Free tool — Quebec 2026

Welcome tax calculator (Quebec)

Estimate in seconds the real estate transfer duties — the “welcome tax” — you’ll pay after buying your property. Calculation based on the official brackets in force in 2026.

$

Estimate based on the brackets in effect in 2026. Quebec base rates: 0.5% up to $62,900, 1% up to $315,000, 1.5% above. Outside Montreal, some municipalities add a bracket on the portion above $500,000. Montreal applies its own brackets (up to 4%), selectable above. The final amount is confirmed by the notary.

How is the welcome tax calculated?

The welcome tax — its real name is the real estate transfer duty — is collected by the municipality on any transfer of ownership. It is calculated on the higher of the price paid and the value entered on the municipal assessment roll, according to a progressive bracket scale. The thresholds are set by the Government of Quebec and indexed each year.

Tax-base bracket Rate (2026)
From $0 to $62,900 0.5%
From $62,900 to $315,000 1.0%
Above $315,000 1.5%

Above $500,000, a municipality may set a higher rate by by-law (up to 3%) on the excess portion; the City of Montreal applies its own, higher brackets. For a property on the North Shore or in Laval, the base rate above applies in the vast majority of cases.

Key points

  • Payable in a single payment, usually a few months after the purchase
  • Calculated on the higher of the price or the assessed value
  • To budget on top of the down payment and notary fees
  • A savvy buyer budgets for it from the start

The welcome tax in Terrebonne, Laval, Blainville and on the North Shore

The municipalities of the North Shore and Laval apply Quebec’s base rate — so the calculator above holds for each of them. Montreal is the exception, with its own higher brackets (up to 4%): select “Montréal” in the calculator. Above $500,000, some other cities add a bracket — I confirm the exact amount based on your municipality.

  • Welcome tax in Bois-des-Filion
  • Welcome tax in Deux-Montagnes
  • Welcome tax in L’Assomption
  • Welcome tax in Charlemagne
  • Welcome tax in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines
  • Welcome tax in Montréal (higher brackets)

Frequently asked questions about the welcome tax

It’s the popular name for the real estate transfer duty, a tax the municipality collects each time a property changes owner. The French name (“taxe de bienvenue”) comes from Minister Jean Bienvenue, under whom the law was adopted in 1976 — nothing to do with a welcome gift. It is payable by the buyer.

A progressive scale is applied to the tax base (the higher of the price paid or the assessed value): 0.5% on the first $62,900, 1% from $62,900 to $315,000, then 1.5% above (2026 brackets). Our calculator above does the calculation instantly — enter the price and you get the amount with the breakdown by bracket.

On the higher of the purchase price entered in the deed of sale and the value on the municipal assessment roll (adjusted by the comparative factor). That’s why a bargain below the assessed value doesn’t necessarily reduce the tax.

The municipality usually sends the bill a few months after signing at the notary, and it is payable in a single instalment. So you must budget for it from the purchase, on top of the down payment, notary fees and inspection.

In most sales, no. The law does provide for specific exemption cases — certain transfers between spouses, between close relatives in a direct line, or during reorganizations, under conditions. Your notary will confirm whether your situation qualifies.

Yes. Montreal applies additional brackets above $552,300, with a rate climbing to 4% on properties over $3M — whereas the provincial scale caps at 1.5%. Our calculator automatically applies Montreal’s scale or the provincial scale depending on the city you choose.

At the 2026 provincial scale, a $500,000 property generates about $5,600 in welcome tax (0.5% up to $62,900, 1% from $62,900 to $315,000, then 1.5% above). In Montreal, the amount is higher on the upper brackets. Enter your price and city in the calculator for the exact amount.

Brackets according to Quebec’s base rate in force in 2026. The exact amount is confirmed by your notary.

Buying on the North Shore or in Laval?

The welcome tax is just one of the costs to plan for. Let’s talk about your project — I help you budget the whole transaction and find the right property, in French, English or Haitian Creole.

Ernso Cléus, residential and commercial real estate broker — RE/MAX Crystal