When you buy a home, you might owe land transfer taxes or fees to the province or municipality in which you live. The amount varies by location (in some places, this means no taxes or fees at all), and is usually a percentage of the value of your home.
The one-time land transfer tax bill can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars. It’s one of many closing costs you’ll need to account for when buying a home. Using a calculator to estimate the taxes or fees you’d pay on a purchase is the best way to prepare for an upcoming purchase.
Alberta
Alberta charges two fees: one to process the transfer of the property title and another to register your mortgage.
- You’ll pay $50 plus an additional $2 per $5,000 of the property’s purchase price for the title transfer.
- For the mortgage registration, you’ll pay $50 plus $1.50 for each $5,000 of your mortgage amount. [1]
British Columbia
B.C.’s tiered-rate system means more expensive homes result in a higher rate.
- 1% of the first $200,000 of your home’s value.
- 2% of any amount between $200,001 and $2,000,000.
- 3% of any amount greater than $2,000,000. [2]
Manitoba
Manitoba uses a basic graduated tax with a maximum rate of 2% for amounts over $200,000.
- No tax on the first $30,000 of your home’s value.
- 0.5% of any amount between $30,001 and $90,000.
- 1.0% of any amount between $90,001 and $150,000.
- 1.5% of any amount between $150,001 and $200,000.
- 2% of any amount over $200,000. [3]
New Brunswick
New Brunswick charges a 1% rate of the home’s value in many cases.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland doesn’t technically have land transfer taxes, but you’ll still pay a fee to register your mortgage.
The fee is $100 plus $0.40 for every $100 of your home’ value above $500. [5]
Northwest Territories
In the Northwest Territories, you’ll pay fees based on your home’s value and your mortgage’s value.
You’ll pay $2.00 for each $1,000 of your home’s value, with a $1 minimum. If your home’s value is above $1 million, you’ll pay $2,000 plus $1.50 for each $1,000 of value above $1 million.
If you take out a mortgage to pay for your home, you’ll pay $1.50 for every $1,000 of the mortgage amount, with a minimum of $80. [6]
Nova Scotia
Municipalities in Nova Scotia each have their own transfer tax rates.
Rates range between 0.5% and 1.5% of the property’s sale price. Non-residents who buy a residential property with three or fewer dwellings will also pay a provincial non-resident deed transfer tax. The tax is generally 5% of the property’s value. [7]
Ontario
In Ontario, you’ll pay a land transfer tax based on your home’s value. The rate tops out at at 2.5% for values more than $2 million.
- 0.5% of the first $55,000 of the home’s value.
- 1.0% of any additional value between $55,000 and $250,000.
- 1.5% of any additional value between $250,000 and $400,000.
- 2.0% of any additional value between $400,000 and $2 million.
- 2.5% of any additional value that’s more than $2,000,000 if the land contains no more than two single-family residences. [8]
Prince Edward Island
The property transfer tax on Prince Edward Island is 1% of the greater of the home’s purchase price or its assessed value.
So, if the purchase price was $250,000, the transfer taxes will be $2,500. [9]
Quebec
Each municipality in Quebec administers its own land transfer tax.
For example, Montreal’s land transfer tax is based on your home’s value. [10]
- 0.5% of your home’s value up to $55,200.
- 1.0% of any amount between $55,200 and $276,200.
- 1.5% of any amount between $276,200 and $552,300.
- 2.0% of any amount between $552,300 and $1,104,700.
- 2.5% of any amount between $1,104,700 and $2,136,500.
- 3.5% of any amount between $2,136,500 and $3,113,000.
- 4.0% of any amount above $3,113,000.
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, you’re taxed on the value of your home and your mortgage amount.
You’ll pay a transfer fee equal to 0.4% of your property’s value.
You’ll also pay a set fee based on your mortgage amount as follows:
- For mortgages under $250,000: $180.
- For mortgages between $250,000 and $500,000: $250.
- For mortgages between $500,000 and $750,000: $500.
- For mortgages between $750,000 and $1,000,000: $750.
- For mortgages above $1,000,000: $1,000. [12]
Toronto
If you live in Toronto, you’ll pay a municipal transfer tax in addition to the Ontario tax.
- 0.5% of your home’s value up to $55,000.
- 1.0% of any amount between $55,000 and $250,000.
- 1.5% of any amount between $250,000 and $400,000.
- 2.0% of any amount between $400,000 and $2 million.
- 2.5% of any amount between $2 million and $3 million.
- 3.5% of any amount between $3 million and $4 million.
- 4.5% of any amount between $4 million and $5 million.
- 5.5% of any amount between $5 million and $10 million.
- 6.5% of any amount between $10 million and $20,000,000.
- 7.5% of any amount above $20 million. [13]
Yukon
You’ll pay a flat fee, which is based on your home’s value, and an additional fee based on the change in value since your home was sold.
The variable fee, called the assurance fund fee, is $20 for the first $10,000 your home’s value has risen since it was last sold plus $10 for every additional $10,000 of increased value.
The flat fee is:
- $50 for a home value of less than $100,000.
- $150 for home values between $100,000 and $500,000.
- $350 for home values between $500,000 and $3 million.
- $550 for home values between $3 million and $10 million.
- $750 for home values above $10 million. [14]
Article Sources
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Government of Alberta, “Land Titles Act,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of British Columbia, “Property transfer tax,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Manitoba, “Land Transfer Tax,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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CanLII, “Real Property Transfer Tax Act,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, “Schedule of Fees Prescribed by the Minister of Government Services Registry of Deeds,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Northwest Territories, “Land Titles Office Schedule of Fees,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Nova Scotia, “Municipal Deed Transfer Tax Rates,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Ontario, “Calculating Land Transfer Tax,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Prince Edward Island, “Real Property Transfer Tax Rate,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Montreal, “How property transfer duties are calculated,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Quebec, “Directory of municipalities,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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ISC, “Fee Adjustment Details – Breakdown,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Toronto, “Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT) Rates and Fees,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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Government of Yukon, “Find out about Land Titles fees,” accessed August 2, 2024.
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