Welcome tax · Quebec City · 2026 grid verified at the source
Quebec City increases to 2.5% from $500,000 and 3% above $750,000, but lets you pay in three interest-free instalments. Here is the 2026 grid, the calculation on agglomeration prices and what a first-time buyer gets back.
In Quebec City, the 2026 welcome tax is calculated in five brackets: 0.5% up to $62,900, 1% up to $315,000, 1.5% up to $500,000, 2.5% up to $750,000 and 3% above. On a single-family house at $485,000 (agglomeration median, QPAREB Q2 2026), it comes to $5,385.50; an eligible first-time buyer gets $5,096.38 back from Revenu Québec and pays $289.12 net. On a $335,000 condo, it is $3,135.50, fully refunded. The base is the higher of the price paid and the roll value times the 1.08 comparative factor in 2026. Quebec City's particularity: any bill over $300 is paid in three equal interest-free instalments, at 30, 90 and 150 days. The grid covers the city's six boroughs, not Lévis or Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures.
The City of Quebec chose a two-step increase: 2.5% on the $500,000 to $750,000 portion and 3% above, adopted by by-law R.V.Q. 3101 and raised in 2024 by by-law R.V.Q. 3331. With a median house at $485,000 in the agglomeration, most buyers stay under the threshold; Sillery, Sainte-Foy, Old Quebec and Cap-Rouge are where it is paid most often.
| Bracket of the tax base (2026) | Rate in Quebec City |
|---|---|
| $0 to $62,900 | 0.5% |
| $62,900 to $315,000 | 1% |
| $315,000 to $500,000 | 1.5% |
| $500,000 to $750,000 | 2.5% |
| Above $750,000 | 3% |
The thresholds are indexed every January 1 (the indexation is published in the Gazette officielle before July 1); the amounts above are the 2026 figures. Source: ville.quebec.qc.ca, transfer duties, and by-law R.V.Q. 3101 as amended by R.V.Q. 3331 (2024).
The examples cover the condo at the median ($335,000), the house at the agglomeration median ($485,000), the $500,000 threshold, a renovated house in Charlesbourg or Beauport, a Sainte-Foy house and a Sillery property.
| Price paid (or adjusted roll value) | Welcome tax | First-time buyer credit | Net cost, first-time buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| $335,000 | $3,135.50 | $3,135.50 | $0 |
| $485,000 | $5,385.50 | $5,096.38 | $289.12 |
| $500,000 | $5,610.50 | $5,152.62 | $457.88 |
| $650,000 | $9,360.50 | $5,875 | $3,485.50 |
| $850,000 | $14,860.50 | $3,525 | $11,335.50 |
| $1,200,000 | $25,360.50 | $0 | $25,360.50 |
How to read it: on a single-family house at $485,000 (Quebec City agglomeration median, QPAREB Q2 2026), the welcome tax is $5,385.50; an eligible first-time buyer gets $5,096.38 back and pays $289.12 net. At that price, Quebec City costs no more than a municipality on the basic provincial grid: the increase only starts at $500,000. Our French welcome tax calculator runs the same calculation for any price.
The tax base is the highest of three amounts: the price paid, the consideration stated in the deed, and the value on the assessment roll multiplied by the year's comparative factor. In a rising market the price paid almost always exceeds the adjusted roll value, so the price is the base; in a sale between relatives or on a property bought below assessment, the adjusted roll value takes over and the bill can surprise. For 2026, Quebec City's comparative factor is 1.08: a property assessed at $500,000 on the roll has a presumed market value of $540,000, and that figure becomes the base if the price paid is lower. The notary records the tax base in the deed of sale and the municipality bills from the registration in the Land Register.
In Quebec City, a transfer duty bill over $300 is paid in three equal interest-free instalments, at 30, 90 and 150 days after billing; a bill of $300 or less is paid in one instalment within 30 days. It is the only large city in Quebec that spreads the welcome tax. The City does not reissue a property tax bill to the new owner. The bill is never handed over at the notary's office: it arrives by mail, or in the online tax account, generally a few weeks to two months after signing. Budget for it before the offer to purchase, alongside notary fees and the inspection, because no lender finances it inside the mortgage.
Since January 1, 2026, Quebec's refundable tax credit for home ownership reimburses first-time buyers 100% of the first $5,000 of transfer duties paid and 25% of the next $3,500, up to $5,875, on a first principal residence. The credit is reduced by 2.35% of the portion of the tax base above $750,000 and reaches zero at $1,000,000 (Finances Québec, Information Bulletin 2026-2). A first-time buyer is someone who did not live in a home owned by themselves or their spouse in the year of purchase or the four previous years. The buyer first pays Quebec City's bill, then claims the credit on their income tax return, or as an advance payment from October 2026 when the amount exceeds $1,000. On a $335,000 condo or a $485,000 house, the tax is refunded in full or nearly ($3,135.50 and $5,385.50; $289.12 remains on the median). On a $650,000 house, the tax of $9,360.50 is refunded at $5,875: $3,485.50 remains. The City's three instalments and Revenu Québec's credit are not synchronized: plan the cash flow. The details, including couples where only one spouse has owned before, are in our guide to the welcome tax refund.
