Who pays for the owner’s policy in Miami-Dade County?
The buyer customarily pays for the owner’s title policy in Miami-Dade County.
Owner’s policy The title policy that protects the buyer, issued for the full insurable value of the property, in a sale ordinarily the price. More in the glossary: Owner’s policy
Custom is not law. The purchase contract decides it, and in a negotiated deal either side can end up paying. Read the contract before assuming which line it falls on.
The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar “AS IS” Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase has a box written for this county and one other: “AS IS” contract ¶9(c)(iii), the Miami-Dade/Broward regional provision. Checked, it has:
- the buyer choose the closing agent and pay the owner’s premium;
- the seller pay the actual cost of the title search, up to the figure the contract writes in or $200 where the blank is left empty;
- and the seller pay the actual cost of the tax search and the municipal lien search.
The seller net sheet works it through line by line.
How the custom runs in the other counties is on who pays for title insurance in Florida.
What does title insurance cost in Miami-Dade County?
The same as anywhere in Florida — the premium is promulgated.
Premium The price of a title insurance policy. In Florida it is set by rule, applies throughout the state, and no one may knowingly quote, charge or collect a different one; it runs per $1,000 of coverage, in bands. More in the glossary: Premium
- Owner’s policy, $500,000
- $2,575
- Original rate, R. 69O-186.003(1)(a)
- At the reissue rate
- $1,530
- Where the prior title was insured and conditions are met
- Lender’s policy alongside
- $125
- Our charge; the rule’s minimum is $25
The Office of Insurance Regulation sets the premium by rule under Fla. Stat. § 627.782, and an owner’s policy is written for the full insurable value of the property. The Florida title insurance rates, both schedules, are printed in full on the calculator; what each side pays is on the buyer closing costs and seller closing costs pages.
More detail on what title insurance costs
The reissue rate applies where the owner’s or the seller’s own title was insured and the rule’s conditions are met. The rule sets $25 as the least a lender’s policy issued at the same time can be. That $25 is a minimum, not a price: Bayit Title charges $125 to issue the policy alongside the owner’s, and that is the figure the estimate prints. Where the loan is larger than the owner’s amount, the coverage above it adds the difference between the original rate at the loan amount and at the owner’s amount.
Read from Fla. Admin. Code R. 69O-186.003 on September 14, 2026. The rule was last amended January 27, 2002. Tell us if a figure here does not match what you are quoted and we will check it against the rule again.
Documentary stamp tax on a Miami-Dade County sale
The deed is taxed by the state, not by the county.
Documentary stamp tax Florida’s tax on documents, paid at the closing. More in the glossary: Documentary stamp tax
Miami-Dade County is the one county that does not pay the statewide rate: the 10-cent increase the Legislature added in 1992 was never applied here, and the county levies a surtax the other 66 do not. The stamps are charged on each part of $100, so they round up. Which side pays is decided by the contract, not the statute.
A cash closing carries neither mortgage tax. The Florida doc stamp tax calculator works it out for a specific price and loan.
More detail on documentary stamp tax
Deed stamps. 60¢ per $100 of consideration, or part of $100. Lower than the rest of Florida because the 10-cent increase in ch. 92-317 was never applied here.
County discretionary surtax. 45¢ per $100 of consideration, or part of $100. Not charged where the interest conveyed involves only a single-family residence.
Mortgage stamps. 35¢ per $100 of the amount secured, or part of $100. The $2,450 cap in § 201.08(1)(a) is on the tax on a note or other written obligation to pay money. There is no cap on the tax on a mortgage recorded against Florida property.
Intangible tax. 2 mills on each dollar secured — $2 per $1,000. One time, on the obligation the mortgage secures.
Each figure was read from the statute that sets it on September 14, 2026 and is linked to its section. Which county ch. 83-220 describes comes from the Department of Revenue’s documentary stamp tax guidance. Rates change by act of the Legislature — if one of these no longer matches what you are being charged, tell us and we will correct it.
Recording in Miami-Dade County
Deeds and mortgages record with the Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller.
Recording Entering a document in the county’s official records, which makes it notice to everyone. More in the glossary: Recording
We e-record in this county, so a document usually posts without a courier trip.
- First page
- $10.00
- Then $8.50 a page
- A 3-page deed
- $27
- Same at every office
- A 25-page mortgage
- $214
- Same at every office
Set by statute and charged by the page — Fla. Stat. § 28.24(13) — so a Miami-Dade County deed and a Levy County deed of the same length record for the same money.
