Mortgage · Canada
Legal fees for buying a house calculator.
A real estate lawyer’s fee is quoted before tax and before the charges they pay for you. Enter the quote and see the invoice you will actually be asked to fund, and how much extra goes into trust for transfer tax.
A $1,500 legal fee on a $500,000 Alberta purchase becomes about $3,125 once GST, $250 of disbursements, $300 of title insurance and the $1,000 of Land Titles levies are added. In Ontario a $1,800 fee on an $800,000 home comes to $2,684, with another $12,475 of land transfer tax held in trust.
Inputs
The lawyer’s invoice
Fill the form and press Calculate.
What is on a real estate lawyer’s bill
- The fee: set by the lawyer or notary, often a flat amount for a standard purchase. Not regulated at a fixed rate, which is why this tool asks you to type the quote.
- GST or HST on the fee: 13% in Ontario, 14% in Nova Scotia since April 1, 2025, and 5% GST in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Provincial sales tax on legal services is not modelled.
- Disbursements: charges the lawyer pays for you, such as title searches. Enter your lawyer’s figure.
- Title insurance: a one-time premium that protects against certain title problems; coverage varies, so ask for the price and the policy terms in the quote.
- Land registration fees: published by the registries. This tool calculates them for Alberta ($50 plus $5 per $5,000, on the transfer and the mortgage; amounts between multiples of $5,000 are rounded up here, which could differ from the registry’s figure by up to $5), Saskatchewan (0.4% of the title value plus the flat mortgage fee) and Manitoba ($137 per document, electronic). In Ontario, BC and Nova Scotia enter them under disbursements from the lawyer’s quote.
Transfer tax goes through the lawyer too
Your lawyer collects land transfer tax (Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia) or property transfer tax (BC) from you in trust and remits it on registration. It is not a legal fee, but it is part of the money you must deliver to your lawyer, so the tool shows it separately as the amount in trust. Toronto’s municipal tax is not included here: use the Ontario closing costs calculator for that.
Worked example, Alberta. Fee $1,500, GST $75, disbursements $250, title insurance $300, Land Titles levies $550 on the $500,000 transfer and $450 on the $400,000 mortgage: $3,125.
Sources and as-of dates
- CRA: GST/HST rates by province.
- Alberta Land Titles fee schedule (effective October 1, 2026); ISC fee table (effective April 15, 2026); Teranet Manitoba fees (effective January 4, 2026).
- Transfer tax: Ontario, BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia.
- Lawyer fees, disbursements and title insurance are figures you enter; the defaults are TNAADO placeholders, October 2026, not published rates.
Sources, read 18 October 2026: CRA: GST/HST rates by province (Nova Scotia 14% from 1 April 2025); Alberta Land Titles fees; ISC fees; Teranet Manitoba fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much are legal fees for buying a house in Canada?
Lawyers set their own fees, so there is no official figure. Get written quotes and enter them above; the tool adds the tax and the published registration fees. The charges around the fee, including tax, disbursements and title insurance, are what turn a quoted fee into the real invoice.
Is GST or HST charged on legal fees?
Yes. The rate follows the province: 13% HST in Ontario, 14% in Nova Scotia since April 1, 2025, and 5% GST in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
What is title insurance and do I need it?
A one-time premium that protects against certain problems with the title. It is optional unless your lender requires it, and coverage varies by policy. Ask your lawyer for the price and what it covers.
Does my lawyer pay the land transfer tax?
Your lawyer collects it from you in trust and pays it to the government at registration. It is shown separately here because it is not a legal fee.
Why are Ontario, BC and Nova Scotia registration fees not calculated?
This tool calculates the fees whose schedules it has verified: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. For the others, your lawyer’s quote lists them as disbursements.
Do sellers pay legal fees too?
Yes, to their own lawyer. See the buyer vs seller page for both sides together.
Estimate only — confirm with your lawyer or notary
This tool applies published rates to the numbers you type. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, it is not an official calculator of any government, and it does not look anything up in a land registry. Rules, exemptions and fee schedules change, and eligibility depends on facts it cannot see. Confirm every figure with your lawyer or notary and lender before closing.