Nova Scotia land transfer tax calculator
Nova Scotia deed transfer tax is set by each municipality at 1% to 1.5%. Estimate yours on your purchase price, Halifax rate by default.
Nova Scotia purchase
Your land transfer tax
Rules checked: September 2026. Source: Nova Scotia official source
About Nova Scotia land transfer tax
Nova Scotia's deed transfer tax is a municipal tax: each municipality sets its own rate, applied to the sale price. On the province's July 2026 list the rates are 1%, 1.25% or 1.5%; Halifax and most municipalities charge 1.5%, which the calculator uses. Non-residents also pay the provincial Non-resident Deed Transfer Tax, 10% since April 1, 2025, unless they move to the province within the allowed period.
The tax is paid at closing, in cash, on top of your down payment, legal fees, title insurance and tax adjustments.
Worked example: a $450,000 home in Nova Scotia
- Provincial tax: $6,750
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
Related calculators
- Total closing costs — everything due in cash at closing, not just the transfer tax
- Down payment and CMHC premium
Rate source: Nova Scotia official schedule, checked 2026-09-24. Confirm the figure with your real estate lawyer before relying on it for a real transaction.
Mortgage agent or broker? Calculators like this one embed on the website you already have, and Mortgage360 campaign landing pages capture the enquiries they start straight into your CRM.
Nova Scotia land transfer tax — common questions
- How much is land transfer tax in Nova Scotia?
- Nova Scotia charges a flat 1.5% — the rate most municipalities, Halifax included, set; a few charge 1% or 1.25%. It is calculated on the sale price, so a $500,000 home costs about $7,500.
- 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 the official source linked on this page (https://novascotia.ca/sns/pdf/ans-property-dtt-rates.pdf), last checked 2026-09-24. 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.