We cannot guarantee documents will be recorded on the same day that we receive them. Documents submitted via eRecording may take approximately 1-3 business days (excluding weekends/holidays) to review and process before they are made available for public viewing.
More detail on recording
Recording, first page: $10.00. $5.00 service charge, plus $1.00 to the Public Records Modernization Trust Fund, plus $4.00. Fla. Stat. § 28.24(13)(a), (d)1., (e)
Recording, each page after the first: $8.50. $4.00 service charge, plus 50¢ to the trust fund, plus $4.00. Fla. Stat. § 28.24(13)(b), (d)2., (e)
Indexing, per name over four: $1.00. Reached by a deed with several grantors, or by a mortgage naming a trust. Fla. Stat. § 28.24(13)(c)
The office’s own fee schedule covers the other things it does — certified copies, searches, its own e-recording arrangements — and a third-party e-recording vendor may add a fee of its own, which is not the office’s charge and not this.
The turnaround above is the office’s own published statement, not a commitment it makes to us or a time we can promise you. Offices change these pages without notice. On a file where the recording date matters, ask us and we will check what the office is actually doing that week.
Read from the statute on September 14, 2026. If a charge here no longer matches what you are being charged, tell us and we will correct it.
How Miami-Dade County records, in its offices’ own words
What the office that records deeds and mortgages says about how it works.
- Documentary stamps
- The Clerk lists a surtax of $0.45 per $100 of consideration on transfers of an interest in any real property other than a single-family residence, under Miami-Dade Code 29-7(D), in addition to documentary stamps on deeds at 60 cents per $100. Source: Documentary stamps
- Mortgage requirements
- The Clerk’s checklist calls for a copy of the promissory note to be attached to a mortgage, or for the amount of the note to be written on the face of the mortgage. Source: Mortgage requirements
- Quit claim deeds
- The County Recorder’s Office mails a courtesy letter to the property owner whenever a quit claim deed is recorded. Source: Quit claim deeds
- Where to record
- The Clerk takes original documents in person at the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, and recommends recording in person when a document is time-sensitive, since it cannot guarantee same-day recording. The Clerk’s own eRecording Web Service takes Notices of Commencement and Declarations of Domicile. Source: Where to record
- eRecording processing time
- The Clerk says documents submitted by eRecording may take approximately 1–3 business days, excluding weekends and holidays, to be reviewed and processed before they are available for public viewing. Source: eRecording processing time
- Forged and wild deeds
- The Clerk publishes simplified quiet title complaint forms for a forged deed and for a wild deed, and says a final judgment quieting title should direct the Clerk to remove the fraudulent deed from the Official Record. Source: Forged and wild deeds
- Deeds and tax bill addresses
- The Clerk notes that a recorded deed can change the owner’s address in the Property Appraiser’s and Tax Collector’s systems, so TRIM notices and property tax bills may be sent to a different address. Source: Deeds and tax bill addresses
Each line restates what the page linked beside it said when it was read, on October 7, 2026: a page of one of the county’s own offices, or one it links to. Offices change these pages without notice; on a file where one of them matters, ask us and we will check it again.
All Miami-Dade topicsNext Liens and charges that stay with the property
County liens, utility charges and assessments in Miami-Dade County
What the county’s offices and its code say about charges and liens a buyer can inherit.
