Land transfer tax calculator
Estimate the land transfer tax you'll pay at closing — every province and territory, including Toronto's municipal tax and first-time buyer rebates.
How much is land transfer tax in Ontario, BC and other provinces?
It depends on the province and the price. On a $750,000 home, Ontario's land transfer tax is $11,475, and a buyer inside Toronto pays the same again in municipal tax. In Alberta, which has no transfer tax, the land titles fee on the same price is about $800. It's a one-time closing cost, due on closing day with your legal fees, and it can't be added to your mortgage. Enter your price and province below for an estimate.
- Ontario's land transfer tax, BC's property transfer tax, Manitoba's land transfer tax and Quebec's welcome tax use rate brackets
- Toronto adds its own municipal land transfer tax on top of Ontario's provincial tax
- New Brunswick and PEI charge a real property transfer tax; Nova Scotia's deed transfer tax is set by each municipality
- Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories charge registration fees instead
- First-time buyer relief: up to $4,000 in Ontario (plus $4,475 in Toronto), up to the tax on the first $500,000 in BC, and an exemption in PEI
Estimated land transfer tax
$11,475
Estimate only. Land transfer tax is calculated on the greater of purchase price and assessed value in some provinces, and municipal rates, non-resident surtaxes and rebate eligibility can change the amount due at closing. Confirm the final figure with your real estate lawyer.
How the calculation works
Most provinces that tax a transfer use marginal rates. Each slice of the purchase price is taxed at its own rate, the same way income tax brackets work:
Example: Ontario provincial brackets
- Up to $55,000: 0.5%
- $55,000–$250,000: 1.0%
- $250,000–$400,000: 1.5%
- $400,000–$2,000,000: 2.0%
- Above $2,000,000: 2.5%
If the property is in Toronto, the city's municipal land transfer tax uses the same brackets at these price levels. It's calculated separately and added to the provincial amount. BC's property transfer tax, Manitoba's land transfer tax and Quebec's welcome tax follow the same bracket idea with their own thresholds. New Brunswick and PEI apply a single rate to the whole price, and Nova Scotia's deed transfer tax rate depends on the municipality. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories skip a percentage tax and charge land titles or registration fees.
What each province calls it
Worked example (illustrative)
A first-time buyer purchases a $750,000 home in Toronto. Using the Ontario brackets above: $275 on the first $55,000, $1,950 on the next $195,000, $2,250 on the next $150,000 and $7,000 on the last $350,000.
The same purchase just outside Toronto, still as a first-time buyer, would owe $7,475. A repeat buyer outside the city would owe the full $11,475. That's cash you need on closing day on top of your down payment, so plug it into the home affordability calculator when you set your budget, then see the monthly side with the mortgage payment estimator.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting Toronto's municipal tax on top of Ontario's provincial tax
- Assuming every province charges a percentage-based tax. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories don't
- Missing the first-time buyer rebate you're eligible for because you didn't apply for it at closing
- Budgeting only for land transfer tax and forgetting legal fees, title insurance, and adjustments
- Using the purchase price on a below-market family sale in a province that taxes the greater of price and assessed value
Already own? Refinancing doesn't trigger it
Land transfer tax applies when ownership changes. A refinance, a switch to a new lender at renewal or a home equity line of credit generally leaves the title with the same owners, so there's no transfer tax to pay; you'd budget for legal and appraisal costs instead. If you're comparing a move against staying put, read how refinancing your mortgage works or what to check before you renew. First purchase? Our first-time home buyer guide covers the rebates above and the down payment rules.
Frequently asked questions
How is land transfer tax calculated in Canada?
Most provinces tax the purchase price in brackets, like income tax: higher slices of the price are taxed at higher rates. Ontario's land transfer tax, BC's property transfer tax, Manitoba's land transfer tax and Quebec's welcome tax all work this way. New Brunswick and PEI charge a flat-rate real property transfer tax, Nova Scotia's deed transfer tax is set by each municipality, and Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories charge registration fees instead.
Does Toronto have an extra land transfer tax?
Yes. Properties within the City of Toronto pay both the Ontario provincial land transfer tax and the City of Toronto Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT), which mirrors the provincial bracket structure. That roughly doubles the land transfer tax bill compared to an identical property just outside the city limits.
Are first-time home buyers exempt from land transfer tax?
Partly, in some provinces. Ontario refunds up to $4,000 of the provincial land transfer tax for eligible first-time buyers, and Toronto refunds up to $4,475 of its municipal tax. BC exempts the property transfer tax on the first $500,000 for qualifying first-time buyers on homes up to $835,000, phasing out by $860,000. PEI exempts eligible first-time buyers from its real property transfer tax. Provinces that only charge registration fees have no rebate to offer.
Which provinces don't charge land transfer tax?
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut don't charge a land transfer tax. Buyers there pay land titles or registration fees instead, which are usually far lower than the tax on a similar purchase in Ontario, BC or Quebec.
Is land transfer tax based on purchase price or assessed value?
Usually the purchase price, but not everywhere. BC's property transfer tax uses fair market value, and Nova Scotia's deed transfer tax and New Brunswick's real property transfer tax use the greater of the price and the assessed value. That matters most for below-market family sales, where the assessed value can be higher than the price paid.
When do I pay land transfer tax?
On closing day. Your real estate lawyer or notary collects it with your other closing costs (legal fees, title insurance and adjustments) and remits it to the province, and to the city where there's a municipal tax. It isn't added to your mortgage, so it has to come from your own funds.
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