Franklin County Real Property Conveyance Fee Explained
Franklin County charges $3 per $1,000 of the sale price as its real property conveyance fee, plus a $0.50 transfer fee per parcel. Sellers with an active homestead exemption pay a reduced rate of $1 per $1,000. Your title company calculates, collects, and submits the fee to the Franklin County Auditor at closing.
How much is the real property conveyance fee in Franklin County?
As of mid-2026, Franklin County charges $3 per $1,000 of sale price as its real property conveyance fee, plus a separate $0.50 transfer fee per parcel. If the seller holds an active homestead exemption on the property at the time of transfer, the rate drops to $1 per $1,000 because the county's permissive portion is waived. Your title company calculates both fees, collects them at closing, and submits them to the Franklin County Auditor before the deed is recorded.
Key Takeaways
Franklin County's standard conveyance fee is $3 per $1,000 of sale price (a $1 mandatory state fee plus a $2 permissive county fee), confirmed by the Franklin County Auditor's official calculator as of August 2026.
Sellers with an active senior, disabled, or veteran homestead exemption pay only $1 per $1,000 because Franklin County waives its $2 permissive portion for homestead-exempt grantors.
A $0.50 transfer fee per parcel applies to virtually every transfer, including those otherwise exempt from the conveyance fee itself.
Ohio law requires the fee to be paid before a deed can be recorded, but does not assign responsibility to the buyer or seller, that is decided in your purchase contract.
Recent local market data shows a median sale price of $549,055 in Lewis Center and a range from $427,000 in Delaware to $677,500 in Upper Arlington across Central Ohio, so the conveyance fee can represent a meaningful line item worth understanding before you close.
What is the Franklin County conveyance fee and how is it calculated?
The real property conveyance fee is the charge assessed on the transfer of real estate in Ohio. Every county collects it, but the rate is not the same everywhere, and that matters if you're relying on a generic statewide calculator.
Here's the breakdown for Franklin County, current as of mid-2026:
State mandatory fee: $1 per $1,000 of sale price, required under Ohio Revised Code §319.54(G)(3) in every Ohio county.
County permissive fee: $2 per $1,000, adopted by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners under ORC §322.02(A), last updated August 2019.
Combined standard rate: $3 per $1,000, with a $3 minimum.
Transfer fee: $0.50 per parcel per document, owed on all non-exempt transfers in addition to the conveyance fee.
One thing I flag for every seller I work with in Columbus: several third-party calculators list Franklin County at $4 per $1,000, which reflects a common Ohio assumption but is not the actual Franklin County rate. The Franklin County Auditor's own online calculator and the Transfer & Conveyance Standards document (updated July 14, 2026) are the controlling sources. When in doubt, use the county's own tool, not a statewide blog.
For context on what these fees apply to: recent local market data shows a median sale price of $549,055 in Lewis Center over the trailing 90 days. Across Central Ohio, medians range considerably by area. Here's a current snapshot:
AreaMedian Sale PriceMedian Days on MarketLewis Center$549,05548Powell$540,00041Dublin$590,00034Westerville$460,00034Delaware$427,00041Upper Arlington$677,50052New Albany$600,00050Orange Township$581,50063
These are area-level medians from aggregated public listing data (trailing ~90 days, as of September 2026). An individual home's value varies by condition, street, and timing. For more on where the Columbus market stands heading into fall, see the June 2026 Columbus Housing Market Update.
What transfers are exempt from the conveyance fee?
Not every transfer triggers the full fee. The Franklin County Auditor's Exemptions page and Transfer & Conveyance Standards list categories where no conveyance fee is charged, though the $0.50 transfer fee per parcel still applies in most cases.
Common exempt categories include certain deeds of distribution, transfers to or from government entities, and specific intra-family transfers. The exact list is governed by Ohio law and the county's standards. When a transfer qualifies for an exemption, the title company documents it on Form DTE 100EX (Statement of Reason for Exemption From Real Property Conveyance Fee), which the Franklin County Auditor's Form Center makes available. The Auditor's office reviews the exemption claim when the deed is presented for transfer.
How does the homestead exemption affect the conveyance fee?
If you currently receive the homestead exemption on the property you're selling, your conveyance fee rate drops to $1 per $1,000 of sale price. Franklin County waives its $2 permissive portion entirely for homestead-exempt grantors, leaving only the mandatory state $1 per $1,000 in place. This is confirmed by both the Auditor's calculator and a 2026 transfer-tax guide summarizing ORC §322.07.
The Franklin County homestead program covers several categories of eligible homeowners. According to the Franklin County Auditor's Homestead page (updated August 20, 2026):
Standard homestead exemption (senior and disabled persons): exempts the first $29,000 of the home's auditor-appraised value from property taxation.
Enhanced homestead exemption (disabled veterans and surviving spouses of public service officers killed in the line of duty): exempts the first $58,000 of appraised value.
The property-tax benefit and the conveyance fee reduction are separate things, but they're connected: the reduced conveyance fee rate applies specifically because the grantor (the seller) holds the homestead exemption on the property at the time of transfer.
What extra paperwork is required for a homestead transfer?
When a homestead property is being conveyed, Form DTE 101 (Statement of Conveyance of Homestead Property) must be completed and attached alongside the deed and the standard DTE 100 form. This form documents the homestead status and includes an estimate of the future tax reduction for the buyer (grantee).