- County lien search
- The County’s RER Lien Section researches unincorporated property for unsafe-structure, work-without-permit, expired-permit, minimum-housing and neighborhood violations and the liens recorded for them, for $320.12 per property, in 10-20 business days. Source: County lien search
- County lien payoff letters
- The RER Lien Section issues payoff letters for code enforcement liens on unincorporated property for a non-refundable $80.03 per folio, paid up front, and allows up to three business days after payment. Source: County lien payoff letters
- Liens on other property
- The RER Lien Section says it sometimes records a code enforcement lien both on the property with the violation and on other property the same violator owns, and offers a Special Release to clear a property that has no violations of its own. Source: Liens on other property
- Condominium partial releases
- For a code lien recorded against a condominium or homeowners’ association’s common elements, the RER Lien Section offers a unit owner a Partial Release of Lien for a pro rata share of the lien plus fees, with the release processing fee capped at $500. Source: Condominium partial releases
- Lien research and closing dates
- The County’s partial release form says that if an applicant skips RER’s lien research and later finds more liens, RER will not rush a research request to meet a closing date, and notes that other County departments also record liens. Source: Lien research and closing dates
- Payoffs from Credit and Collections
- For liened code enforcement violations it handles, the County’s Credit and Collections charges a non-refundable $75 research fee per folio for a payoff letter, takes seven business days, and requires compliance before a lien is satisfied. Source: Payoffs from Credit and Collections
- Liens after a foreclosure
- The County’s Credit and Collections prepares and e-records a Foreclosure Release, also called a Special Limited Release, to show that a recorded lien no longer applies to a property after foreclosure; the lien may still appear on the Clerk’s website. Source: Liens after a foreclosure
- Water and sewer liens
- Water and Sewer Department charges still unpaid 60 days after the final bill become a lien on the property for 20 years. The lien ranks with County ad valorem taxes and ahead of all other liens, and the County can enforce it only once it files a notice of lien. Source: Water and sewer liens
- Water and sewer certificates
- The Water and Sewer Department’s Premise Location Certificate reports a property’s current accounts, outstanding balances and liens, for $10 a request in 7 to 10 days or $20 for a 24-hour written response. Source: Water and sewer certificates
- Solid waste liens
- The County Code makes County waste fees special assessment liens equal in rank with County ad valorem taxes and superior to all other liens, and has residential waste fees collected in the same manner as ad valorem taxes. Source: Solid waste liens
- Special taxing districts
- The County’s Special Assessment Districts Division says its districts provide services such as street lighting, security guards, guardhouses and multi-purpose maintenance, billed as non-ad valorem assessments on the annual property tax bill. Source: Special taxing districts
- Unsafe structure liens
- A lien for the County’s costs on an unsafe structure comes ahead of every other lien except county tax liens and liens that rank equally with them. Source: Unsafe structure liens
Each line restates what the page linked beside it said when it was read, on October 15, 2026: a page of one of the county’s own offices, or the county’s code. Offices change these pages without notice; on a file where one of them matters, ask us and we will check it again.
All Miami-Dade topicsNext Exemptions and the Property Appraiser
Exemptions, ownership records and parcel numbers in Miami-Dade County
What the county’s offices say about exemptions, ownership records and the parcel when a property sells.
- Ownership updates after a sale
- The Property Appraiser reviews every ownership change properly recorded with the Clerk and says a transfer is typically processed in 4 to 8 weeks but may take up to 12 weeks; it does not verify ownership. Source: Ownership updates after a sale
- Folio numbers
- Each parcel has a 13-digit folio number from the Property Appraiser. The first two digits are the municipal code, and code 30 means the property is in unincorporated Miami-Dade. Source: Folio numbers
- Homestead renewal after a sale
- The Property Appraiser mails homestead owners an automatic renewal receipt in late December, but does not send one to a property with any ownership change, such as by warranty deed or quit claim deed. Source: Homestead renewal after a sale
- Homestead exemption liens
- The Property Appraiser’s notice to homestead owners says that improperly claiming the exemption will result in tax liens of up to 10 years of taxes, plus a 50% penalty and 15% interest. Source: Homestead exemption liens
Each line restates what the page linked beside it said when it was read, on October 15, 2026: a page of one of the county’s own offices, or one it links to. Offices change these pages without notice; on a file where one of them matters, ask us and we will check it again.
Building permits and safety inspections in Miami-Dade County
What the county’s building officials publish about permits and building inspections.
- Recertification notices
- The County says it sends advance courtesy notices of a required building recertification two years and one year before the final 90-day notice of required recertification. Source: Recertification notices
- Building violation records
- For unincorporated Miami-Dade, the County’s Building Support System can be searched for building code violation records, and recertification cases for folios beginning with 30 are in its Recertification Portal. Source: Building violation records
- Recertification deadline
- The County says recertification reports are due within 90 days of the notice, and that a missed recertification brings a citation, an initial $510.00 penalty, accumulating penalties up to $10,000.00 and possibly a lien. Source: Recertification deadline
Each line restates what the page linked beside it said when it was read, on October 15, 2026: a page of the county government, one it links to, or the county’s code. Offices change these pages without notice; on a file where one of them matters, ask us and we will check it again.
Law particular to Miami-Dade County
What the county’s charter, its code or a Florida law sets for Miami-Dade in particular.
