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Nova Scotia land transfer tax
Nova Scotia land transfer tax calculator
Current Nova Scotia land transfer tax rates with first-time buyer rebate handling and bracket-by-bracket math.
Nova Scotia purchase
Your land transfer tax
Net total owed
$8,250
Provincial LTT$8,250
Gross before rebate$8,250
Nova Scotia's Deed Transfer Tax rate varies by municipality (0.5%–1.5%). Halifax and most large municipalities use 1.5%; some smaller ones use 1.0% or 0.5%. Confirm your specific municipality.
About Nova Scotia land transfer tax
Nova Scotia charges land transfer tax in graduated brackets — each rate applies only to the portion of the purchase price within that band. The full schedule is:
- Over $0: 1.50%
Land transfer tax is paid at closing, in addition to your down payment, legal fees, title insurance, and any tax adjustments. For most Nova Scotia buyers it's the largest single line item on the lawyer's trust statement.
Other Canadian provinces
- British Columbia land transfer tax
- Alberta land transfer tax
- Saskatchewan land transfer tax
- Manitoba land transfer tax
- Ontario land transfer tax
- Quebec land transfer tax
- New Brunswick land transfer tax
- Prince Edward Island land transfer tax
- Newfoundland & Labrador land transfer tax
- Yukon land transfer tax
- Northwest Territories land transfer tax
- Nunavut land transfer tax
Rate source: https://www.novascotia.ca/sns/access/business/property/deed-transfer-tax.asp. Verified 2026-01-01. Speak to a Mortgage360 advisor before relying on these figures for a real transaction.
Nova Scotia land transfer tax — common questions
- How much is land transfer tax in Nova Scotia?
- Nova Scotia charges it in graduated brackets — 1.5% on everything above $0. Each rate applies only to the portion of the price inside that band, so the effective rate is always lower than the top bracket you reach.
- When do I pay Nova Scotia land transfer tax?
- At closing, in cash, through your lawyer. It cannot be added to the mortgage or paid in instalments, which is why it is the closing cost that most often catches first-time buyers short — it has to be saved separately from the down payment.
- Can I add Nova Scotia land transfer tax to my mortgage?
- No. It is due in cash on closing day, and lenders will not advance funds for it. Many will also ask you to prove you hold reserves for closing costs on top of your down payment before they approve the mortgage.
- Do I pay land transfer tax on a new build?
- Yes, on the purchase price, normally at final closing rather than when you sign the agreement. A new build may also carry GST or HST, which is a separate calculation with its own rebate — worth modelling together rather than one at a time.
- Does refinancing or renewing trigger land transfer tax?
- No. The tax applies to a transfer of title, not to the mortgage on it. Refinancing, renewing or switching lenders leaves ownership unchanged, so no transfer tax is owed — though a switch may carry registration or discharge fees.
- Where do these rates come from?
- From Nova Scotia's own published schedule, last verified 2026-01-01. Rates and rebate ceilings change with provincial budgets, so confirm the figure with your real estate lawyer before relying on it for an actual closing.