- Ontario’s land transfer tax on a $700,000 home is $10,475; a first-time buyer’s refund of up to $4,000 brings it to $6,475.
- In Toronto you pay the provincial tax and the city’s municipal tax, so the same $700,000 home costs $20,950, or $12,475 for a first-time buyer.
- Alberta and Saskatchewan have no land transfer tax; Alberta’s transfer registration fee is $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value.
- First-time buyer relief exists in Ontario, Toronto, British Columbia, Quebec and Prince Edward Island, and each program has its own price limits and residency rules.
Checked October 2026
What land transfer tax is and when it’s due
Land transfer tax is charged when ownership of property changes hands. Ontario’s rules say it’s payable on every conveyance of land tendered for registration, which in a normal purchase happens on closing day. Other provinces work the same way, though the name changes: property transfer tax in British Columbia, the welcome tax in Quebec, deed transfer tax in Nova Scotia.
The buyer pays it, not the seller. Your real estate lawyer or notary files the paperwork when the deed is registered and collects the tax from you as part of your closing funds. B.C. says you or your legal professional must file a property transfer tax return and pay the tax when the property is registered. In Quebec, the municipality collects the welcome tax from every new owner.
Most provinces tax you in brackets, like income tax. Each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside that bracket, so a higher price doesn’t push the whole amount into a higher rate. Our land transfer tax calculator runs these brackets for every province.
Land transfer tax by province
| Province | What you pay | First-time buyer relief | On a $700,000 home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Land transfer tax, 0.5% to 2.5% in brackets | Refund up to $4,000 | $10,475 |
| Toronto (on top of Ontario) | Municipal land transfer tax, 0.5% to 2.5% up to $3,000,000, then 4.40% to 8.60% | Rebate up to $4,475 | $10,475 |
| British Columbia | Property transfer tax, 1% to 3%, plus a further 2% on residential value over $3,000,000 | No tax on the first $500,000 if the home is worth $835,000 or less | $12,000 |
| Quebec | Welcome tax, 0.5% to 1.5% (Montréal is higher above $552,300) | Refundable tax credit up to $5,875 | $8,610.50 |
| Manitoba | Land transfer tax, 0% to 2% in brackets | None listed | $11,650 |
| New Brunswick | 1% of the price or assessed value, whichever is greater | None | $7,000 |
| Nova Scotia | Municipal deed transfer tax, 1% to 1.5% (Halifax 1.5%) | None found | $10,500 in Halifax |
| Prince Edward Island | 1% of the price or assessed value, whichever is greater | Full exemption | $7,000 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Deed registration fee: $100 plus $0.40 per $100 over $500 | None | $2,898 |
| Alberta | Transfer registration fee: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value | None | $750 |
| Saskatchewan | Title transfer fee charged by Information Services Corporation | None | Check ISC’s fee schedule |
Sources: provincial and municipal government pages. Figures for a $700,000 home are our arithmetic before any first-time buyer relief. Quebec uses the 2026 general rates; brackets are indexed every year.
The three territories also have no land transfer tax. Their land titles offices charge registration fees based on the property’s value.
Worked example: a $700,000 home in Ontario
Ontario applies five brackets to a home with one or two single-family residences. A $700,000 purchase uses the first four.
| Slice of the price | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| First $55,000 | 0.5% | $275 |
| $55,000 to $250,000 ($195,000) | 1% | $1,950 |
| $250,000 to $400,000 ($150,000) | 1.5% | $2,250 |
| $400,000 to $700,000 ($300,000) | 2% | $6,000 |
| Total provincial tax | $10,475 |
Ontario’s own example gives $4,475 on a $400,000 home, which matches the first three rows.
A first-time buyer who qualifies gets up to $4,000 back, so the provincial tax falls to $6,475. Ontario says that means no tax on the first $368,000 of the price.
Worked example: the same home in Toronto
Toronto has charged its municipal land transfer tax on top of the provincial tax since February 1, 2008. Up to $2,000,000 it uses the same brackets as Ontario, so the municipal tax on a $700,000 home is also $10,475.
- Provincial tax: $10,475
- Municipal tax: $10,475
- Total for a repeat buyer: $20,950
- First-time buyer: $6,475 provincial plus $6,000 municipal ($10,475 minus the $4,475 rebate), for $12,475
- Saving for a first-time buyer: $8,475
The City also charges an administration fee of $102.56 plus HST on each transaction. From April 1, 2026, Toronto added higher municipal rates on homes over $3,000,000, starting at 4.40%.
