What the bill is made of
Here is what actually shows up on a residential purchase closing, and where each figure comes from.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our fee — Home PurchaseStarting at, 13% HST included — set by us, published on our price list. | $1,354.87 |
| Land registration — transferGovernment fee, effective November 3, 2025 — one per instrument registered electronically. | $85.00 |
| Land registration — mortgage chargeIf you're financing the purchase. A cash purchase skips this line. | $85.00 |
| Title insurance — example at $800,000$655.74 premium + 8% PST, TitlePLUS residential rate schedule effective March 1, 2025. Varies by insurer and purchase price — most lenders require it. | $708.20 |
| Ontario land transfer tax — example at $800,000Marginal brackets, 0.5% to 2.5% of the purchase price. Paid to the province on closing, not to us. | $12,475.00 |
| Toronto municipal land transfer tax (MLTT)Only if the property is in Toronto — a second, matching tax on top of the Ontario tax, same example price. See the worked examples below for other price points. | + $12,475.00 |
| First-time buyer?See our first-time buyer fee page for the worked numbers. | Refunds up to $4,000 (Ontario) and $4,475 more (Toronto) may apply |
Worked examples
What the same purchase totals at three common price points, computed from the sourced figures above.
| Price | Location | Our fee | Registration | Title insurance | Land transfer tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | Outside Toronto | $1,354.87 | $170.00 | $513.80 | $8,475.00 | $10,513.67 |
| $600,000 | Toronto | $1,354.87 | $170.00 | $513.80 | $16,950.00 | $18,988.67 |
| $900,000 | Outside Toronto | $1,354.87 | $170.00 | $805.40 | $14,475.00 | $16,805.27 |
| $900,000 | Toronto | $1,354.87 | $170.00 | $805.40 | $28,950.00 | $31,280.27 |
| $1,200,000 | Outside Toronto | $1,354.87 | $170.00 | $1,097.00 | $20,475.00 | $23,096.87 |
| $1,200,000 | Toronto | $1,354.87 | $170.00 | $1,097.00 | $40,950.00 | $43,571.87 |
Assumes a typical financed purchase (transfer + mortgage charge registered, $170.00 total) and the title-insurance formula above. Excludes searches, couriers and other disbursements that aren't sourced — those are billed at cost, itemized in your written quote, not estimated here.
What is extra
Billed separately, at cost: search fees (title, writ/execution & others); registration fees (transfer, charge, discharge); title insurance; couriers; software, government access & office charges, all itemized and estimated in writing before any work begins.
How to pay, and what happens next
Open your file online — nothing is due to start most real estate files. Once we've reviewed the details, our Team sends a written quote itemizing our fee, HST, and every disbursement we can estimate before you sign anything. Our fee, the disbursements and any land transfer tax are paid from your closing funds on closing day — there's nothing to pay up front. If anything about your file turns out to be more complex than usual, we pause, explain what changed, and confirm the extra cost with you before doing the work.
Frequently asked questions
Does $1,354.87 include HST?
Yes. Every fee we publish is our charge with 13% HST already included. Land registration fees, title insurance and land transfer tax are separate charges from the government and the insurer, billed at cost and itemized in writing before you close.
Is land transfer tax part of your fee?
No. Land transfer tax is a provincial tax paid to the government on closing, not to us -- and in Toronto, a matching municipal tax is owed on top of it. It's calculated on marginal brackets running from 0.5% up to 2.5% provincially (Toronto's brackets go higher above $3,000,000). See the worked examples below for the exact numbers at common price points, in and outside Toronto.
Do I need title insurance?
Most lenders require it, and we recommend it even on a cash purchase -- it protects against title defects, fraud and survey issues a standard search doesn't catch. The premium goes to the insurer, not to us, and is billed at cost; see the example below.
How much are land registration fees?
$85.00 per instrument registered electronically, set under Ontario's land registration legislation and adjusted roughly once a year. A typical financed purchase registers a transfer and a mortgage charge -- two instruments, $170.00 total.
Am I a first-time buyer -- is there a refund?
If you qualify, Ontario refunds up to $4,000 of the land transfer tax you'd otherwise owe, and Toronto refunds a further $4,475 if the property is in Toronto. See our first-time buyer fee page for the worked numbers with the refund applied.
What isn't included in $1,354.87?
Billed separately, at cost: search fees (title, writ/execution & others); registration fees (transfer, charge, discharge); title insurance; couriers; software, government access & office charges, all billed separately at cost and estimated for you in writing before any work begins.
Related reading
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