Buying costs
Closing costs when you buy a home in Halifax
Your down payment isn't the only cash you'll need at closing. Here are the costs every Halifax buyer should budget for, with the current rates.
HRM deed transfer tax: 1.5%
Halifax Regional Municipality charges a deed transfer tax of 1.5% of the purchase price. On a $500,000 purchase, that's $7,500. Your lawyer collects it at closing, and the deed has to be registered within 10 days.
Non-resident deed transfer tax: 10%
If you're not a Nova Scotia resident, the province adds a 10% non-resident deed transfer tax on homes with three or fewer units, including residential land. If you're moving here, you don't pay it at closing as long as you declare that and prove residency within 12 months (for transfers on or after August 6, 2026).
HST on a newly built home
Resale homes have no HST. New homes do: Nova Scotia's HST is 14% since April 1, 2025. First-time buyers can get relief:
- Federal first-time buyer GST rebate: up to $50,000, the full federal part of the HST on a new home up to $1 million, phasing out to $1.5 million. For homes bought from a builder, the agreement must be signed on or after May 27, 2025 and before 2031.
- Nova Scotia First-time Home Buyers' Rebate: 18.75% of the provincial part of the HST, up to $3,000, applied for within 24 months.
Other costs to budget for
- Lawyer: legal fees and disbursements for the title search, registration and mortgage documents. Get a quote before you write an offer.
- Home inspection: paid when you book it during the condition period. Add water and septic testing for rural homes.
- Property tax adjustment: you repay the seller for any property tax they prepaid past closing. HRM property tax is a general rate plus area rates on the assessed value.
- Home insurance: your lender will want it in place at closing. If the home has an oil tank, insurers often ask its age and may require an inspection or replacement.
- Moving and utility setup.
Need a lawyer, inspector or lender? See my Halifax referral network.
Common questions
Who pays the deed transfer tax in Nova Scotia?
The buyer pays it at closing through their lawyer. In HRM the rate is 1.5% of the purchase price.
Is there HST on a resale home in Halifax?
No. HST applies to newly built homes, not to resale homes bought from an individual owner.
Is there a land transfer tax rebate for first-time buyers in Nova Scotia?
The province does not describe a first-time buyer rebate on the deed transfer tax. First-time buyers of new homes can claim the federal GST relief and the Nova Scotia new home rebate of up to $3,000.
Sources
- halifax.ca/home-property/property-taxes/taxes-halifax
- novascotia.ca/non-resident-provincial-deed-transfer-tax
- novascotia.ca/finance/en/home/taxation/tax101/non-resident-deed-transfer-tax.htm
- canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses/gs
- canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses/ch
- canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/05/gst-relief-for-first-time-home-buye
- novascotia.ca/apply-first-time-home-buyers-rebate-newly-built-home
- thinkinsure.ca/insurance-help-centre/home-oil-heating.html
Written by Chris Crowell, REALTOR® with REMAX NOVA. Facts checked against public sources in November 2026.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change; confirm the details for your situation with your lawyer.
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