How much is the Alberta land title transfer fee in 2026?

The Transfer of Land registration fee is $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of the property's value. On a $500,000 home that is $550. The per-$5,000 portion rose from $2 to $5 for submissions received on or after October 20, 2024, so any calculator still using $2 per $5,000 will understate the fee by roughly 60 percent.

How much are closing costs in Alberta?

Alberta closing costs typically run 1.5% to 4% of the purchase price. On a $500,000 home expect roughly $8,000 to $20,000 once you include registration fees, legal fees, a home inspection, title insurance, property tax adjustments and moving. Registration fees are a small part of that; legal fees, inspection and the property tax adjustment usually dominate.

Do I pay a mortgage registration fee in Alberta?

Yes, if you are financing. Alberta charges a separate registration fee to put the lender's mortgage on title: $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of the amount secured. On a $400,000 mortgage that is $450. Cash buyers skip this fee entirely.

Do first-time home buyers get a break on Alberta closing costs?

Alberta has no provincial land transfer tax and therefore no first-time buyer land transfer tax rebate of the kind Ontario and British Columbia offer. There is nothing to rebate. Federal programs still apply, including the Home Buyers' Plan RRSP withdrawal of up to $60,000 and the First Home Savings Account.

Is GST payable when buying a home in Alberta?

GST of 5% applies to newly built homes, substantially renovated homes and most new condos, and it is usually quoted separately from the purchase price. Resale homes are generally exempt. If you are buying new, confirm with your builder whether the listed price includes GST and whether any New Housing Rebate has already been applied.

Alberta Closing Cost Calculator 2026

Q: Does Alberta have a land transfer tax?

No. Alberta and Saskatchewan are the two provinces with no land transfer tax. Alberta buyers instead pay a Land Titles registration fee of $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of property value, and a separate mortgage registration fee of $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 borrowed. On a $500,000 purchase with a $400,000 mortgage that is about $1,000 in total, against roughly $6,475 of land transfer tax on the same purchase in Ontario.

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Alberta has no land transfer tax

On a $500,000 home an Ontario buyer pays $6,475 in land transfer tax. An Alberta buyer pays a $550 Land Titles registration fee instead — a saving of nearly $6,000 at the closing table.

Purchase Price ($)

Mortgage Amount ($)

Legal Fees

Home Inspection

Title Insurance

Property Tax Adjustment (days)

Days of property tax the seller already pre-paid

Annual Property Tax ($)

Moving Costs

🏔️ Alberta Closing Cost Estimate

Land Title Transfer Fee

Mortgage Registration Fee

Legal Fees

Home Inspection

Title Insurance

Property Tax Adjustment

Moving Costs

Total Estimated Closing Costs

As % of Purchase Price

What you didn't pay: the same purchase in Ontario would attract in land transfer tax. In Alberta that line simply doesn't exist.

How Alberta's Land Titles fee is calculated

Two separate registrations, each with the same formula. Both are charged by Alberta Land Titles, not by your lawyer or lender.

Registration	Formula	Based on
Transfer of Land	$50 + $5 per $5,000	Property purchase price
Mortgage	$50 + $5 per $5,000	Amount you borrow (skipped if paying cash)

Worked example. A $500,000 home with a $400,000 mortgage. Transfer: $50 + (500,000 ÷ 5,000 × $5) = $50 + $500 = $550. Mortgage: $50 + (400,000 ÷ 5,000 × $5) = $50 + $400 = $450. Total registration: $1,000. Partial blocks round up — a $502,000 price is charged as 101 blocks, not 100.4.

⚠️ The 2024 fee increase most calculators still miss

Alberta more than doubled this levy. For registrations received on or after October 20, 2024, the sliding scale went from $2 per $5,000 to $5 per $5,000 of value.

If a calculator or a 2023 blog post tells you the fee on a $500,000 home is around $220, it is using the old rate and understating your cost by roughly 60%. The figure above uses the current schedule published by Alberta Land Titles.

Every Alberta closing cost, explained

Land Titles registration fees — $300 to $1,500

The two fees above. Paid to the province through your lawyer. Non-negotiable and identical no matter which lawyer or lender you use.

Legal fees — $1,200 to $2,500

Your lawyer searches title, prepares transfer documents, handles the lender's requirements and moves the money. Quotes often exclude disbursements — courier, registration, title search charges — so ask for the all-in figure, not the headline rate.

Home inspection — $450 to $700

Optional and worth every dollar on a resale home. Older Alberta homes should be checked for foundation movement on clay soils, aluminum wiring in 1960s–70s builds, and poly-B plumbing common in the 1980s–90s, which many insurers now refuse to cover.

Title insurance — $200 to $500

A one-time premium covering title defects, survey problems and title fraud. In Alberta it is often used instead of a new Real Property Report with municipal compliance, which can cost more and take weeks. Your lender will usually insist on it either way.

Property tax adjustment — varies, often $500 to $2,000

The single most misunderstood line. Alberta municipalities bill property tax for the whole calendar year, usually in spring. If the seller already paid the year, you reimburse them for the days you will own the home. Close in July on a $4,500 annual bill and you owe roughly $2,000 at the table. Close in February and the adjustment may go the other way.

Costs this calculator deliberately excludes

Your mortgage default insurance (CMHC) premium if you put down less than 20% — that is normally added to the mortgage rather than paid at closing, though Alberta charges no provincial sales tax on it. Also excluded: GST on new builds (5%, resale homes exempt), condo estoppel certificates (~$100–$300), and the first-year home insurance premium your lender will require proof of before funding.

Alberta vs the provinces with a land transfer tax

Government transfer charges only, on a $500,000 purchase. Legal fees and inspections are similar everywhere.

Province	Government charge	Notes
Alberta	~$550	Registration fee only — no transfer tax
Saskatchewan	~$1,500	Also no transfer tax; higher registration fee
Ontario	$6,475	Plus a second, equal municipal tax in Toronto
British Columbia	$8,000	First-time buyer exemptions available

This is why Alberta buyers need a far smaller cash cushion at closing than Ontario or BC buyers on an identically priced home — and why an Alberta first-time buyer rebate doesn't exist. There is no tax to rebate.

Alberta Closing Costs — Frequently Asked Questions

Does Alberta have a land transfer tax?

No — Alberta and Saskatchewan are the only two provinces without one. You pay a Land Titles registration fee instead: about $550 on a $500,000 home versus $6,475 of Ontario land transfer tax.

How much is the land title transfer fee in 2026?

$50 + $5 for every $5,000 of property value. The $5 portion replaced $2 on October 20, 2024 — older calculators understate it by roughly 60%.

How much are total closing costs in Alberta?

Typically 1.5%–4% of price. On a $500,000 home, roughly $8,000–$20,000. Legal fees, inspection and the property tax adjustment dominate — registration fees are a small slice.

Do I pay a mortgage registration fee?

Yes if financing — $50 + $5 per $5,000 borrowed, so $450 on a $400,000 mortgage. Cash buyers skip it entirely.

Is there a first-time buyer rebate in Alberta?

No — there's no provincial transfer tax to rebate. Federal programs still apply: the FHSA and the $60,000 RRSP Home Buyers' Plan.

Is GST payable on an Alberta home?

5% on new builds and substantially renovated homes; resale homes are generally exempt. Ask your builder whether the price includes GST and whether a New Housing Rebate is already applied.