Nova Scotia mortgage rates & deed transfer tax
Mortgage rates in Nova Scotia are the same national rates offered everywhere in Canada — Halifax buyers see the identical offers as buyers across the country. What differs is the closing cost: a municipal Deed Transfer Tax capped at 1.5%, plus a non-resident surtax. Here are the verified national offers and what the deed transfer tax costs at the Halifax rate.
Mortgage rates are national, not provincial
No Canadian lender quotes a different rate in Nova Scotia than it does anywhere else in the country — a five-year fixed in Nova Scotia is the same number it offers nationwide. So the verified offers below apply to Nova Scotia buyers exactly as they do across Canada. What genuinely changes by province is the cost of closing — above all, the land transfer tax.
Verified national mortgage rates
Verified at the source · July 30, 2026| Lender | Product | Rate | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nesto | 5-yr fixed · insured | 4.09% | special | source |
| DUCA | 5-yr fixed · insured high-ratio | 4.14% | special | source |
| First National | 5-yr fixed · insured · conventional 4.84 | 4.49% | posted | source |
| Tangerine | 5-yr fixed | 4.49% | special | source |
| TD | 5-yr fixed | 4.84% | special | source |
| BMO | 5-yr fixed · Smart Fixed — no full payout for 5 yrs except sale; insured 4.74 | 4.84% | special | source |
| National Bank | 5-yr fixed · high-ratio 4.69 | 4.84% | special | source |
| RBC | 5-yr fixed · high-ratio 4.59 | 4.89% | special | source |
| CIBC | 5-yr fixed · high-ratio 4.64 | 4.94% | special | source |
| Scotiabank | 5-yr fixed · specials not published | 6.09% | posted | source |
| Nesto | 3-yr fixed · insured | 4.14% | special | source |
| DUCA | 3-yr fixed · insured high-ratio | 4.24% | special | source |
| Tangerine | 3-yr fixed | 4.44% | special | source |
| BMO | 3-yr fixed · amortization ≤25y | 4.64% | special | source |
| TD | 3-yr fixed | 4.69% | special | source |
| National Bank | 3-yr fixed | 4.69% | special | source |
| CIBC | 3-yr fixed | 4.74% | special | source |
| RBC | 3-yr fixed | 4.74% | special | source |
| First National | 3-yr fixed | 4.94% | posted | source |
| Scotiabank | 3-yr fixed | 5.95% | posted | source |
| Nesto | 5-yr variable · insured | 3.40% | special | source |
| RBC | 5-yr variable · prime − 0.50 · high-ratio 3.65 | 3.95% | special | source |
| Tangerine | 5-yr variable | 4.00% | special | source |
| BMO | 5-yr variable · amortization ≤25y | 4.10% | special | source |
| CIBC | 5-yr variable · high-ratio flex 3.95 | 4.10% | special | source |
| National Bank | 5-yr variable | 4.10% | special | source |
| First National | 5-yr variable · prime − 0.26 · insured 3.70 | 4.19% | posted | source |
| TD | 5-yr variable · TD prime − 0.36 | 4.24% | special | source |
| Scotiabank | 5-yr variable · Flex Value | 4.90% | posted | source |
These are national offers — the same rates apply to Nova Scotia buyers. Advertised special-offer rates for standard residential mortgages, read at each lender's own page. Insured (high-ratio) pricing is typically lower than uninsured; many lenders only advertise one. Brokers and smaller lenders frequently beat every rate in this table.
Land transfer tax in Nova Scotia
Verified · June 12, 2026Nova Scotia charges a municipal Deed Transfer Tax capped at 1.5%. Halifax charges the full 1.5% (By-law D-200); many other municipalities charge less, so confirm the rate for the specific municipality you are buying in.
Since April 1, 2025 the province also adds a 10% non-resident Deed Transfer Tax on purchases by buyers who are not Nova Scotia residents — though this is waived if you move to Nova Scotia within six months of closing. The worked examples below use the Halifax 1.5% rate.
| Purchase price | Total land transfer tax |
|---|---|
| $500,000 | $7,500 |
| $800,000 | $12,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $15,000 |
These figures are computed for a regular (non-first-time) buyer and are due in cash on closing — they cannot be added to your mortgage. For an exact figure on your own price — including first-time-buyer relief — use the land transfer tax calculator.
First-time buyer help
Nova Scotia offers no first-time-buyer relief from the deed transfer tax. First-time buyers pay the same municipal rate as everyone else, so budget the full amount shown below.
Good to know
- The Deed Transfer Tax is set by each municipality and capped at 1.5%; Halifax charges the full cap, others charge less.
- The 10% non-resident Deed Transfer Tax (since April 1, 2025) is waived if you move to Nova Scotia within six months of closing.
- CMHC pegs total closing costs at roughly 1.5%–4% of the purchase price — budget the deed transfer tax on top of your down payment.
- There is no first-time-buyer rebate, so plan for the full deed transfer tax.
Run the numbers for Nova Scotia
Rates are national; your closing cost is local. Calculate exactly what you'll pay.
Frequently asked questions
Are mortgage rates different in Nova Scotia?
No. Mortgage rates in Canada are national — lenders quote the same five-year fixed or variable rate in Nova Scotia as anywhere else. The verified offers above apply to Nova Scotia buyers exactly as they do across the country. What changes by province is the closing cost, led by the deed transfer tax.
How much is deed transfer tax in Nova Scotia?
The municipal Deed Transfer Tax is capped at 1.5%. Halifax charges the full 1.5% under By-law D-200, so an $800,000 Halifax purchase pays $12,000. Many other Nova Scotia municipalities charge less, so confirm the local rate. The tax is due in cash on closing and cannot be added to your mortgage.
Is there a non-resident tax in Nova Scotia?
Yes. Since April 1, 2025, Nova Scotia adds a 10% non-resident Deed Transfer Tax on purchases by buyers who are not provincial residents. It is waived if you move to Nova Scotia within six months of closing. This is on top of the municipal deed transfer tax of up to 1.5%.
Do first-time buyers get relief in Nova Scotia?
No. Nova Scotia offers no first-time-buyer rebate on the deed transfer tax. First-time buyers pay the same municipal rate — up to 1.5%, or the full 1.5% in Halifax — as every other purchaser.
Educational content, not financial advice or a rate guarantee. Mortgage rates are national; lender specials were read at each lender's own page on the stamped date and change without notice. Land transfer tax brackets, rates and rebates verified June 12, 2026 at official government sources and computed by RetireSmarter's land-transfer-tax engine — always confirm your exact figure with your lawyer or the relevant authority before closing.