Closing day · Land Titles · adjustments
Closing Costs in Calgary: Every Line, 2026
Calgary closing costs are mostly fees, not tax: Alberta has no land transfer tax. On a $706,000 home with 10% down you pay $760 to register the transfer and $710 to register the mortgage, a tax adjustment that depends on your possession date, and a lawyer and title insurance.
How are Alberta Land Titles fees calculated?
Alberta charges a registration fee, not a tax. Each registration costs $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 (or part of $5,000) of value: the price for the transfer of land, and the principal registered for the mortgage. The current schedule took effect October 1, 2026; the $5 rate has applied since October 20, 2024, when it rose from $2 (transfers) and $1.50 (mortgages). Source: Government of Alberta, Land Titles and Surveys common documents fee schedule, effective October 1, 2026. Checked . Source: Government of Alberta, Register a land title document or plan (fee change history), effective October 20, 2024. Checked .
Two details trip people up. The mortgage fee is on the full registered amount, including any CMHC premium added to the loan. And "or part of" means the value is rounded up: a $500,001 home pays the same transfer fee as a $505,000 one.
How does the property tax adjustment work?
Calgary's tax year runs January 1 to December 31, and the bill is due on the last business day of June. On closing day your lawyer splits the year's tax between you and the seller by days owned. If the seller has paid the year, you repay them for the days from possession to December 31; if they haven't, they credit you for the days they owned the home and you pay the bill. Source: City of Calgary, Property tax due date and late payment penalties (Bylaw 8M2002), effective June 30, 2026. Checked .
That swing can be large. On the median detached house ($706,000, 2026 tax $4,695), possession on March 1, 2027 means a credit of about $759, while possession on August 1, 2027 means repaying $1,968, both using 2026's tax as the estimate.
What do the lawyer, title insurance and inspection cost?
In Alberta a lawyer registers your transfer and mortgage and holds the funds. Fees and disbursements are set by each firm; we use $1,500 as an example. Lenders commonly accept title insurance (our example $300) in place of an up-to-date Real Property Report. A home inspection, $550 in our example, is optional but is the cheapest protection on a resale house. None of these three are regulated prices, so get quotes.
What do condo documents cost?
Alberta caps what a condo corporation can charge: $200 for an estoppel certificate (plus up to $100 for a three-day rush), $100 for an information statement (lawsuits, reserve fund balance, known structural problems, loans), and $10 for each other document such as bylaws, minutes, budgets or the reserve fund study. Source: Alberta King's Printer, Condominium Property Regulation, Alta Reg 168/2000 (document fees, reserve fund studies), effective January 1, 2020. Checked . Read them before your conditions come off; see buying a condo in Calgary.
Do you pay GST on a new build?
A brand-new home carries 5% GST. Alberta builders usually quote GST-included prices, net of the rebates they claim on your behalf. If yours does not, first-time buyers can recover up to $50,000 (all the GST on a home up to $1 million, phasing out at $1.5 million), and others may get the new housing rebate of up to $6,300 on homes under $450,000. Source: Department of Finance Canada, Bill C-4 receives Royal Assent (first-time home buyers' GST rebate in law), effective March 12, 2026. Checked . More in new builds, GST and rebates.
How does the possession month change your cash to close?
On the median detached house with 10% down, here is the tax adjustment and the cash you bring on closing day for a possession on the first of each month of 2027, using 2026's tax as the estimate for 2027. Before the June 30 due date the seller credits you; after it, you repay the seller.
| Possession | Tax adjustment | Cash to close |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 | you pay $0 | $75,690 |
| February 1, 2027 | credit $406 | $75,284 |
| March 1, 2027 | credit $772 | $74,918 |
| April 1, 2027 | credit $1,178 | $74,512 |
| May 1, 2027 | credit $1,571 | $74,119 |
| June 1, 2027 | credit $1,977 | $73,713 |
| July 1, 2027 | you pay $2,409 | $78,099 |
| August 1, 2027 | you pay $2,003 | $77,693 |
| September 1, 2027 | you pay $1,597 | $77,287 |
| October 1, 2027 | you pay $1,204 | $76,894 |
| November 1, 2027 | you pay $799 | $76,489 |
| December 1, 2027 | you pay $406 | $76,096 |
The swing from a January possession to a July one is several thousand dollars on the same house, with nothing else changed. A credit isn't free money, though: it is the seller's share of a bill you will pay in full by June 30, so set it aside. If you are on TIPP after closing, the City spreads the rest of the year's tax over the months left. Ask your lawyer which way your adjustment runs before you book movers, because it decides how much you transfer on closing day.
