in the Sunshine State, you won’t pay a state income tax. Your loved ones also won’t pay any estate or inheritance taxes when you pass away.

Yet there are still taxes in Florida - including those related to the sale of real estate. Below, we break down the taxes you may have to pay when selling your home in West Central Florida.

Capital Gains Tax

When you sell a house, the profit you realize is known as “capital gains.” Capital gains are any profits you make when selling an asset - such as a piece of real estate or a stock. They are considered income and may be taxable at the federal level. Because Florida doesn’t have income taxes, you won’t pay a capital gains tax on the sale of your home here.

The amount of capital gains taxes you pay depends on multiple factors, including your income and the length of time that you have owned the house. If you sell your primary residence, you may also benefit from an exemption.

First, the IRS classifies capital gains as short-term or long-term based on how long you own it before selling it. If you own a piece of property for a year or less, it is a short-term capital gain taxed as ordinary income. If you owned the property for at least a year before selling, it will be taxed as a long-term capital gain - at a much lower percentage rate. The tax rate for long-term capital gains varies based on income and filing status. The current rates for 2025 are listed in the table below.

Filing Single
Income	Tax Rate
$0 to $48,350	0%
$48,351 to $533,400	15%
$533,401 or higher	20%

Married Filing Jointly
Income	Tax Rate
$0 to $96,700	0%
$96,701 to $600,050	15%
$600,051 or higher	20%

For most people, this tax rate is much more favorable than the rate at which their ordinary income is taxed. That being said, it can still take a chunk out of your profits. Fortunately, there is an exclusion for homeowners who are selling their primary residence.

If you are selling your family home, you can exclude up to $250,000 of profits for single filers and $500,000 of profits for married filers. To qualify for this exclusion, the following must be true:

• The house must be your primary residence;
• You must have owned the home for at least 2 out of the past 5 years;
• You must have lived in the house for at least 2 years (cumulatively) out of the last 5 years (this time does not have to be consecutive as long as it adds up to 2 years);
• You didn’t acquire the home through a like-kind exchange (swapping one property for another);
• You haven’t taken the exclusion on another home within the past 2 years; and
• You aren’t living abroad and are not subject to the expatriate tax.

For example, consider a situation where you bought a house in Tampa for $250,000 in 2017. You have lived in this home as your primary residence since you purchased it. In 2024, you sold the house for $500,000. In this situation, the $250,000 in long-term capital gains would be covered by the exclusion - so you wouldn’t pay any income taxes on the sale of your home.

Because your house is an investment, you might be able to effectively deduct improvements to the house out of your profits in order to avoid paying capital gains taxes. Consider a situation where you put $100,000 in renovations into your $450,000 house and sold it for $1,000,000. You may still qualify for the capital gains exemption if you documented those $100,000 improvements on your taxes.

Of course, any issue involving the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can be complicated. If you have any questions about your federal tax liability, you should always consult with a tax professional.

Transfer Tax

When you sell a piece of property in the state of Florida, it will be subject to a documentary stamp tax - also known as a transfer tax. The seller typically pays this tax which is calculated based on the sales price. Depending on the market, splitting the transfer tax with the buyer may be possible- or even having them pay it entirely.

In Florida, the documentary stamp tax rate is 70 cents per $100 (other than Miami-Dade County, where the rate is 60 cents per $100). In the example above, if you sold your Tampa house for $500,000, the transfer tax would be $3,500.

This tax essentially covers the governmental functions associated with real estate. Specifically, the tax pays for all the legal necessities of transferring the title to another owner, like recording the deed.

Property Taxes

The final tax you may have to pay is any property taxes for the year you have not yet paid. Generally, you are responsible for property taxes for any portion of a year in which you live in the house. If you haven’t yet paid property taxes for the year when you sell your house, then you will owe a prorated amount based on your current property tax assessment. If you already paid property taxes, then you may get a refund.

Of course, property taxes are something that you will owe regardless of whether or not you sell your house in a given year. But many people may not realize they will have to pay their share of the year’s property taxes when they sell their house - which can be an unwelcome surprise.

Sell Your House with Eaton Realty

No one wants to pay taxes - especially when they are looking forward to enjoying a profitable sale on a piece of real estate. Unfortunately, taxes are a reality of life - even in Florida. Depending on your unique situation, you may owe some federal and state taxes on the sale of your house, which is something you should account for when pricing your home.

At Eaton Realty, we help buyers and sellers navigate the often-tricking waters of real estate transactions in the greater Tampa area. If you’re looking to list your house and want to get top dollar for it, we can help. To learn more about our real estate services, fill out our online contact form or give us a call at 813-672-8022 to talk to a team member.

The information disclosed above does not constitute legal or financial advice. Use this information at your discretion and consult a legal or financial professional for further guidance.