BC Property Transfer Tax: Rates, Exemptions & Calculator (2024)

By BC Home Listings Editorial Team · Published · Last updated

British Columbia Property Transfer Tax (PTT) is a one-time provincial tax buyers pay when title transfers. Rates are 1% on the first $200,000 of fair market value, 2% on the portion from $200,001 to $2,000,000, and 3% on the portion above $2,000,000. First-time buyer and newly-built-home exemptions can reduce or eliminate this tax — see the calculator below.

How BC Property Transfer Tax works

BC's Property Transfer Tax is a one-time provincial tax paid when residential property changes title. It is charged on fair market value — generally the accepted purchase price — and is paid by the buyer at closing, collected by the conveyancing lawyer or notary and remitted to the Province of British Columbia.

Standard PTT rate tiers

Portion of fair market valueTax rate
First $200,0001%
$200,001 – $2,000,0002%
Above $2,000,000 (residential)3%
Residential portion above $3,000,000+2% additional

Source: BC Ministry of Finance — Property Transfer Tax.

First-Time Home Buyer exemption

Qualifying first-time buyers in British Columbia receive a full PTT exemption on the first $500,000 of fair market value, with a partial exemption available up to $835,000. To qualify, the buyer must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have lived in BC for the prior 12 months, never have owned a principal residence anywhere in the world, and occupy the home for at least one year after purchase.

Newly Built Home exemption

Newly constructed homes are fully exempt from PTT when fair market value is $1,100,000 or less, with a partial exemption phasing out by $1,150,000. The buyer must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and occupy the home as a principal residence within 92 days of closing, for at least one continuous year.

Foreign buyer Additional Property Transfer Tax

Foreign nationals, foreign corporations, and taxable trustees pay an additional 20% on the fair market value of residential property located in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Capital, Nanaimo, or Central Okanagan regional districts. This is on top of the standard PTT and is separate from the federal Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act.

Worked example: $850,000 resale home

A Canadian permanent resident buying a $850,000 resale condo in Burnaby with no first-time buyer status would owe:

  • 1% × $200,000 = $2,000
  • 2% × $650,000 = $13,000
  • Total PTT: $15,000, paid in cash at closing

Frequently asked questions

BC Property Transfer Tax is 1% on the first $200,000 of fair market value, 2% on the portion from $200,001 to $2,000,000, and 3% on any portion above $2,000,000. A home priced at $800,000 with no exemption would owe $14,000 in PTT.

Property Transfer Tax is paid once, at closing, when title is registered at the Land Title Office. Your real estate lawyer or notary collects it and remits it to the Province of British Columbia. There is no annual recurrence — unlike property tax.

First-time buyers in British Columbia may qualify for a full PTT exemption on homes up to $500,000 and a partial exemption on homes between $500,000 and $835,000. To qualify, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have lived in BC for the prior year, never owned a home anywhere, and occupy the property as your principal residence for at least one year.

Yes — the Newly Built Home Exemption removes PTT entirely on qualifying new construction up to $1,100,000 in fair market value, with a partial exemption available between $1,100,000 and $1,150,000. The buyer must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and use the property as their principal residence.

Foreign nationals, foreign corporations, and taxable trustees pay an Additional Property Transfer Tax of 20% on the fair market value of residential property in designated taxable regions: Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, the Capital Regional District, Nanaimo Regional District, and the Central Okanagan. This is in addition to the standard PTT.

BC Property Transfer Tax is calculated on fair market value, which in most arm's-length transactions equals the accepted purchase price. If the Land Title Office believes a transaction undervalues the property, it can substitute an appraised value.

No — Property Transfer Tax must be paid in cash at closing. It cannot be financed as part of the mortgage. Buyers should budget for PTT alongside the down payment, legal fees, and home inspection costs.

Property transferred between spouses, from a parent to a child as a principal-residence gift, or through a deceased's estate to a related person may qualify for an exemption. The exemption is not automatic — it must be claimed on the Property Transfer Tax return at registration.

PTT is a provincial tax on the title transfer itself, paid by the buyer once at closing. GST is a federal 5% sales tax that applies only to newly built homes (not resale), is collected by the builder, and is independent of PTT. A new home can owe both.

Property Transfer Tax is collected by the Province of British Columbia and deposited into general revenue under the Property Transfer Tax Act. It is the third-largest provincial revenue source after personal income tax and sales tax.

Sources & further reading

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