Land & property transfer tax calculator Canada
When you buy a home, condo or other property in Canada, you’ll have to pay some type of fee to transfer ownership. The amount charged is usually based on the property’s value. Most provinces charge a certain percentage of land transfer tax, while others only charge transfer and registration fees (which end up costing much less). LowestRates.ca’s calculator will help you estimate how big your tax bill will be in every province that charges land transfer taxes. Keep scrolling to learn more about the tax rates and fees in every province and territory.
October 20, 2021
How to calculate land transfer tax
Total tax: $
Breakdown
Provincial tax
$Municipal tax
$Rebate
$Land transfer tax by province and city
Ontario land transfer tax
Ontario’s land transfer tax is charged at a marginal rate, which means the amount within each bracket of the home’s purchase price is taxed at an incremental percentage.
Foreign nationals, foreign corporations and taxable trustees must pay an additional non-resident speculation tax of 15%, which applies to properties in the Greater Golden Horseshoe Region.
| Purchase price | Marginal tax rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $55,000 | 0.5% |
| $55,001 to $250,000 | 1% |
| $250,001 to $400,000 | 1.5% |
| $400,001 to $2,000,000 | 2% |
| $2,000,001 and up | 2.5% |
Ontario first-time homebuyer land transfer tax refund
If you’re a first-time homebuyer, you may qualify for a refund on part or all of the Ontario land transfer tax. The maximum refund is $4,000. You can claim an immediate refund when you register the conveyance (the transfer of property from one person to another), or up to 18 months after the registration date.
To be eligible for Ontario’s land transfer tax refund for first-time homebuyers, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- You must be at least 18 years old
- You must live in the home within nine months of buying it
- You cannot have previously owned a home, or any ownership interest in a home, anywhere in the world
- If you have a spouse, your spouse cannot have owned a home anywhere in the world during the time you’ve been married
British Columbia land transfer tax
British Columbia charges a property transfer tax based on the fair market value of the property on the day the transfer is registered with the Land Title Office.
Foreign nationals, foreign corporations and taxable trustees must pay an additional 20% tax on the price of the property (called the “foreign buyers tax”) if the property is located in the Metro Vancouver District, Fraser Valley Regional District, Capital Regional District, Regional District of Nanaimo or Regional District of Central Okanagan.
| Fair market value | Marginal tax rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $200,000 | 1% |
| $200,001 to $2,000,000 | 2% |
| $2,000,001 to $3,000,000 | 3% |
| $3,000,001 and up | 5% |
British Columbia first-time homebuyer land transfer tax rebate
First-time homebuyers in B.C. may qualify for a partial or full exemption from paying property transfer tax.
To be eligible for a full exemption from B.C.’s property transfer tax, you and your property must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- You cannot have previously owned a home, or had any ownership interest in a home or property that was your principal residence anywhere in the world
- You have never received a first time home buyers’ exemption or refund
- You must have either:
- Lived in B.C. for at least a year immediately before the date you register the property
- Filed at least two income tax returns as a B.C. resident in the last six taxation years immediately before the registration date
- The property must only be used as your principal residence, and you must move in within 92 days of registering the property
- The property must have a fair market value of $500,000 or less
- The property must be 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) or smaller
You may qualify for a partial exemption from the tax if the property:
- Has a fair market value less than $525,000
- Is larger than 0.5 hectares
- Has another building on the property other than the principal residence
Saskatchewan land title fee
Like Alberta, Saskatchewan doesn’t charge a land transfer tax. However, it does charge a land title transfer fee based on the price of the property.
| Property value | Land title transfer fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $500 | No fee |
| $501 to $8,400 | $25 |
| $8,401 and up | $0.3% of purchase price |
Quebec land transfer tax
Quebec charges one of two types of land transfer tax depending on whether a home is located in the city in Montreal, or the rest of Quebec.
There are two steps to calculate Quebec’s transfer duties. First, you have to figure out the property value. The property value is the greatest of the following amounts:
- The property’s purchase price, excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Quebec Sales Tax (QST)
- The price listed in the deed of sale
- The market value listed on the property assessment roll, multiplied by a comparative factor (for 2021, the comparative factor is 1.06)
Based on that amount, here’s how Quebec’s land transfer tax is calculated for homes outside of Montreal:
| Property value | Marginal tax rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $52,800 | 0.5% |
| $52,801 to $264,000 | 1% |
| $264,001 and up | 1.5% |
New Brunswick real property transfer tax
New Brunswick’s land transfer tax is pretty simple to calculate: it’s 1% of the assessed value of the property. For example, if you buy a home assessed to be worth $200,000, you would pay $2,000 in property transfer tax.
Nova Scotia land transfer tax
In Nova Scotia, homebuyers pay a municipal deed transfer tax. The tax rate depends on the municipality where your home is located. Kentville is the only town in the province that doesn’t charge a municipal deed transfer tax.
There are nearly 50 municipalities across Nova Scotia that charge municipal deed transfer tax ranging from 0.5% to 1.5% of the property’s purchase price. Here are a few examples of deed transfer tax rates in Nova Scotia’s most populous communities.
Deed transfer tax rate
-%
Northwest Territories land transfer tax
In Northwest Territories, homebuyers must pay two types of registration fees based on the mortgage amount and the property value.
The mortgage amount is taxed at $1 for every $1,000 or part thereof (minimum charge of $80).
The property value is taxed based on whether the property is valued at more or less than $1 million.
| Property value | Tax amount |
|---|---|
| $1 million or less | $1.50 for every $1,000 or part thereof (minimum charge of $100) |
| More than $1 million | $1,500 base amount, plus $1 for every $1,000 (or part thereof) greater than $1 million |
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