How much is the land transfer tax on a Richmond Hill home in 2026?
It is the closing cost buyers forget most often, and the one Richmond Hill buyers often overestimate, because they assume Toronto's double tax applies. It doesn't.
Short answer
On Richmond Hill's median sale price of $1,150,000 (TRREB, October 2026), the land transfer tax is about $19,475. Richmond Hill buyers pay only Ontario's provincial tax: 0.5% up to $55,000, 1% to $250,000, 1.5% to $400,000, 2% to $2,000,000 and 2.5% above for one or two single-family homes (ontario.ca). There is no municipal tax: that one is charged on properties bought in Toronto, where the same home would cost about $38,950. A first-time buyer can get up to $4,000 back, which brings the bill to about $15,475.
Buyers moving up from Toronto to Richmond Hill often budget for two land transfer taxes. In Richmond Hill there is only one. Here is the exact calculation in 2026, on the prices published by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) for October 2026.
Ontario's brackets, step by step
Ontario's land transfer tax is calculated by brackets on the value of the consideration, usually the purchase price. For land containing one or two single-family residences:
| Portion of the price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $55,000 | 0.5% |
| $55,000 to $250,000 | 1.0% |
| $250,000 to $400,000 | 1.5% |
| $400,000 to $2,000,000 | 2.0% |
| Above $2,000,000 | 2.5% |
On the median price of $1,150,000: $275 on the first $55,000, $1,950 on the next $195,000, $2,250 on the next $150,000, then 2% on the portion above $400,000 ($750,000), which is $15,000. Total: $19,475.
Why Richmond Hill buyers don't pay Toronto's double tax
Toronto's municipal land transfer tax is charged on properties purchased in Toronto. The City levies it under section 267 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, through its own by-law. Richmond Hill is a separate municipality in York Region: a buyer there pays the provincial tax and nothing more. On the same $1,150,000 home, a Toronto buyer would pay about $38,950, roughly $19,475 more.
Land transfer tax by home type in Richmond Hill
Payotte's calculation with Ontario's brackets, on the October 2026 TRREB prices for Richmond Hill. The "benchmark" is TRREB's typical-home price for each type.
| Home | Price | Land transfer tax | First-time buyer | Same price in Toronto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, all types (October 2026) | $1,150,000 | $19,475 | $15,475 | $38,950 |
| Detached, benchmark price | $1,495,200 | $26,379 | $22,379 | $52,758 |
| Semi-detached, benchmark price | $1,011,200 | $16,699 | $12,699 | $33,398 |
| Townhouse, benchmark price | $774,300 | $11,961 | $7,961 | $23,922 |
| Condo apartment, benchmark price | $488,900 | $6,253 | $2,253 | $12,506 |
The tax is calculated on the actual price you pay; replace these prices with yours. Toronto column: provincial tax plus the municipal tax, before any refund.
First-time buyers: up to $4,000 back
Ontario refunds up to $4,000 of the tax to first-time buyers. The main conditions: you have never owned a home, or an interest in one, anywhere in the world; you occupy the home as your principal residence within nine months of the transfer; you are at least 18; and, for agreements signed after November 14, 2016, you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The refund covers the full tax up to a price of about $368,000, so in Richmond Hill it reduces the bill rather than erasing it.
Planning it before the offer
The land transfer tax is paid on closing, through your real estate lawyer, and it is not added to your mortgage. It comes on top of the down payment, legal fees and adjustments. Knowing the exact number before you make an offer is the simplest way to avoid a short closing. You can see my Payotte profile, or the other verified professionals in Richmond Hill.
Frequently asked questions
How much is land transfer tax in Richmond Hill?
About $19,475 on the October 2026 median price of $1,150,000 (TRREB). It is Ontario's provincial land transfer tax only: Richmond Hill does not charge a municipal land transfer tax.
Does Richmond Hill have a municipal land transfer tax like Toronto?
No. The municipal land transfer tax (MLTT) is charged on properties purchased in Toronto, under a power the City of Toronto Act, 2006 gives the City. Richmond Hill, in York Region, is outside Toronto: buyers pay the provincial tax only. On the same $1,150,000 home, Toronto's two taxes would total about $38,950.
How is Ontario land transfer tax calculated?
By brackets on the purchase price: 0.5% on the first $55,000, 1% from $55,000 to $250,000, 1.5% from $250,000 to $400,000, 2% from $400,000 to $2,000,000, and 2.5% above $2,000,000 where the land contains one or two single-family residences.
Is there a first-time buyer refund in Richmond Hill?
Yes, Ontario's: up to $4,000. You must never have owned a home anywhere in the world, occupy the home as your principal residence within nine months, be at least 18 and, for agreements signed after November 14, 2016, be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. On the median price, the tax drops to about $15,475.
When do I pay the land transfer tax?
On closing: it is paid when the transfer is registered, usually through your real estate lawyer, as part of your closing costs. It is not added to your mortgage, so plan it in cash on top of your down payment.
Sources consulted November 9, 2026: Ontario, calculating land transfer tax (updated Apr. 22, 2026) · Ontario, refunds for first-time homebuyers (updated Feb. 10, 2026) · City of Toronto, MLTT information · City of Toronto, MLTT by-law 1423-2007 (City of Toronto Act, 2006, s. 267) · TRREB Market Watch, Richmond Hill (October 2026)