Release:
The Province is making some administrative changes to the non-resident deed transfer tax to help support people who are moving to Nova Scotia permanently.
The tax is paid by property buyers who do not live in Nova Scotia and purchase residential property with three units or less. Buyers who become residents of Nova Scotia within six months are exempt, and the following changes to the tax guidelines support those moving to the province:
– extending the timeline to provide proof of residency to one year from six months
– clarifying the circumstances for extensions to the proof-of-residency timeline
– exempting property that has been willed to a non-resident after a death
– extending the time frame to apply for a refund of the tax to two years from one year
– providing the option for refunds to be paid to legal representatives.
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“We want to encourage people to move to Nova Scotia, and many do – but for others, sometimes life gets in the way, and the move takes a bit longer than expected,” said John Lohr, Minister of Finance and Treasury Board. “These changes address real-life situations that have come up over the past few years. Our goal is to make it easier for those who intend to move here and build a life in Nova Scotia.”
The non-resident deed transfer tax remains at 10 per cent. The Province created the tax in 2022.
Quick Facts:
– the non-resident deed transfer tax applies to the sale price or the assessed value (whichever is higher) of any residential property with three units or less
– in 2025-26, about $18.4 million was paid in non-resident deed transfer tax for 1,791 property transactions
