Ontario Land Transfer Tax Calculator

When ownership of a property changes hands in Ontario, the buyer must pay land transfer tax (LTT) to register the transfer of title. The tax is set by the Land Transfer Tax Act and applies to almost every purchase of land or an interest in land — resale homes, new construction, condos, and investment properties alike.

The amount is based on the value of the consideration, which for a normal arm's-length sale is simply the purchase price. Ontario uses a marginal bracket system: each rate applies only to the portion of the price that falls within its band, not to the entire price. This is the same principle as income tax brackets, and it's why the “effective” rate you pay is always lower than the top marginal rate.

Land transfer tax cannot be added to your mortgage. It must be paid from your own funds on closing day, alongside your down payment and legal fees, so it's essential to budget for it early. In Ontario, only a licensed lawyer can close your purchase — a real estate lawyer calculates the exact amount, collects it with your other closing funds, and remits it to the province (and to the City of Toronto, if applicable) when registering your transfer electronically. Mister Real Estate Lawyer's home buying guide walks through every step from offer to keys.

First-time home buyers can claim a rebate that significantly reduces — and sometimes eliminates — the provincial tax. Foreign buyers, by contrast, face an additional 25% Non-Resident Speculation Tax. We cover both below.

These provincial rates apply everywhere in Ontario — Ottawa, Mississauga, Hamilton, London, the entire GTA, and beyond. To find your provincial tax, add up the tax from each bracket your price reaches. For example, on a $500,000 home you pay 0.5% of $55,000 ($275), 1% of the next $195,000 ($1,950), 1.5% of the next $150,000 ($2,250), and 2% of the final $100,000 ($2,000) — a total of $6,475. See the full price-by-price table below for more amounts.

The MLTT applies only within the City of Toronto's boundaries. Buyers in surrounding GTA municipalities — Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Oakville, and others — pay only the provincial tax, even though they're in the Greater Toronto Area.

Since January 1, 2024, Toronto has applied escalating luxury rates on higher-value homes: 2.5% on the portion from $2M–$3M, 3.5% on $3M–$4M, 4.5% on $4M–$5M, 5.5% on $5M–$10M, 6.5% on $10M–$20M, and 7.5% above $20M. These apply only to residential properties with one or two units. For most buyers under $2M, the municipal tax simply equals the provincial tax — so a Toronto purchase costs about twice as much in land transfer tax as the same home in the suburbs.

To qualify as a first-time home buyer in Ontario, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old;
• Occupy the home as your principal residence within nine months of the transfer;
• Never have owned a home, or an interest in a home, anywhere in the world; and
• Have a spouse who has also never owned a home while being your spouse.

For the provincial rebate, you must also be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The maximum refund is $4,000, which covers the full provincial LTT on a home priced at $368,333 or less. Above that, you pay only the difference.

Buyers in the City of Toronto can also claim the municipal first-time buyer rebate of up to $4,475, covering MLTT on homes up to $400,000. Combined, a first-time buyer purchasing in Toronto can save as much as $8,475. Most buyers claim both rebates automatically at registration through their lawyer; if not, you can apply to the Ministry of Finance (provincial) or the City of Toronto (municipal) after closing. Our partner's first-time buyer rebate guide and first-time home buyer resources explain how the rebate is applied at closing.

Closing costs are the one-time expenses you pay to complete your purchase, separate from your down payment. The main components in Ontario are:

• Land transfer tax — usually the largest single cost. Use the calculator above for your exact amount.
• Legal fees and disbursements — typically $1,200–$2,500. Your lawyer reviews the agreement, searches title, arranges title insurance, and closes the deal. Firms like Mister Real Estate Lawyer publish flat-fee pricing so you know the total up front.
• Title insurance — a one-time premium of roughly $250–$700 that protects you and your lender against title fraud, defects, and survey issues. Learn more about title insurance in Ontario.
• Registration fees — about $78.79 per document to register the transfer and your mortgage with the province.

Depending on your purchase, you may also encounter HST (most often on new construction from a builder — usually built into the price for a principal residence), property tax and utility adjustments, a home inspection, and mortgage default insurance if your down payment is under 20%. The calculator above estimates the core costs every Ontario buyer pays.

Here's how land transfer tax and closing costs add up across common Ontario price points. The table compares a purchase outside Toronto, the same purchase in Toronto (where both taxes apply), and the net cost for a first-time buyer in Toronto.

A quick reference showing Ontario land transfer tax, the Toronto total (both taxes combined), and the net tax a first-time buyer pays in Toronto, for common home prices.

Plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when budgeting for closing.