British Columbia Property Transfer Tax Calculator

British Columbia's Property Transfer Tax (PTT) is charged on a progressive scale from 1% to 5%, paid by the buyer when a property changes hands. First-time home buyers are fully exempt on purchases up to $500,000 (with a phase-out to $835,000). Foreign buyers are subject to an additional 20% Additional Property Transfer Tax in designated areas.

PTT is calculated in marginal bands: 1% on the first $200,000, 2% on $200,001–$2,000,000, 3% on $2,000,001–$3,000,000, and 5% above $3,000,000. First-time buyers pay no PTT on homes up to $500,000; between $500,001 and $835,000, a partial exemption applies.

This calculator applies BC's published PTT bands progressively to your purchase price. For first-time buyers, a nil-rate applies to the first $500,000 with the 2% rate kicking in above that (simplified from the exact pro-rated phase-out between $500,001 and $835,000). The additional 20% foreign buyer tax is modelled as a provincewide surcharge, though in reality it applies only to designated geographic areas.

First-time home buyers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, purchasing a principal residence valued under $500,000, pay no PTT. Foreign buyers and foreign-controlled corporations are subject to the 20% Additional Property Transfer Tax in areas such as Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, the Capital Regional District, Kelowna, and Nanaimo.

Rates reflect BC's schedule effective 2024. The first-time buyer full exemption threshold was raised to $500,000 (phase-out to $835,000) in 2024. The 5% top rate on properties over $3,000,000 has been in effect since 2018.

PTT: Property Transfer Tax — BC's name for its property purchase tax. Additional Property Transfer Tax: BC's 20% surcharge on foreign buyers in designated areas. Fair market value: the price a property would sell for in an open market, used as the basis for PTT where it exceeds the purchase price.