Land transfer tax is a provincial tax that Ontario charges when you buy a home, on a sliding scale from 0.5% to 2.5% of the price. First-time buyers can get up to $4,000 of it refunded. Waterloo Region has no municipal land transfer tax, so the provincial tax is the whole bill.
Land transfer tax calculator
Enter the price to see the land transfer tax, and tick the box if you're a first-time buyer to apply the refund.
Ontario land transfer tax calculator
- Ontario land transfer tax
- $11,475
- First-time buyer refund
- $0
- Municipal land transfer tax
- $0
How it's calculated
| Part of the price | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $55,000 ($55,000 taxed) | 0.5% | $275 |
| $55,000 to $250,000 ($195,000 taxed) | 1.0% | $1,950 |
| $250,000 to $400,000 ($150,000 taxed) | 1.5% | $2,250 |
| $400,000 to $2,000,000 ($350,000 taxed) | 2.0% | $7,000 |
Rates for a home with one or two single-family residences. Waterloo Region has no municipal land transfer tax; that's only charged in Toronto. The first-time buyer refund is up to $4,000.
Ontario land transfer tax rates
Ontario land transfer tax is marginal, like income tax brackets: each rate applies only to the part of the price that falls in its band. The Ontario Ministry of Finance sets these rates:
| Part of the price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $55,000 | 0.5% |
| $55,000 to $250,000 | 1.0% |
| $250,000 to $400,000 | 1.5% |
| $400,000 to $2,000,000 | 2.0% |
| Over $2,000,000 | 2.5% |
The 2.5% band applies to homes with one or two single-family residences. Other kinds of property follow a slightly different scale over $400,000.
Land transfer tax at common prices
| Price | Land transfer tax | First-time buyer pays |
|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $4,475 | $475 |
| $500,000 | $6,475 | $2,475 |
| $600,000 | $8,475 | $4,475 |
| $750,000 | $11,475 | $7,475 |
| $1,000,000 | $16,475 | $12,475 |
| $1,500,000 | $26,475 | $22,475 |
On a $750,000 home: 0.5% of the first $55,000 is $275, 1% of the next $195,000 is $1,950, 1.5% of the next $150,000 is $2,250, and 2% of the last $350,000 is $7,000. That adds up to $11,475, or $7,475 after the full first-time buyer refund.
Land transfer tax in Waterloo Region
The table below shows the land transfer tax on the typical home in each Waterloo Region city, using the median price of recent sales.
| City | Detached | Freehold townhouse | Condo apartment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchener | $10,915 $6,915 for a first-time buyer · on a $722,000 median | $9,035 $5,035 for a first-time buyer · on a $628,000 median | $3,515 $0 for a first-time buyer · on a $336,000 median |
| Waterloo | $13,464 $9,464 for a first-time buyer · on a $849,450 median | $9,775 $5,775 for a first-time buyer · on a $665,000 median | $4,475 $475 for a first-time buyer · on a $400,000 median |
| Cambridge | $10,775 $6,775 for a first-time buyer · on a $715,000 median | $8,775 $4,775 for a first-time buyer · on a $615,000 median | $4,025 $25 for a first-time buyer · on a $370,000 median |
| Woolwich | $14,075 $10,075 for a first-time buyer · on a $880,000 median | $8,895 $4,895 for a first-time buyer · on a $621,000 median | Too few sales |
| Wilmot | $13,875 $9,875 for a first-time buyer · on a $870,000 median | Too few sales | Too few sales |
| Wellesley | $14,975 $10,975 for a first-time buyer · on a $925,000 median | Too few sales | Too few sales |
| North Dumfries | $13,375 $9,375 for a first-time buyer · on a $845,000 median | Too few sales | Too few sales |
Ontario land transfer tax on the median sold price, by city and property type, and what a first-time buyer pays after the refund of up to $4,000. Medians cover the 90 days of sales ending October 26, 2026; fewer than 10 sales and we don't show a figure. How we calculate this.
See what you can afford, with land transfer tax included →
The first-time home buyer refund
According to the Ministry of Finance, first-time buyers can get back up to $4,000 of the land transfer tax. That covers the whole tax on a home up to $368,000. Above that, you pay the difference.
To qualify, you must:
- Be at least 18.
- Live in the home as your main residence within nine months of buying it.
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or become one within 18 months of buying.
Buying with a spouse who doesn't qualify can reduce the refund. Your lawyer will confirm what you're entitled to.
When and how you pay it
Your lawyer pays the land transfer tax on closing day, when the sale is registered. It comes out of the closing funds you give them, and it can't be added to your mortgage.
If you qualify for the first-time buyer refund, your lawyer usually claims it at registration, so you only ever pay the reduced amount. If it isn't claimed then, you can apply to the Ministry of Finance for it afterwards.
Buying new construction
You pay land transfer tax on a new home too. On a new build, it's usually calculated on the price including harmonized sales tax (HST), which can make it higher than on a resale home with the same sticker price.
Builder contracts vary in how they handle HST and rebates, so ask your lawyer to confirm the land transfer tax before you sign.
Land transfer tax is one of several closing costs
Land transfer tax is usually the biggest cost on closing day, but not the only one. Legal fees, title insurance, adjustments and, with less than 20% down, the sales tax on mortgage insurance all come on top. Lenders typically want to see about 1.5% of the price set aside for closing costs.
See everything you'll need in the closing costs guide, and how it fits with your down payment in the down payment guide.