- Elected county officers
- The Florida Constitution bars a county charter from abolishing the office of tax collector or property appraiser or transferring its duties, and makes that rule effective in Miami-Dade County on January 7, 2025. Source: Elected county officers
- Surtax and condominiums
- The County Code levies the documentary surtax throughout incorporated and unincorporated Miami-Dade, and its single-family residence exception includes condominium units as well as detached dwellings. Source: Surtax and condominiums
- Code violation disclosure
- County Code § 8-18 requires a seller of residential property in unincorporated Miami-Dade to give the buyer, before closing, a disclosure signed and dated by the buyer that many home inspections do not check for illegal construction or code violations; no fine applies. Source: Code violation disclosure
- Special taxing district notice
- County Code § 18-20.2 requires a seller of residential property in a special taxing district to give the buyer notice of the district in the contract or a same-day addendum, if the prior year’s tax bill showed a special assessment for the district. Source: Special taxing district notice
- Foreclosure registration
- In unincorporated Miami-Dade, the County Code requires the party bringing a foreclosure to register the property with the County within ten days of filing the lis pendens or action, and to renew every 12 months until a certificate of title issues. Source: Foreclosure registration
- Senior homestead exemption
- A homestead owner aged 65 or over whose household income is within a limit adjusted each year gets an added $50,000 homestead exemption under County Code § 29-8. It applies to all county millage. Source: Senior homestead exemption
Each line restates what the page linked beside it said when it was read, on October 15, 2026: the county’s charter or code, a page of the county government, or the Florida Constitution. Offices change these pages without notice; on a file where one of them matters, ask us and we will check it again.
Foreclosure and tax deed sales in Miami-Dade County
How the county’s offices run the sales, as they describe them.
- Foreclosure sale title
- The Clerk says a title search on a foreclosure auction property is very important, because the Clerk does not guarantee clear title and is not responsible for encumbrances on the property after the auction. Source: Foreclosure sale title
- Tax deed sale title
- The Clerk makes no warranty about the title of a property sold at a tax deed sale or about liens, mortgages or other encumbrances that may survive the sale. Source: Tax deed sale title
Each line restates what the page linked beside it said when it was read, on October 15, 2026: a page of the office that runs the sale, or one it links to. Offices change these pages without notice; on a file where one of them matters, ask us and we will check it again.
Cities in Miami-Dade County we have written about
Some things change from city to city, not county to county.
The premium, the taxes and the recording office on this page apply everywhere in Miami-Dade County. A city guide adds what the city itself decides: how a signing happens there, and what a municipal lien search has to cover. We have written guides for these cities so far.
- Title company inMiami
- Title company inHialeah
- Title company inMiami Gardens
- Title company inMiami Beach
- Title company inHomestead
- Title company inDoral
- Title company inNorth Miami
- Title company inCoral Gables
All Miami-Dade topicsNext Community associations in Miami-Dade
Community associations in Miami-Dade County we have written about
Some things are set by the community, not the county.
The premium, the taxes and the recording office on this page apply everywhere in Miami-Dade County. A community association’s recorded documents add their own: which estoppels to order, what is paid to the association at closing, and whether a sale or a lease needs its approval. We have written up these communities so far, each from its recorded documents.
- Master association, a Florida not-for-profit corporationFisher Island
FICA's 2026 dues of $64,495 a year, the Club's $500,000 contribution, two estoppels on every resale, seventeen rights of first refusal and fourteen lease approvals.
The associations on Fisher Island
- Bayside Village East
- Bayside Village
- Marina Village Gardens No. Two
- Marina Village
- Marina Village No. Three
- Harborview
- Bayview No. One
- 5000 Bayview
- 5100 Bayview
- Bayview No. Three
- Bayview No. Two
- Palazzo del Sol / della Luna
- Palazzo del Mare
- Oceanside No. Five
- 7400 Oceanside
- 7600 Oceanside
- Oceanside No. Four
- Oceanside No. Three
- Oceanside No. Two
- Oceanside
- Seaside Villas
- Seaside
- Valencia Estates
- Links Estates
All Miami-Dade topicsNext Title problems we have written about
Title problems we have written about in Miami-Dade County
What tends to hold up a Miami-Dade closing, and what it takes to clear.
How Bayit Title handles a Miami-Dade County file
Opened by the same four people who close it.
We order the search, examine what comes back, and put anything that could hold up the closing in writing — with what it would take to clear it — rather than waiting for it to surface at the table.
Wherever the signer is
We send a notary to the signer, including outside office hours.
About mobile notary signings →Remote online
Signed online with a Florida-commissioned online notary.
How remote online notarization works →
Each kind of file has a page of its own: home purchases and sales, refinances and commercial title. Everything we handle is on title, escrow and closing services in Florida.