What does closing cost on three real purchases?
| Line | Median detached, 10% down, Dec 1, 2027 | Median apartment, 5% down, Apr 1, 2027 | Median townhouse, 20% down, Aug 15, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $718,500 | $301,500 | $438,500 |
| Down payment | $71,850 | $15,075 | $87,700 |
| Land Titles: transfer of land | $770.00 | $355.00 | $490.00 |
| Land Titles: mortgage registration | $720.00 | $350.00 | $405.00 |
| Property tax adjustment | $405.80 | −$494.37 | $1,110.47 |
| Condo documents: estoppel certificate + information statement | — | $300.00 | — |
| Legal, title insurance, inspection, moving (your estimate) | $2,350.00 | $2,350.00 | $2,350.00 |
| Cash to close | $76,096 | $17,936 | $92,055 |
Lawyer, title insurance and inspection are our $2,350 example in each column. Medians from the City of Calgary 2026 assessment roll (our calculation).
How does it work on a real example?
A $650,000 new home quoted before GST, bought with the minimum down payment, a 30-year insured amortization and possession on March 1, 2027.
| Price before GST | $650,000 |
|---|---|
| Down payment (minimum) | $40,000 |
| Mortgage registered | $635,62030 years; includes the $25,620 CMHC premium |
| Land Titles: transfer of land | $700$50 + $5 per $5,000 of value |
| Land Titles: mortgage registration | $690$50 + $5 per $5,000 registered |
| Property tax adjustment (seller credits you) | −$6992027's tax isn't paid yet, so the seller credits you 59 of 365 days and you pay the bill when due. |
| GST on the new home (5%) | $32,500 |
| First-time home buyers' GST rebate | −$32,500 |
| Legal, title insurance, inspection, moving (your estimate) | $2,350 |
| Cash to close | $43,041the GST is charged and the first-time rebate takes all of it back |
What this means for you
- Hold back more than the fees. On the median house with a December 1, 2027 possession, closing costs and adjustments come to $4,246 on top of the down payment.
- Your possession date moves the number. On the same house, August 1 means repaying the seller $1,968; March 1 means a credit of about $759.
- Get quotes for the unregulated lines. Lawyer, title insurance and inspection are the only prices you can shop.
- Buying a condo? Order the estoppel certificate and information statement before your conditions come off.
What do the terms in this guide mean?
- Transfer of land
- The Land Titles registration that puts the title in your name; the fee is on the price.
- Mortgage registration
- The registration of the lender's charge on title; the fee is on the full amount registered, CMHC premium included.
- Real Property Report
- An Alberta land surveyor's report showing the buildings against the property lines; lenders often accept title insurance instead.
- Title insurance
- A one-time policy that covers defects in title and survey issues the lender would otherwise need a current Real Property Report for.
Frequently asked questions
How much are closing costs in Calgary?
There is no land transfer tax. You pay Land Titles fees ($1,470 on the median home with 10% down), a property tax adjustment that can be a credit or a charge, and a lawyer, title insurance and usually an inspection ($2,350 in our examples; get quotes).
Who pays the Land Titles fees in Calgary?
The buyer pays to register the transfer and the mortgage; your lawyer collects the fees and registers the documents.
Related
Sources
- Government of Alberta — Land Titles and Surveys common documents fee schedule (effective October 1, 2026). Checked .
- Government of Alberta — Register a land title document or plan (fee change history) (effective October 20, 2024). Checked .
- City of Calgary — Property tax due date and late payment penalties (Bylaw 8M2002) (effective June 30, 2026). Checked .
- City of Calgary — How your property tax bill is calculated (2026 residential tax rate, Bylaw 9M2026) (effective January 1, 2026). Checked .
- Alberta King's Printer — Condominium Property Regulation, Alta Reg 168/2000 (document fees, reserve fund studies) (effective January 1, 2020). Checked .
- Department of Finance Canada — Bill C-4 receives Royal Assent (first-time home buyers' GST rebate in law) (effective March 12, 2026). Checked .
- Canada Revenue Agency — GST/HST new housing rebate. Checked .