Montreal Land Transfer Tax Calculator Canada
This Montreal land transfer tax calculator works out the welcome tax on a purchase and compares it with the standard Quebec schedule.
What it does
The Montreal Land Transfer Tax Calculator works out the transfer duties, known locally as the welcome tax, that the City of Montreal charges when a property changes hands, and shows how much more that is than the standard Quebec schedule.
Data sources & parameters
The figures below drive this calculator. We keep them aligned with the latest official guidance, and each result recalculates automatically whenever a value changes.
| Parameter | Value | Source | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Montreal transfer-duty brackets [lower, upper, rate] (2025, indexed annually) | Rate schedule | montreal.ca | Effective 2026-01-01Full 2026 schedule from montreal.ca (read 2026-09-23): 0.5% to 62900, 1% to 315000, 1.5% to 552300, 2% to 1104700, 2.5% to 2136500, 3.5% to 3113000, 4% above. Was 4 bands ending at 2.5%. audit 2026-09-23 |
| Quebec transfer duties (welcome tax) standard brackets [lower, upper, rate] on greater of price or municipal assessment (2025 thresholds, indexed annually) | Rate schedule | quebec.ca | Effective 2026-01-012026 thresholds 62900 and 315000 (quebec.ca droits de mutation, read 2026-09-23); the row held 61500/307800, the thresholds for 2025. audit 2026-09-23 |
| Montreal first-time buyer welcome-tax rebate: none (Quebec gives an income tax credit of up to $5,875 for 2026 instead, claimed on the return) | 0 | revenuquebec.ca | Effective 2026-01-01Dead source link replaced with live official URL |
We always strive to use the latest data for every variable so our results and reports are as accurate as possible. Even so, errors are possible — you should not rely on this tool or its report alone, and we accept no liability for any decision made based on it.
The formula
Transfer duty = Montreal brackets(greatest of price, assessment x comparative factor, market value) - first-time buyer rebate (none in Montreal)
How it works
It takes the greatest of the price you paid, the municipal assessment multiplied by the comparative factor for the roll, and the market value at transfer, then runs that base through the City of Montreal bracket schedule and shows the duty payable. Montreal gives no first-time buyer rebate.
Where it is used
- Budgeting the welcome tax before making an offer on the island of Montreal
- Seeing how much more Montreal charges than the standard Quebec schedule
- Seeing that Montreal gives no first-time buyer rebate on the welcome tax
Worked example
On a CA$700,000.00 purchase in Montreal the taxable base is …, the transfer duty is … and nothing is deducted because Montreal has no first-time buyer rebate, so … is payable. The standard Quebec schedule would have charged …, so the Montreal schedule adds …. That is an effective … on the base, with the top slice taxed at ….
What the Montreal land transfer tax calculator does
The calculator estimates the transfer duty the City of Montreal will invoice after you buy on the island, using the city’s own bracket schedule, and shows what the same purchase would cost under the standard Quebec schedule, so you can see the extra cost of buying in Montreal as one number. Enter the price, and optionally the municipal assessment with its comparative factor and the market value at transfer; the duty is charged on the highest of the three.
A worked example
A $700,000 purchase in Montreal, with the price as the highest of the three amounts, gives a welcome tax of about $9,471, an effective rate of about 1.35%, with the top slice taxed at 2%. Under the standard Quebec schedule the duty would be about $8,654, so buying in Montreal costs about $818 more.
Why Montreal charges more than the rest of Quebec
Every Quebec municipality charges transfer duties on a provincial base schedule: a low rate on the first slice of value, a middle rate on the next and a higher rate above that. Quebec law lets a municipality add brackets above the provincial ceiling, and Montreal has done so. On a modest purchase the difference is small, because the lower brackets are nearly identical. On an expensive property it becomes substantial, because Montreal’s rates keep climbing after the provincial top rate stops. The gap widens as the price rises, which is why buyers of larger properties are often surprised by a bill thousands of dollars above a generic Quebec estimate.
The base is the greatest of three amounts
The duty is charged on the greatest of the price, the municipal assessment times the comparative factor, and the market value at the time of transfer. In an ordinary arm’s-length sale the price is highest and the distinction does not matter. It matters in a below-market sale, often between family members, where the assessment can exceed the price; early in a new assessment roll in a rising market, where the adjusted assessment can overshoot; and in a transfer with no cash price, where the assessment or market value is the whole base.
The assessment roll is refreshed only every three years, so the municipality publishes a comparative factor each year to bring it back toward market values. It changes annually, so the calculator asks for it.
How the progressive brackets work
Each rate applies only to the slice of value inside its band. Crossing a threshold applies the higher rate to the amount above it, not to the whole purchase. The calculator shows the rate on the top slice separately from the effective rate on the whole base. The lower thresholds are indexed each year, so the same price costs a slightly different amount of duty from one year to the next.
First-time buyers
Montreal does not offer a general first-time buyer rebate on the welcome tax, so the first-time buyer box changes nothing here. Quebec’s income tax credit for buying a first home is claimed on your return after the purchase and has its own conditions; check them with Revenu Québec.
Budgeting for the bill
The welcome tax is not collected at closing. The notary registers the deed and the city sends an invoice weeks or months later, so keep the amount in reserve after closing, along with the adjustment for prepaid municipal and school taxes, moving costs and any immediate work. On a mid-priced Montreal home the duty is usually the largest of those items.
Reading the result
The taxable base shows whether the price or the assessment drove the calculation. The Montreal duty is the bill, the comparison shows the premium for buying in the city, and the net amount is what to set aside. If the base is higher than the price you entered, check the assessment and comparative factor on the city’s property assessment record.
This calculator provides an estimate for information only and is not tax or legal advice.
About This Tool: Montreal Land Transfer Tax
Montreal land transfer tax: use this tool to get an instant, accurate estimate. The figures follow official guidance and every rate and threshold is kept up to date for 2026. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.
Tax year 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the Montreal land transfer tax?
What amount is the duty actually charged on?
What is the comparative factor?
When do I have to pay the welcome tax?
Does Montreal help first-time buyers?
Are any transfers exempt from the duty?
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