Florida Intangible Tax

How Florida Intangible Tax Is Calculated

Florida intangible tax on mortgages is mechanically simple: $0.002 per dollar of the indebtedness (or equivalently, $2.00 per $1,000 of loan amount). It applies at the recording of the mortgage and is a one-time tax (the "non-recurring" intangible tax — Florida formerly imposed a recurring intangible tax on certain property interests, but the recurring tax was repealed; only the non-recurring mortgage tax remains).

The tax applies on the obligation secured — the principal loan amount. For lines of credit, mezzanine loans, and certain other structures, the tax applies on the maximum committed amount unless specific structural exceptions apply.

Combined Florida Mortgage Tax Impact

Florida intangible tax is always evaluated alongside Florida documentary stamp tax on the same mortgage. Per $1,000 of loan amount:

• Mortgage doc stamp: $3.50 ($0.35 per $100)
• Intangible tax: $2.00 ($0.002 per dollar)
• Combined: $5.50 per $1,000 = 0.55% of loan amount

Worked examples for Florida CRE loan amounts:

• $5M loan: $5,500 × 5 = $27,500 combined
• $10M loan: $5,500 × 10 = $55,000 combined
• $25M loan: $5,500 × 25 = $137,500 combined
• $50M loan: $5,500 × 50 = $275,000 combined
• $100M loan: $5,500 × 100 = $550,000 combined

When the Intangible Tax Applies

• New acquisition mortgages — Tax applies on the new loan amount at recording
• Refinances — Tax applies on the new loan amount, including refinances of existing Florida mortgages. Florida does not provide a broad refinance credit (in contrast to some other states).
• Construction loans — Tax applies on the committed maximum loan amount
• Lines of credit — Tax applies on the maximum committed line
• Modifications: Tax applies to increases in loan amount; pure modifications of an existing loan typically do not trigger additional intangible tax
• Assumptions: Generally not a new triggering event for the assumed portion of the loan

Cap on Intangible Tax — The Loan-Amount Maximum

Florida intangible tax has a maximum cap of $2,450 per individual mortgage transaction — but this cap applies only to specific residential transactions and certain narrow exemptions. Commercial real estate loans are not subject to the residential cap. Commercial Florida CRE loans pay the full $0.002 per dollar with no cap. On a $100M Florida CRE financing, the full $200,000 intangible tax applies.

Strategic Implications for Florida CRE Borrowers

• Model into closing costs: Every Florida CRE financing pro forma should include doc stamp + intangible tax as a 0.55% of loan-amount line item
• Loan-size optimization: Borrowers comparing similar loan structures should factor 0.55% additional Florida cost into the leverage decision
• Refinance timing: The full intangible tax applies on every Florida refinance; modeling exit and refinance scenarios accurately includes this cost
• Out-of-state lenders: Lenders without strong Florida experience sometimes underestimate or fail to clearly disclose Florida intangible tax — verify all closing cost estimates
• Construction-to-perm: HUD 221(d)(4) single-closing structures pay intangible tax once; conventional construction-plus-agency-refinance structures pay intangible tax twice. Material economic factor in long-hold structures (see HUD 221(d)(4) guide)

Intangible Tax Across Florida CRE Asset Classes

Florida intangible tax applies uniformly across all CRE asset classes — multifamily, office, industrial, retail, hospitality, land, mixed-use, special-purpose, self-storage, and life sciences. The practical impact is most material on:

• Large institutional acquisitions (typically office towers, industrial portfolios, hotels) where 0.55% of a $50M+ loan is meaningful
• Refinance-heavy strategies where multiple Florida refinances over a hold period each trigger fresh intangible tax
• Construction lending where the maximum committed amount (not the average outstanding balance) is taxed

Modeling intangible tax accurately is part of every Florida CRE deal-level underwriting Linton Global Solutions performs. See the Florida doc stamp + intangible tax calculator.

What is Florida intangible tax?

Florida intangible tax — formally the "non-recurring intangible tax on mortgages" — is a one-time state tax imposed at the recording of any mortgage secured by Florida real property. The rate is $0.002 per dollar of the indebtedness ($2 per $1,000 of loan amount). It applies in addition to Florida documentary stamp tax on the same mortgage. Combined doc stamp + intangible tax = 0.55% of loan amount.

How much is Florida intangible tax on a commercial real estate loan?

At $2 per $1,000 of loan amount: $10,000 on a $5M loan, $20,000 on a $10M loan, $50,000 on a $25M loan, $100,000 on a $50M loan, $200,000 on a $100M loan. The residential $2,450 cap does not apply to commercial CRE loans — the full $0.002 per dollar applies regardless of loan size.

Does Florida intangible tax apply on refinances?

