# What Closing Costs Will I Pay When Buying a House in Alberta?

> In Alberta, buying a house means paying Land Titles Office registration fees for the transfer and the new mortgage (a sliding scale of $5 per $5,000 of value, since October 2024), not a land transfer tax like Ontario's. GST usually does not apply to resale homes. Condo buyers also pay a capped estoppel certificate fee. Legal fees and title insurance are separate, privately negotiated costs not covered by the figures below.

Published 2026-08-26 · Last reviewed 2026-08-19 · [Canonical page](https://canadalegalcenter.ca/articles/what-closing-costs-will-i-pay-when-buying-a-house-in-alberta/)

Legal information, not legal advice.

## Line-item costs at closing in Alberta

Alberta has no land transfer tax. What it has instead is a set of Land Titles Office registration fees, calculated on a sliding scale, plus federal GST rules that apply the same way here as anywhere else in Canada. The table below lists the closing costs that are actually set by statute, regulation, or federal tax rule. Legal fees and title insurance are real costs on almost every purchase, but they're privately negotiated rather than fixed by law, so no verified figure for them appears here.

<div class="table-scroll">

| Item | Who charges it | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| Land transfer registration | Alberta Land Titles Office | $5 per $5,000 of the property's purchase price (sliding scale) |
| Mortgage registration | Alberta Land Titles Office | $5 per $5,000 of the new mortgage amount (sliding scale) |
| GST on the purchase | Canada Revenue Agency (federal) | Usually $0 for a resale home; applies only if the seller is a "builder" |
| GST New Housing Rebate | Canada Revenue Agency (federal) | Reduces GST owed on an eligible new home under $450,000 fair market value |
| Alberta provincial sales tax | N/A | $0 - Alberta has no provincial sales tax |
| Condo estoppel certificate | Condominium corporation (condo purchases only) | Up to $200 (up to $300 for a 3-day rush) |
| Real Property Report | Alberta Land Surveyor (non-condo purchases) | Cost varies; no fixed fee schedule found |

</div>

To put the sliding-scale fees in dollar terms: on a $400,000 house, the [Land Titles transfer registration fee](https://www.alberta.ca/register-land-title-document-plan) works out to $400 (80 units of $5,000, times $5). If the buyer registers a $320,000 mortgage against the same property, the mortgage registration fee adds another $320, using the [same sliding scale that took effect on October 20, 2024](https://www.alberta.ca/register-land-title-document-plan). Both fees rise in step with the dollar value being registered, so a higher purchase price or a larger mortgage means a proportionally higher fee, not a flat charge.

## What drives the range

Three factors do most of the work in moving a buyer's total closing cost up or down.

**Purchase price and mortgage size.** Because both Land Titles fees scale directly with dollar value, a $600,000 purchase with a $480,000 mortgage generates higher registration fees than a $300,000 purchase with a $240,000 mortgage, in direct proportion.

**New build versus resale.** [CRA confirms that GST/HST generally does not apply to the sale of an owner-occupied home](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/gi-004/sales-individuals-owner-occupied-homes.html) since the seller isn't a "builder" in most resale transactions. Buying new construction directly from a builder is the main scenario where GST becomes a real closing cost, and even then, a [GST/HST New Housing Rebate can reduce it](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/gi-004/sales-individuals-owner-occupied-homes.html) if the home's fair market value is under $450,000, it will be the buyer's primary residence, and other conditions in the rebate rules are met.

**Condo versus standalone house.** Condo buyers face the estoppel certificate fee described above; buyers of a standalone house instead typically need a current [Real Property Report prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor](https://www.reca.ca/wp-content/uploads/PDF/Real-Property-Reports.pdf), a document showing property boundaries and structures relative to those boundaries. These are two different, non-overlapping cost lines depending on the type of property being purchased.

## Where buyers get the total wrong

The most common budgeting mistake is carrying over an Ontario or BC assumption that a land transfer tax applies in Alberta and reserving thousands of dollars for it. [Alberta charges no provincial sales tax at all](https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/consumers/home-buying/buying-guides/condominium/provincial-fact-sheets/Alberta-Fact-Sheet), and there is no Alberta land transfer tax; the registration fees at the Land Titles Office are the closest equivalent, and they are calculated very differently (sliding scale on registered value, not a percentage-based transfer tax).

