Yes. An IRRRL creates a new note and mortgage, and Florida taxes both. Doc stamps are $0.35 per $100 on the note, and a nonrecurring intangible tax of $0.20 per $100 applies to the new mortgage. VA lists recording taxes among charges a veteran can pay and roll into the loan.
Florida charges documentary stamp tax on a promissory note at $0.35 per $100 of the amount. When the mortgage is recorded in Florida, the tax applies to the full amount of the obligation, so the $2,450 note cap does not help on a recorded mortgage.
The intangible tax on a mortgage is 2 mills, or $0.20 per $100 of the amount secured. A standard refinance pays off the old loan and signs a brand new note and mortgage, so both taxes are charged on the whole new loan amount, not just a cash out.
A narrow exemption exists for a true renewal note under Florida Statutes section 201.09. It has strict conditions: the original note stays attached, the same borrower signs, no more than the old balance is renewed, and the renewal carries a required notation. Do not assume an IRRRL with a new lender qualifies. Ask the title company before you count on it.
VA's handbook allows an IRRRL to include allowable fees and charges, and VA's fee rules let a veteran pay recording fees and recording taxes. Whether those taxes are rolled into the loan is a closing cost question for your lender, and the IRRRL still has to meet VA's recoupment test.
Example taxes on a new loan (rounded up per $100)
| New loan amount | Doc stamps on the note | Intangible tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $700 | $400 | $1,100 |
| $300,000 | $1,050 | $600 | $1,650 |
| $400,000 | $1,400 | $800 | $2,200 |
Made up loan amounts. Ask your title company for the exact figure.
What to do
- Ask the title company for the doc stamp and intangible tax on your exact loan amount.
- Ask whether any renewal exemption could apply, and what they need to see.
- Ask your lender whether the taxes are financed or paid at closing.
- Compare the total closing cost with the payment savings before you sign.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm with your title company or attorney.
Sources
- Florida Department of Revenue, Documentary Stamp Tax on Promissory Notes (TIP 24B04-01). $0.35 per $100 on notes under s. 201.08(1)(a); $2,450 cap does not apply to a recorded mortgage. Source type: Official. Checked October 17, 2026.
- Sarasota County Clerk, Recording Requirements. Intangible tax rate of 2 mills on the mortgage amount; note stamp rate. Source type: Official. Checked October 17, 2026.
- VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 6, Refinancing Loans. Allowable fees and charges may be included in an IRRRL; copy of the VA pamphlet hosted by a lender. Source type: Official. Checked October 17, 2026.
- Jacksonville Daily Record, Saving money when refinancing. Conditions of the s. 201.09 renewal note exemption. Source type: Secondary. Checked October 17, 2026.