How property transfer duties are calculated

Last updated November 19, 2024
Reading time: 2 min
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Would you like to buy a building in Montréal? Would you like to understand how the duties (also called the “welcome tax”) are calculated? Find out everything you need to know.

In general, property transfer duties are calculated by multiplying:

  • The tax base
  • Rates that depend on property value

Tax base

The tax base corresponds to the highest of the following three amounts:

  • The amount paid for the building transfer, which generally corresponds to the building’s selling price, excluding PST and QST.
  • The amount stipulated for the building transfer, which generally corresponds to the price listed in the deed of sale.
  • The building’s market value, which corresponds to the value that appears on the assessment roll at the time of transfer multiplied by the comparative factor that is in effect.

Calculating property transfer duties is not necessarily based on the selling price of the building.

Market value and comparative factor

While the property transfer duties are calculated using the building’s market value, the tax base is calculated by multiplying:

  • The value of the building that appears on the property assessment roll.
  • The city’s comparative factor that was in effect at the time of sale.

The comparative factor brings the real estate transaction price to a basis that is comparable to the market value.

Montréal’s comparative factors are as follows:

Year

Comparative factor

2025

1.08

2024

1.10

2023

1.00

2022

1.18

Rates by value brackets

Property transfer duties are calculated according to value brackets that correspond to certain rates. These brackets, sometimes called thresholds, change every year.

In Montréal, the value brackets from January 1, 2025 are as follows:

Tax base value for 2025

Rate

Up to $61,500

0.5 %

$61,500 to $307,800

1%

$307,800 to $552,300

1.5%

$552,300 to $1,104,700

2%

$1,104,700 to $2,136,500

2.5%

$2,136,500 to $3,113,000

3.5%

Higher than $3,113,000

4%

Calculation example for 2025

Here’s an example of calculation with a tax base of $700,000:

  • $61,500 x 0.5% = $307.50
  • $246,300 x 1% = $2,463.00
  • $244,500 x 1.5% = $3,667.50
  • $147,700 x 2% = $2,954.00

In this example, the amount payable for property transfer duties in 2025 would be $9,392.00.

In Montréal, the value brackets from January 1 to December 31, 2024 are as follows:

Tax base value for 2024

Rate

Up to $58,900

0.5%

$58,900 to $294,600

1%

$294,600 to $552,300

1.5%

$552,300 to $1,104,700

2%

$1,104,700 to $2,136,500

2.5%

$2,136,500 to $3,113,000

3.5%

Higher than $3,113,000

4%

Calculation example for 2024

Here’s an example of calculation with a tax base of $700,000:

  • $58,900 x 0.5% = $294.50
  • $235,700 x 1% = $2,357.00
  • $257,700 x 1.5% = $3,865.50
  • $147,700 x 2% = $2,954.00

In this example, the amount payable for property transfer duties would be $9,471.00.

Pay your property transfer duties

Did you receive a bill for property transfer duties? This invoice is payable in one instalment within 30 days of the billing date.

Pay your invoice

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