The Franklin County Transfer & Conveyance Standards direct staff to contact the Homestead Department for assistance when a grantor indicates the property carries a senior, disabled, or surviving-spouse homestead exemption. In practice, title companies coordinate this verification with the Auditor's office before or at closing to confirm the reduced rate applies and avoid a miscalculation that could delay recording. The Franklin County Law Library's 2026 deeds guide confirms that all DTE forms are part of the required transfer workflow starting with the Auditor.
How does the title company handle the conveyance fee at closing?
In Franklin County, the title company is the professional who manages the conveyance fee from calculation through payment. Here's how the process works in practice:
Prepare the deed and DTE forms. The title company drafts or reviews the deed and completes the appropriate DTE form: DTE 100 for standard transfers, DTE 100EX for exempt transfers, or both DTE 100 and DTE 101 when a homestead exemption is involved.
Calculate the fee. The title company uses the Franklin County Auditor's online conveyance fee calculator or the county's published millage schedule to determine the exact amount owed.
Collect at closing. The conveyance fee and $0.50 transfer fee are collected as part of the closing funds. Who bears the cost, buyer or seller, is determined by your purchase contract, not Ohio law. As the Ohio land transfer tax guide and the Ohio transfer tax overview both note, the statute requires the fee to be paid but does not assign it to either party. That's a negotiation point in your contract.
Submit to the Franklin County Auditor. Before the deed goes to the county Recorder for official recording, it must first pass through the Franklin County Auditor's Transfer & Conveyance Department at 373 S. High St., 19th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215. The title company presents the deed, completed DTE forms, and payment (often by check or electronic transfer) to the Auditor. The Auditor's public counter hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with questions directed to 614-525-3253.
Record the deed. Once the Auditor accepts the transfer and fees, the deed proceeds to the Franklin County Recorder for official recording. The closing is not fully finalized in the public record until this step is complete.
One timing detail worth knowing: the Auditor's split public-counter hours mean that same-day recording can depend on when in the day your closing occurs. Local title professionals often schedule closings with this window in mind. And as of early September 2026, the Auditor's office has posted holiday closure notices, so closings scheduled near Labor Day or other holidays may need adjusted timelines.
Your specific situation, whether a homestead exemption applies, whether any exemption categories are in play, and how the fee is allocated in your contract, is exactly the kind of detail I walk through with every seller before we get to the closing table. If you want to understand what your closing picture looks like before you list, that's a conversation worth having early.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the real property conveyance fee in Franklin County right now?
As of mid-2026, Franklin County charges $3 per $1,000 of sale price, with a $3 minimum, plus a $0.50 transfer fee per parcel. This is composed of a $1 mandatory state fee and a $2 permissive county fee. Confirm the current rate directly with the Franklin County Auditor's online calculator before closing, as rates can be updated by county commissioners.
Does the homestead exemption lower the conveyance fee when I sell my house in Columbus?
Yes, if you hold an active homestead exemption on the property at the time of sale, your conveyance fee rate is reduced to $1 per $1,000 of sale price because Franklin County waives its $2 permissive portion for homestead-exempt grantors. You'll also need to complete Form DTE 101 (Statement of Conveyance of Homestead Property) as part of the transfer. Your title company will verify your homestead status with the Auditor's office and apply the correct rate at closing.
Who pays the conveyance fee in a Franklin County real estate closing, buyer or seller?
Ohio law requires the conveyance fee to be paid before a deed can be recorded, but it does not assign responsibility to the buyer or the seller, that is decided in your purchase contract. In practice, the allocation is a negotiation point, and your title company collects whichever party's funds cover it at closing. Review your contract carefully and confirm the allocation with your agent before signing.
What forms are needed for a property transfer in Franklin County?
Most standard transfers require Form DTE 100 (Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement). If the transfer qualifies for a conveyance fee exemption, Form DTE 100EX (Statement of Reason for Exemption From Real Property Conveyance Fee) is used instead. When the seller holds a homestead exemption on the property, Form DTE 101 (Statement of Conveyance of Homestead Property) must also be completed and submitted with the deed. All forms are available through the Franklin County Auditor's Form Center, and the Franklin County Law Library's deeds guide outlines the full workflow.
Are there situations where no conveyance fee is charged on a Franklin County transfer?
Yes. Franklin County recognizes several exempt transfer categories under Ohio law, including certain deeds of distribution, transfers to or from government entities, and specific intra-family transfers. Even for exempt transfers, the $0.50 transfer fee per parcel still applies. The exemption is documented on Form DTE 100EX and reviewed by the Auditor when the deed is presented for transfer. Your title company will determine which category applies to your transaction.
The Franklin County conveyance fee is one of those closing-cost line items that's easy to underestimate if you're relying on a generic statewide number. Knowing the actual rate, whether your homestead status changes it, and how the title company handles the workflow puts you in a much better position going into the transaction.
If you're preparing to sell in Franklin County and want to understand the full picture before you list, I'm happy to walk you through it. Schedule a consultation and we'll go through your specific situation together.
About Chrisi Hagan
Chrisi Hagan is a REALTOR® with the Collins Lassiter Group at Red 1 Realty serving Columbus and Central Ohio, ranked in the top 1% of Columbus MLS agents and specializing in helping buyers and sellers, including those rightsizing, relocating, and military families, make confident moves.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan is licensed as a Real Estate Salesperson in Ohio, regulated by the Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing. This article is general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific costs and tax obligations with your title company, tax advisor, or lender.