How first-time buyer rebates work
Most programs are claimed at registration, so your lawyer or notary subtracts the rebate before the tax is paid. If it isn’t claimed then, you pay the full tax and apply afterwards. Ontario gives you 18 months from registration to apply, and Toronto accepts claims made after registering.
- Ontario and TorontoYou must be at least 18, live in the home as your principal residence within nine months, and never have owned a home or an interest in one anywhere in the world. A spouse can’t have owned one while you were spouses. You must be a citizen or permanent resident, or become one within 18 months.
- British ColumbiaYou must be a citizen or permanent resident, have lived in B.C. for a year before registration or filed 2 B.C. returns in the last 6 tax years, and never have owned a principal residence anywhere. The full exemption needs a home worth $835,000 or less on 0.5 hectares or less; it shrinks to nothing between $835,000 and $860,000.
- QuebecRelief comes as a refundable tax credit on your return, not an exemption at closing. It covers 100% of the first $5,000 of welcome tax and 25% of the next $3,500, and shrinks once the home is worth more than $750,000.
- Prince Edward IslandFirst-time buyers who are citizens or permanent residents and have never held an interest in a principal residence pay no tax. The tax becomes payable if you don’t live in the home for 183 consecutive days.
These rebates sit alongside federal help such as the FHSA and the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan, which help you save the down payment itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is land transfer tax on a $700,000 home in Ontario?
It’s $10,475 outside Toronto. A qualifying first-time buyer gets up to $4,000 back, so they pay $6,475.
How much is land transfer tax in Toronto?
Toronto buyers pay both the Ontario tax and the city’s municipal tax. On a $700,000 home that’s $10,475 each, or $20,950 in total, plus a $102.56 administration fee and HST.
When do you pay land transfer tax?
It’s due when the deed is registered, which normally happens on closing day. Your lawyer or notary files the paperwork and collects the tax from you with your closing funds.
Who pays land transfer tax, the buyer or the seller?
The buyer pays it. B.C., for example, says that when you buy property you must pay the tax unless you qualify for an exemption.
Is there land transfer tax in Alberta?
No. Alberta charges a land titles registration fee instead: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of the property’s value, which is $750 on a $700,000 home.
Is there land transfer tax in Saskatchewan?
No. Saskatchewan’s land registry, run by Information Services Corporation, charges a title transfer fee and a mortgage registration fee instead.
What is the first-time home buyer land transfer tax rebate in Ontario?
Ontario refunds up to $4,000, which means no provincial tax on the first $368,000 of the price. Toronto adds a municipal rebate of up to $4,475.
Who counts as a first-time buyer for the rebate?
In Ontario you must be at least 18, move in within nine months and never have owned a home anywhere in the world. Your spouse can’t have owned one while you were together.
What is the welcome tax in Quebec?
It’s Quebec’s land transfer tax, collected by your municipality. For 2026 the general rates are 0.5% on the first $62,900, 1% up to $315,000 and 1.5% above that.
How do I calculate my land transfer tax?
Apply each bracket’s rate to the part of the price inside it and add the results, then subtract any first-time buyer rebate. Our land transfer tax calculator does this for every province.
Try this next
Sources, checked October 2026
- Ontario: Calculating land transfer tax ontario.ca
- Ontario: Land transfer tax refunds for first-time homebuyers ontario.ca
- City of Toronto: MLTT rates and fees toronto.ca
- City of Toronto: MLTT rebate opportunities toronto.ca
- Government of B.C.: Property transfer tax www2.gov.bc.ca
- Government of B.C.: First time home buyers’ exemption www2.gov.bc.ca
- Gouvernement du Québec: Droits sur les mutations immobilières quebec.ca
- Gouvernement du Québec: Québec vient en aide aux acheteurs d’une première habitation quebec.ca
- Manitoba Finance: Land transfer tax gov.mb.ca
- New Brunswick: Real Property Transfer Tax Act laws.gnb.ca
- Service Nova Scotia: Municipal deed transfer tax rates novascotia.ca
- Prince Edward Island: Real Property Transfer Tax Act princeedwardisland.ca
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Registry of Deeds fees gov.nl.ca
- Alberta: Land Titles common documents fee schedule alberta.ca
- isc.ca isc.ca
General information for Canadians, not financial, tax or legal advice. Rules and menus change, so confirm details with your bank, lender or the Government of Canada. See our methodology.