Yes — Florida intangible tax applies on the new loan amount at every Florida CRE refinance. Florida does not provide a broad refinance credit (in contrast to some other states that exempt or partially exempt refinance transactions). The full 0.55% combined doc stamp + intangible tax applies on every Florida commercial refinance.

Is there a cap on Florida intangible tax for commercial loans?

No. The $2,450 cap on Florida intangible tax applies only to specific residential transactions and certain narrow exemptions. Commercial CRE loans are subject to the full $0.002 per dollar rate regardless of loan size. A $100M Florida commercial loan pays the full $200,000 intangible tax.

Who can help me model Florida intangible tax into my financing?

Michael R. Linton at Linton Global Solutions models full Florida doc stamp + intangible tax exposure into every financing underwriting — across multifamily, office, industrial, retail, hospitality, land, mixed-use, special-purpose, self-storage, and life sciences. For instant calculation use the combined calculator. For deal-specific structuring call (312) 612-1031.

How does Florida intangible tax compare to other states?

Florida is one of a small number of states that imposes a separate mortgage-level tax (the intangible tax) in addition to a documentary transfer or recording tax. Many states impose only one or the other; some impose neither. Florida's combined 0.55% of loan amount is meaningfully higher than the U.S. median for mortgage-level closing taxes, and is a real factor in cross-state comparisons of net deal economics for institutional sponsors deciding between Florida and out-of-state acquisitions.

Article Summary

Florida intangible tax is a one-time state tax imposed at the recording of any mortgage secured by Florida real property, at $0.002 per dollar of indebtedness ($2 per $1,000 of loan amount). Combined with Florida documentary stamp tax on the same mortgage, total Florida closing taxes on a commercial mortgage are 0.55% of loan amount. The residential cap does not apply to commercial CRE loans — the full rate applies regardless of loan size. The tax applies on new acquisitions, refinances, construction loans, and lines of credit. Modeling Florida intangible tax accurately is essential to Florida CRE underwriting across every asset class.

Key Takeaways

• ✓Florida intangible tax: $0.002 per dollar ($2 per $1,000) of loan amount.
• ✓Combined with doc stamp = 0.55% of loan amount.
• ✓Applies on new mortgages, refinances, construction loans, lines of credit.
• ✓Residential $2,450 cap does not apply to commercial CRE loans.
• ✓Florida has no broad refinance credit — every refi triggers fresh intangible tax.
• ✓Tax applies on max committed amount for construction and lines of credit.
• ✓Cross-state acquisitions: Florida intangible tax is a real net-economics factor.
• ✓Single-closing HUD structures pay intangible tax once; multi-closing structures pay twice.

About Michael R. Linton

Michael R. Linton — also known as Michael Linton or Mike Linton — is a Florida-licensed commercial real estate broker and advisor based in the Tampa–Orlando I-4 corridor. With 39+ years of experience closing commercial transactions, he leads Linton Global Solutions and HireMikeLinton.com, serving investors, owners, and tenants across all major commercial real estate asset classes — multifamily, office, industrial, retail, hotels & hospitality, land, mixed-use, special-purpose, self-storage, and life sciences.

Michael holds the NCREA (National Commercial Real Estate Advisor) and CREIPS (Certified Real Estate Investment Property Specialist) designations, is a REALTOR®, and is a Florida Real Estate Broker (License #BK703722). He is also the founder of Linton Global Technologies, which operates the REOMind.ai AI-powered REO disposition platform serving 500+ banks.

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Works Cited

1. Florida Department of Revenue. "Non-Recurring Intangible Tax on Mortgages." FL DOR, https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/intangible_tax.aspx. Accessed Jul 20, 2026.
2. Florida Statutes Chapter 199. "Intangible Personal Property Taxes." Florida Legislature, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0199/0199.html. Accessed Jul 20, 2026.
3. Florida Department of Revenue. "Florida Documentary Stamp Tax." FL DOR, https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/doc_stamp.aspx. Accessed Jul 20, 2026.
4. The Florida Bar. "Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section." The Florida Bar, https://www.floridabar.org/about/section/realprop/. Accessed Jul 20, 2026.
5. American Land Title Association. "ALTA Closing and Title Resources." ALTA, https://www.alta.org/. Accessed Jul 20, 2026.

Disclosure & Compliance

Disclosure: This article discusses proprietary technology developed by Linton Global Technologies. Michael R. Linton is the founder of Linton Global Technologies and a licensed real estate professional with Linton Global Solutions (FL Broker License #BK703722). This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or financial advice.

Compliance Statement: All CREDDS and REOMind.ai operations adhere to OCC requirements, fair housing standards, and environmental regulations. Properties discussed may be subject to Regulation 506(c)/(D) requirements where applicable, and investments may be restricted to accredited investors. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult with qualified professionals — including a licensed Florida real estate attorney, tax advisor, and certified public accountant — before making investment decisions. Past performance does not guarantee future results.