How Is My Property Tax Bill Calculated in New Brunswick?

A property tax bill can look like a single number that arrives from nowhere. In fact it is built from a few pieces: what your property is worth for tax purposes, a rate set by your local government, and a rate set by the province.

This article walks through how those pieces fit together in New Brunswick, how to look up your own assessment, and what happens when the bill arrives. Rates change and local rates differ from place to place, so treat the numbers here as a guide to how the calculation works.

This article covers the law of New Brunswick.

Step one: the assessment

Service New Brunswick assesses each property every year, with values set as of January 1. Under the Assessment Act, property is assessed at its real and true value as of January 1 of the year before the assessment year.

In plain words, the assessed value is not necessarily what you paid or what you could sell for today. It is the figure the tax system uses as the starting point for your bill.

The assessed value matters beyond the annual bill. When a deed is registered, the Real Property Transfer Tax is 1% of the greater of the price paid and the assessed value, so a price below the assessment does not lower that tax. That tax is separate from your yearly property tax, and a lawyer can explain how it applies to a purchase.

Step two: the rates and the formula

Local governments set their rates in the fall, and the bill combines local and provincial rates, each applied per $100 of assessed value. The formula is: tax owed = (assessed value ÷ 100) × (local rate + provincial rate).

As a provincial-only example, on a $200,000 assessment you have 2,000 units of $100, and 2,000 × $0.5617 = $1,123.40. That is before any credit and before the local rate is added.

Local non-residential rates must be between 1.4 and 1.7 times the residential rate through 2026. From 2027 the upper limit is 2.0 times.

The provincial rates above are the ones stated for 2024 to 2026, so the figures can change after that. Which category your property falls into, and so which rate applies, depends on the facts, so it is worth confirming on your bill or with a lawyer.

The Residential Property Tax Credit

Owner-occupied primary residences get the Residential Property Tax Credit, which reduces the provincial rate to $0 on the first 0.5 hectares of land around the home.

The other side of that rule matters if you own a rental or a second property: non-owner-occupied residential property is taxed at the higher provincial rate. Whether a particular property qualifies depends on its facts, so confirm it if you are unsure.

Looking up your own assessment

Assessment information is searchable online through Service New Brunswick's Property Assessment Online (PAOL), using the address, the Property Account Number (PAN) or the PID. The PID is a land-parcel or map identifier and is separate from the PAN used for assessment and taxation.

• Find your assessed value and compare it with your last bill.
• Check that the property details look right.
• Keep your PAN and PID handy, since they are different numbers.

Looking at your assessment is useful because the whole bill is built from it. If the assessed value or the property details look wrong to you, a lawyer can explain what options may be open to you.

Who pays, when, and what to do next

Each person in whose name real property is assessed must pay the taxes on it. Taxes are due when the real property tax notice is mailed, and unpaid amounts attract penalties set by regulation. Bills go out in early March.

If you are 65 or older and receive the residential credit, the Real Property Tax Act provides a tax deferral program for seniors. The details are worth confirming before you rely on it.

Because the bill combines a local rate and a provincial rate, two properties with the same assessed value can have different bills if their local rates or provincial categories differ.

• Look up your assessment on PAOL and note the PAN and PID.
• Find your local rate and the provincial rate on your bill.
• Do the formula yourself to check the total.
• Confirm the residential credit is showing if you live in the home.
• If you are buying or selling, ask a lawyer how taxes will be adjusted on closing.

Frequently asked questions