From Sarnia down through St. Clair Township and nine smaller municipalities, Lambton County closes real estate files on one flat fee, set before you sign anything, with the same online process whether the property is a city lot or a rural parcel.
“I appreciated that phone calls were returned the same day, even during a busy season.”
S.B. · Home purchase · London
Shared with permission. Initials changed to protect client privacy.
Lambton County is eleven municipalities in total — Sarnia is by far the largest, with St. Clair Township and Lambton Shores next, then a run of smaller towns and townships like Petrolia, Plympton-Wyoming, Warwick, and Point Edward filling out the rest. Size doesn't change the fee or the file: a closing in Sarnia and a closing in Oil Springs go through the same steps. Purchase files are $1,354.87, sale files $1,241.87, and mortgage refinance files $1,241.87 — flat, taxes included, disbursements and land transfer tax extra at cost.
Sarnia · St. Clair · Lambton Shores · Plympton–Wyoming · Petrolia · Warwick · Enniskillen · Brooke-Alvinston · Dawn-Euphemia · Point Edward · Oil Springs
The same transparent pricing everywhere in Ontario — no city surcharges, no estimates.
$1,354.87
Flat, taxes included. Disbursements & Land Transfer Tax extra, at cost.
How buying works →$1,241.87
Flat, taxes included. New mortgages, refinances & private lending.
How it works →Purchase price aside, this is what a buyer in Lambton County sees on the closing statement: our fee, then the disbursements we estimate on your behalf, then the government taxes — each sourced and dated. We don't total these into one figure; disbursements vary by file and are itemized in your written quote.
| Line item | $600,000 | $900,000 | $1,200,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our fee (flat, any price) — 13% HST included | $1,354.87 | $1,354.87 | $1,354.87 |
| Estimated disbursements — billed at cost, itemised in your written quote; they vary by file | |||
| Teranet search fees & disbursements (registrations, searches, bank fees) — estimate | $583.26 | $583.26 | $583.26 |
| Technology & file management — estimate | $332.05 | $332.05 | $332.05 |
| Title insurance (example premium, varies by insurer and price) | $513.80 | $805.40 | $1,097.00 |
| Government charges | |||
| Ontario land transfer tax | $8,475.00 | $14,475.00 | $20,475.00 |
| First-time buyer refunds, if you qualify | − up to $4,000 | − up to $4,000 | − up to $4,000 |
Disbursements vary by file and are itemized, estimated in writing, before any work begins — these lines are estimates, not quotes. Ontario refunds up to $4,000 of the land transfer tax for first-time buyers, applied by your lawyer at registration.
Sources: Ontario electronic land registration fee, 2026-09-17: ontario.ca (rises to $86.42 per instrument from 2026-11-02); TitlePLUS residential premium schedule, 2026-09-17: titleplus.ca; Ontario land transfer tax, 2026-09-17: ontario.ca.
See the full breakdown on our Ontario real estate lawyer fee guide or flat-fee pricing page.
The firm works with clients across Lambton County through document upload, e-signature, and phone or video, so location within the county doesn't change how the file is handled.
No. The flat fee is the same across every one of the eleven municipalities in Lambton County, from Sarnia to the smallest township.
The $1,354.87 purchase fee and $1,241.87 sale or refinance fee are flat and taxes included. Disbursements and land transfer tax are separate, charged at cost, and shown on the statement of adjustments.
No — Lambton County properties are subject to the provincial land transfer tax only, with no additional municipal levy.
Development in a regulated area, and interference with a wetland or watercourse, require a permit under section 28.1 of the Conservation Authorities Act, issued by the conservation authority rather than the municipality under O. Reg. 41/24. Watersheds do not follow municipal lines, and Lambton County is reached by two watershed authorities — which one applies depends on where the property drains.
| Authority | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority | 519-235-2610 | abca.ca |
| St. Clair Region Conservation Authority | 519-245-3710 | scrca.on.ca |
Authorities whose administrative area intersects Lambton County. Source: Conservation Ontario, Conservation Authority Boundaries (2023); confirm the authority for a specific address with Find a Conservation Authority. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
Sourced, dated municipal and provincial data for Lambton County — not legal advice, just the facts a closing touches.
2 authorities cover this county/region: Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, St. Clair Region Conservation Authority — which one applies depends on where the property drains. Development in a regulated area, or interference with a wetland or watercourse, needs a permit from the conservation authority — separate from municipal approvals — under section 28.1 of the Conservation Authorities Act.
Source: Conservation Ontario, Conservation Authority Boundaries (2023). Retrieved 2026-08-10.
Deals for Lambton County register at the Lambton Land Registry Office (LRO #25), filed electronically through ONLAND.
Source: Ontario, Land registry offices (LRO) directory. Retrieved 2026-09-17.
The property-tax adjustment on the statement of adjustments doesn't set up a new tax account — it simply divides the current tax bill between buyer and seller as of closing day, crediting whichever side prepaid past their ownership. After closing, the municipality bills the new owner directly.
Ontario land transfer tax is the largest single line on most closing statements, and it is due in full on closing day. Enter a price to see the bracket-by-bracket calculation, the first-time buyer refund, and — where they apply — the Toronto municipal tax and the Non-Resident Speculation Tax. Full workings and the rate sources are on the land transfer tax calculator.
Sarnia or a Lambton County township, the fee is the same and it's set upfront. Start your file and see the number before you commit.