200% rule

A 1031 identification rule letting the taxpayer identify any number of replacement properties, as long as their total value doesn't exceed 200% of what got sold. Used when three isn't enough.

Taxes & insurance · Updated September 2026

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Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

If three candidates are not enough, the 200% rule lets you identify as many as you like, as long as their combined value is under twice what you sold. It is the fallback when a buyer is shopping widely.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

You sell a rental for $400,000 and identify five small properties totaling $750,000. That is under $800,000, so the identification stands.

200% rule: a simple example
What you identifyDoes it qualify?
Five properties totaling $750,000Yes; under 200% of $400,000
Five properties totaling $900,000No, unless you close on 95% of it
Three properties, any totalYes, under the three-property rule instead

The 200% rule trades a limit on count for a limit on value.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That naming many properties is safer. It is, until their total crosses 200%, and then the whole identification can fail.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

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