Estimate your total tax costs on a BC home purchase — PTT, GST, and applicable exemptions — all in one place. Updated for 2025.
This BC property transfer tax GST calculator estimates your total closing taxes on any BC home purchase. Select your buyer type and property type, then enter the purchase price — exemptions and rebates are applied automatically.
When you purchase property in British Columbia, two major taxes may apply depending on the type of property you are buying and your personal circumstances: the BC Property Transfer Tax (PTT) and the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST). Knowing how they work — and which exemptions reduce them — is an important part of understanding your total closing costs.
PTT applies to virtually every property transfer in BC — whether you are buying a resale home, new construction, or vacant land. It is a provincial tax collected at closing through your notary or lawyer. The rates are tiered:
Two exemptions can reduce PTT to zero or near zero:
If you qualify for both exemptions, only the one providing the greater saving is applied.
GST at 5% applies to new homes purchased directly from a builder — it does not apply to resale homes purchased from a private seller. Two rebate programs can reduce the GST you pay:
When both rebates apply, the calculator uses the first-time buyer rebate since it is always greater.
For buyers purchasing a resale home, PTT is the only tax to plan for — typically 2–3% of the purchase price for most Tri-Cities homes. For buyers purchasing new construction, PTT and GST both apply, though exemptions can dramatically reduce or eliminate these costs. On a $900,000 new townhouse purchased by a first-time buyer, for example, the combination of the Newly Built Home PTT exemption and the 2025 FTB GST rebate could eliminate over $60,000 in taxes — making the exemption amounts very significant relative to your down payment and closing budget.
Use the calculator above to model your specific situation, and speak with your notary or lawyer before closing to confirm your exact obligations and eligibility.
Yes, if you are purchasing new construction directly from a builder, both PTT and GST typically apply. PTT is a provincial tax that applies to all property transfers; GST is a federal tax that applies specifically to new homes. On a resale home purchased from a private seller, only PTT applies — GST does not.
The standard new home GST rebate is available to all buyers of new homes priced under $450,000 and returns a maximum of $6,300. The 2025 first-time buyer enhanced GST rebate is available only to first-time buyers and returns up to $50,000 on homes priced up to $1,500,000. For first-time buyers purchasing new construction, the enhanced rebate is almost always far more valuable and replaces the standard rebate entirely.
You may qualify for both the First-Time Buyer PTT exemption and the Newly Built Home PTT exemption, but only one can be applied. The calculator automatically applies whichever one provides the greater saving. For homes priced between $500,001 and $1,100,000, the Newly Built Home exemption is almost always better — it provides full PTT relief up to $1,100,000, while the FTB exemption is capped at $8,000 above $500,000.
Yes, provided the property qualifies as a newly built home — meaning it has never previously been occupied as a principal residence. Most presale condos and townhouses purchased from a developer meet this criterion. However, you must move in within 92 days of registration and occupy the home as your principal residence for the remainder of the first year. Confirm with your notary at closing to ensure you meet all eligibility requirements.
Both PTT and GST are paid at closing through your notary or lawyer. PTT is included in your closing statement and remitted by your notary to the BC government at the time of title registration. GST is typically either collected by the builder as part of the purchase price (with any rebate applied as a credit at closing) or filed directly by you with the CRA within two years of closing if the builder did not apply it. In practice, most builders handle GST and the rebate assignment in your purchase documents.
For most homeowners purchasing a principal residence, PTT and GST are not tax deductible. These are one-time closing costs, not ongoing expenses that qualify for personal income tax deductions in Canada. If you are purchasing an investment or rental property, some closing costs may be treated differently — consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
PTT, GST, legal fees, and moving costs add up fast. As a local REALTOR® in Port Moody, Coquitlam, and Port Coquitlam, I help buyers understand every number before they make an offer. Let's make sure you're prepared.
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