Buyers in Toronto pay land transfer tax twice: once to Ontario and once to the City of Toronto, at nearly identical bracketed rates. On an $800,000 home the two taxes total $24,950. First-time buyers can claim up to $4,000 back from Ontario and up to $4,475 from Toronto.
How much is land transfer tax in Toronto?
Toronto buyers pay two separate land transfer taxes on closing — the provincial Ontario land transfer tax and Toronto’s municipal land transfer tax (MLTT) — and up to $2 million the two use the same brackets, so the bill is effectively doubled compared to buying in Mississauga or Vaughan. Both are calculated on the purchase price in tiers, meaning each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its bracket, not to the whole price.
This is usually the single largest closing cost a Toronto buyer faces, and it cannot be added to your mortgage — it is cash due on closing day. Everything below is for properties with one or two single-family residences (houses, condos, duplexes), which is what the bracket structure above $400,000 applies to.
What are the 2026 land transfer tax rates?
The provincial rates run from 0.5% to 2.5% and Toronto matches them up to $2 million, after which Toronto’s luxury tiers take over. According to ontario.ca and toronto.ca, the rates for one or two single-family residences are:
| Portion of purchase price | Ontario LTT | Toronto MLTT |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $55,000 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| $55,000 – $250,000 | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| $250,000 – $400,000 | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| $400,000 – $2,000,000 | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| Over $2,000,000 | 2.5% | 2.5% to $3M, then the luxury tiers below |
Effective April 1, 2026, Toronto added steep new MLTT tiers on high-value homes. Per toronto.ca, the municipal side now charges:
| Portion of purchase price | Toronto MLTT rate (effective April 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| $2,000,000 – $3,000,000 | 2.5% |
| $3,000,000 – $4,000,000 | 4.40% |
| $4,000,000 – $5,000,000 | 5.45% |
| $5,000,000 – $10,000,000 | 6.50% |
| $10,000,000 – $20,000,000 | 7.55% |
| Over $20,000,000 | 8.60% |
What does land transfer tax come to on an $800,000 home? (Worked example)
On an $800,000 Etobicoke purchase, land transfer tax totals $24,950 — $12,475 provincial plus $12,475 municipal. Here is every line of the math so you can verify it:
| Bracket | Amount in bracket | Rate | Ontario LTT | Toronto MLTT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First $55,000 | $55,000 | 0.5% | $275 | $275 |
| $55,000 – $250,000 | $195,000 | 1.0% | $1,950 | $1,950 |
| $250,000 – $400,000 | $150,000 | 1.5% | $2,250 | $2,250 |
| $400,000 – $800,000 | $400,000 | 2.0% | $8,000 | $8,000 |
| Total | $800,000 | — | $12,475 | $12,475 |
The same method gives combined (provincial + municipal) totals of $18,950 on a $650,000 condo, $32,950 on a $1,000,000 house, and $72,950 on a $2,000,000 house. Buy the identical $800,000 home just outside Toronto’s border — in Mississauga, say — and you pay only the provincial $12,475.
How much do first-time buyers get back?
Up to $8,475 combined: Ontario refunds a maximum of $4,000 of the provincial tax, and Toronto rebates a maximum of $4,475 of the municipal tax. According to ontario.ca, the provincial refund means eligible first-time buyers pay no Ontario land transfer tax on the first $368,000 of the price. Toronto’s $4,475 maximum works out, from the rate table, to be fully used at a price of around $400,000 — toronto.ca doesn’t state that crossover point explicitly, so treat it as arithmetic rather than an official figure.
On the $800,000 example above, a qualifying first-time buyer pays $8,475 provincially and $8,000 municipally — $16,475 instead of $24,950.
Eligibility is essentially the same at both levels: you must be at least 18, you must never have owned a home (or an interest in one) anywhere in the world, your spouse must not have owned a home while they were your spouse, and you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Toronto adds one more condition — per toronto.ca, you must occupy the home as your principal residence within nine months of closing.
What is the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST)?
