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Calculator · For Homeowners & Buyers

Nova Scotia deed transfer tax and cash to close

Estimate the deed transfer tax and the cash you need on closing day in Nova Scotia. Then talk to us about your full plan.

Your numbers

Deed transfer tax is set by your municipality; other costs are editable estimates.

Enter a percent, or the dollar amount in the second box.
Each NS municipality sets its own rate, up to 1.5%. Confirm your municipality's rate.
Adjustable estimate. Typically covers your lawyer, title, registration, and adjustments. Your lawyer confirms the actual amount.
Estimated cash to close
$0
Down payment$0
Municipal deed transfer tax$0
Legal & other closing costs$0
Talk to us

For illustration only and not an offer of financing or legal advice. In Nova Scotia, municipal deed transfer tax is set by each municipality up to a maximum of 1.5 percent; Halifax Regional Municipality charges 1.5 percent. Confirm the rate for your municipality. A provincial deed transfer tax of 10 percent applies to non-residents of Nova Scotia (effective April 1, 2025), with an exemption if you become a Nova Scotia resident within six months of closing; your lawyer confirms how it applies to you. Legal, title, and other closing-cost figures are adjustable estimates, not quotes; your lawyer provides the actual amounts. This tool does not include the CMHC or private mortgage default-insurance premium, which is usually added to the mortgage rather than paid in cash. Speak with us for figures specific to you. TMG HarbourTown Mortgage Inc., Licence #3000145.

What these numbers mean

Plain-language definitions and the typical ranges, so you can play with the inputs with confidence.

Purchase price
The agreed price of the home. It drives the deed transfer tax and, where it applies, the non-resident provincial tax.
Typical: your accepted offer price
Down payment
Your cash up front, entered as a percent or a dollar amount. It is the largest part of cash to close. The rest of the home price is your mortgage.
Typical: 5 percent minimum on the first $500,000, 10 percent above; 20 percent avoids default insurance
Municipality and deed transfer tax rate
In Nova Scotia each municipality sets its own deed transfer tax, up to a maximum of 1.5 percent. Halifax Regional Municipality charges 1.5 percent. For another municipality, confirm the local rate and enter it.
Typical: up to 1.5 percent of price; HRM is 1.5 percent
Non-resident of Nova Scotia
A provincial deed transfer tax of 10 percent applies to non-residents of Nova Scotia, effective April 1, 2025. It is exempt if you become a Nova Scotia resident within six months of closing. This is commonly missed and can be a very large line, so your lawyer confirms how it applies.
Typical: 10 percent of price for non-residents, with a six-month resident exemption
Legal, title and other closing costs
An adjustable estimate covering your lawyer, title, registration, and adjustments. These are not quotes; your lawyer provides the actual amounts.
Typical: roughly $2,000 to $4,000, lawyer and file dependent
Estimated cash to close
Your down payment plus deed transfer taxes plus legal and other costs. It is separate from your mortgage and does not include the default-insurance premium, which is usually added to the mortgage rather than paid in cash.
Typical: down payment plus deed transfer tax plus a few thousand in legal and adjustments
These are general ranges, not your numbers. The right figure depends on your situation, the property, and the lender. Talk to us and we will pin it down.

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