The second common gap is treating the Real Property Report as optional or assuming an old one will do. Buyers of a non-condo house typically need a current RPR at closing, and if the existing one is outdated or missing improvements like a deck or fence, a new survey has to be ordered, adding time and cost late in the process.

Condo buyers should also confirm early who is responsible for the estoppel certificate fee: the [fee is capped at $200 under the Condominium Property Act framework](https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/b1c13245-86dd-41a1-b540-4cc40b58bb04/resource/79858e36-7c9d-4e5d-ae0f-96e1305c16f8/download/sa-condominium-documents-fact-sheet-2020-07.pdf), with an additional charge of up to $100 possible if the document is requested on a three-day rush, subject to the corporation's own bylaws. Purchase contracts vary on whether the buyer or seller pays it, so it's worth confirming rather than assuming.

Finally, remember that this breakdown covers the costs set by statute, regulation, or federal tax rule. Legal fees for the lawyer who handles the title search, registration, and closing, and title insurance if a lender or buyer wants it, are real costs on nearly every Alberta purchase, but they're set by private arrangement rather than a fixed schedule, so no verified figure for either appears in this article.

## Frequently asked questions

**Does Alberta charge a land transfer tax like Ontario does?**

No. Alberta has no land transfer tax. Instead, buyers pay a Land Titles Office registration fee on a sliding scale of $5 per $5,000 of the property's value, and a separate fee on the same scale to register the new mortgage. This is an Alberta-specific answer; Ontario and some other provinces charge a land transfer tax instead.

**Do I pay GST when buying a resale home in Alberta?**

Generally no. This is a federal rule that applies in every province: GST/HST applies only when the seller is a 'builder,' so buying an owner-occupied resale home is usually GST-exempt. GST typically applies only to new construction sold by a builder.

**What is the GST New Housing Rebate?**

It's a federal rebate that can reduce the GST paid on an eligible new home, available where the home's fair market value is under $450,000, it becomes the buyer's primary residence, and other conditions are met. This applies the same way in Alberta, Ontario, and every other province.

**Is there an extra closing cost specific to buying a condo in Alberta?**

Yes, in Alberta. The condominium corporation may charge a fee, capped at $200, for the estoppel certificate (a document confirming the unit's fees and financial standing) that buyers need before closing. Requesting it on a three-day rush can add up to $100 more, subject to the corporation's bylaws.


## Sources

1. [Register a land title document or plan, Alberta.ca](https://www.alberta.ca/register-land-title-document-plan), Tariff of Fees Regulation, Alta Reg 120/2000, as amended by Alta Reg 158/2024 (retrieved 2026-08-15)
2. [Sales by Individuals of Owner-Occupied Homes, Canada.ca (CRA)](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/gi-004/sales-individuals-owner-occupied-homes.html), Excise Tax Act, RSC 1985, c E-15, s 123(1) and s 254 (retrieved 2026-08-15)
3. [CMHC Alberta Fact Sheet (Condominium Buying Guide)](https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/consumers/home-buying/buying-guides/condominium/provincial-fact-sheets/Alberta-Fact-Sheet), N/A - factual statement, no Alberta sales tax statute exists (retrieved 2026-08-15)
4. [Condominium Documents Fact Sheet, Government of Alberta](https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/b1c13245-86dd-41a1-b540-4cc40b58bb04/resource/79858e36-7c9d-4e5d-ae0f-96e1305c16f8/download/sa-condominium-documents-fact-sheet-2020-07.pdf), Condominium Property Act, RSA 2000, c C-22 and Condominium Property Regulation (retrieved 2026-08-15)
5. [Real Property Reports, Information Bulletin, Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA)](https://www.reca.ca/wp-content/uploads/PDF/Real-Property-Reports.pdf), N/A - regulatory guidance on standard industry practice (retrieved 2026-08-15)