Foreign nationals buying residential property face an additional 25% provincial tax across all of Ontario, and since January 1, 2025, Toronto adds its own 10% municipal NRST on top. The provincial 25% rate has applied province-wide since October 25, 2022, according to ontario.ca. These taxes apply to the full purchase price, not in brackets — on an $800,000 purchase that is $200,000 provincial plus $80,000 municipal, on top of regular land transfer tax. There are exemptions and rebates in limited circumstances; this is territory where you need a lawyer’s opinion before signing anything.
The takeaway
Toronto buyers pay double land transfer tax — $24,950 on an $800,000 home versus $12,475 for the same price outside the city. First-time buyers get back up to $8,475 combined. And as of April 1, 2026, Toronto’s rates above $3 million are dramatically higher than most online calculators still show. Get the number from the source, or from someone who has.
How I help
Land transfer tax is the first line on the closing-cost sheet I build for every buyer client before we offer — both taxes, the rebates you actually qualify for, and the border effect if we’re comparing Toronto against Mississauga or Oakville listings. If you want that sheet for a property you’re considering, send it over.
Want your exact land transfer tax number?
Send me the listing (or just the price) and your first-time-buyer status, and I’ll send back the full provincial-plus-municipal calculation with any rebates applied — plus the rest of the closing costs most buyers forget. No pitch, no obligation.
connect@jatindua.com · 437-987-1925 · Book a free consultation
Confidential. Reviewed personally and answered within 24 hours. I never share, sell or distribute your information.
Frequently asked questions
Do you pay land transfer tax twice in Toronto?
Yes. Buyers inside the City of Toronto pay both the Ontario land transfer tax and Toronto’s municipal land transfer tax, with matching brackets up to $2 million — roughly doubling the bill versus buying in the 905. On an $800,000 home that is $12,475 + $12,475 = $24,950.
How much is land transfer tax on an $800,000 house in Toronto?
$24,950 in total: $12,475 of Ontario land transfer tax and $12,475 of Toronto municipal land transfer tax, calculated in brackets (0.5% to $55,000, 1% to $250,000, 1.5% to $400,000, 2% on the rest). An eligible first-time buyer pays $16,475 after the maximum rebates.
How much land transfer tax do first-time buyers get back in Toronto?
Up to $8,475 combined — a maximum $4,000 refund of the provincial tax (no Ontario LTT on the first $368,000) and a maximum $4,475 rebate of Toronto’s municipal tax, which the rate table suggests is fully used at around a $400,000 price. You must never have owned a home anywhere in the world, and Toronto requires you to move in within nine months.
Did Toronto land transfer tax go up in 2026?
Yes, for high-value homes. Effective April 1, 2026, Toronto introduced new municipal tiers: 4.40% on the portion from $3M–$4M, 5.45% from $4M–$5M, 6.50% from $5M–$10M, 7.55% from $10M–$20M and 8.60% above $20M. Rates below $3 million did not change. Many online calculators still show the old rates.
Sources
- Government of Ontario — Calculating land transfer tax. The provincial brackets, including the 2.5% rate over $2 million for one or two single-family residences. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- City of Toronto — MLTT rates and fees. The municipal brackets, the luxury tiers effective 1 April 2026, and the 10% municipal NRST effective 1 January 2025. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- Government of Ontario — LTT refunds for first-time homebuyers. The $4,000 maximum refund and the no-tax-on-first-$368,000 figure. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- City of Toronto — MLTT rebate opportunities. The $4,475 maximum first-time buyer rebate, eligibility criteria and the nine-month occupancy requirement. Accessed 13 August 2026.
- Government of Ontario — Non-Resident Speculation Tax. The 25% province-wide NRST in effect since 25 October 2022. Accessed 13 August 2026.
Related reading
- How much is the minimum down payment in Ontario? (2026 rules)
- Closing costs when buying a home in Toronto: the full list
- First-time home buyer programs in Ontario (2026): what actually exists
- Etobicoke community guide
- Humber Bay Shores condo buildings guide
About the author — Jatin Dua, Etobicoke real estate agent
I am Jatin Dua, a licensed Realtor with RE/MAX Quantum Realty in Etobicoke, Toronto, working with buyers, sellers and investors across the GTA. I write these guides myself and verify every figure against the primary government source before publishing — the same sources are linked above so you can check them too.
Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 437-987-1925.