How does the BC Newly Built Home PTT exemption work?
Direct answer
The Newly Built Home Exemption (Section 12.02 of the Property Transfer Tax Act) gives a full PTT exemption when you buy a newly constructed home (never previously occupied) for $1,100,000 or less. From $1,100,000 to $1,150,000 the exemption phases out linearly; above $1,150,000 it disappears entirely. Thresholds were raised April 1, 2024 — pre-April 2024 caps were $750K/$800K. To qualify you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, occupy the property as a principal residence within 92 days of registration, and live there for ≥1 full year. Eligible property types: a brand-new house, a strata unit in a newly built building, a manufactured home placed on registered land, or a substantial-renovation conversion (≥90% interior). Worked example on a $1,050,000 newly built Willoughby townhouse: standard PTT would be $1K + $17K = $18,000; the exemption wipes that to zero. The exemption stacks with the FTHB exemption only in narrow cases — most buyers must pick one. GST applies separately on new construction (5% on the purchase price, with the GST New Housing Rebate available below $450K).
Primary sources
- Newly Built Home Exemption · BC Government · retrieved
Backed by Fact Bank entries
- BC Newly Built Home PTT exemption — Full PTT exemption on newly constructed homes with FMV at or under $1,100,000 (raised April 1, 2024).
- BC Property Transfer Tax brackets — Marginal-rate brackets for the general Property Transfer Tax payable on title transfers in British Columbia.