The exemptions come from provincial law and are the same in every city: a transfer in the direct ascending or descending line (parent to child, grandparent to grandchild, never between siblings), a transfer between spouses who are married, in a civil union or de facto after twelve months of living together (or parents of the same child), a tax base under $5,000, and a transfer to a corporation in which the seller holds at least 90% of the shares. The notary cites the exemption section in the deed. Quebec City then collects a supplementary duty of at most $200, except when the transfer follows a death. Our French article on welcome tax exemptions goes into detail.
Between $500,000 and $750,000, Quebec City (2.5%) costs less than Lévis (3% from $500,000) and than Laval or Brossard, but more than Montreal (2%). Above $750,000, Quebec City joins Lévis's 3%, with a $1,250 gap kept on the intermediate portion.
| City (2026 grid) | On $485,000 | On $650,000 | On $900,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec City | $5,385.50 | $9,360.50 | $16,360.50 |
| Lévis | $5,385.50 | $10,110.50 | $17,610.50 |
| Montreal | $5,385.50 | $8,349 | $13,349 |
| Sherbrooke | $5,385.50 | $10,110.50 | $17,610.50 |
| Basic provincial grid (no municipal increase) | $5,385.50 | $7,860.50 | $11,610.50 |
The grid applies to the six boroughs of the Ville de Québec (La Cité-Limoilou, Les Rivières, Sainte-Foy-Sillery-Cap-Rouge, Charlesbourg, Beauport, La Haute-Saint-Charles). L'Ancienne-Lorette and Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, in the agglomeration, have their own by-law, as does Lévis on the south shore. With a 1.08 comparative factor, a house assessed at $450,000 has a presumed base of $486,000: in a market that sells in 15 days the price paid almost always exceeds that amount, but the rule matters on sales between relatives. The City does not reissue a lost transfer duty bill: the deadline runs from the sending date.
Our other data series for Quebec City, drawn from Centris listings:
Each page is recalculated from the past year's actual sales, aggregates only.
The notary's other document: Certificate of location in Quebec City: cost, timing and when to redo it
Once the bill is paid: Welcome tax refund in Quebec: how to apply, where, when and with which documents
How much down payment to buy in Quebec City:
The legal minimum on the median house, the 20% that avoids the CMHC premium, the premium at the minimum, what a FHSA and an HBP cover, the condo, and ten years of perspective in Quebec City.
How many condos are for sale in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Condominium inventory at each month-end and new listings per year since 2016, absorption, months of inventory, and the comparison with single-family houses in Quebec City.
When to sell in Quebec City, ten years of sales month by month:
The month with the most home sales, the quietest month, spring versus winter, the best-paying month and when to list to sell at the right time in Quebec City.
Condos that do not sell in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Condo listings expired without a sale per year since 2016, the failure rate against sales, the same rate for houses, and what it tells a condo seller in Quebec City.
How many plexes are for sale in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Plexes for sale at each month-end and new listings since 2016, absorption, months of inventory, and the comparison with houses and condos in Quebec City.
When to sell a condo in Quebec City, ten years of sales month by month:
The month with the most condo sales, the quietest month, spring versus winter, the best-paying month, houses alongside and when to list in Quebec City.
Plexes that do not sell in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Plex listings expired without a sale per year since 2016, the failure rate against sales, the same rate for houses and condos, and what it tells a building seller in Quebec City.
How much buyers negotiate a condo in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Sale price as a percentage of asking for condos, year by year since 2016, the ratio on the original price, houses alongside and the dollar gap on the median condo in Quebec City.
How much buyers negotiate a plex in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Sale price as a percentage of asking for plexes, year by year since 2016, the ratio on the original price, houses and condos alongside and the dollar gap on the median building in Quebec City.
What the median house costs a month in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The monthly payment on the house in the middle every year since 2016 with the Centris price and the 5-year rate actually charged, the share of price and the share of rate, the renewal shock and the income it takes in Quebec City.
What the house really gained in Quebec City, once inflation is removed:
Each year's median price converted to 2026 dollars with the Quebec CPI, the real increase, the years of real decline, the peak in purchasing power and the condo alongside in Quebec City.
What the median condo costs a month in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The monthly payment on the condo in the middle every year since 2016 with the Centris price and the 5-year rate actually charged, the share of price and the share of rate, the renewal shock and the income it takes in Quebec City.
How long to sell a plex in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Median and average days on market of plexes year by year since 2016, the house and the condo alongside, market periods and the weight of buildings that sit in Quebec City.
How much is a duplex, a triplex, a quadruplex in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The median price by building type year by year since 2016, the number of sales, the price per unit, what the extra unit costs and the house alongside in Quebec City.
How much is a lot in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The median price of lots and land sold on Centris year by year since 2016, the number of sales, the 2021 peak and the weight of the lot in the price of a house in Quebec City.
Quebec City or the city next door: where to buy in 2026, matchup by matchup:
Each matchup puts Quebec City and a neighbouring city side by side over ten years of Centris sales: house and condo prices, gap, days on market, inventory, bidding, unsold listings and monthly payment.
How much is a semi-detached or row house in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The median price by house type year by year since 2016, the number of sales, the shared-wall discount and how it moved in Quebec City.
How many houses still sell under $500,000 in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Sales under $500,000 and under $400,000 year by year since 2016, their share, the tipping year and what is still available under the threshold in Quebec City.
How many houses sell for over $1 million in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Sales at $1,000,000 and up year by year since 2016, their share, the first year with ten sales and what is paid above the million in Quebec City.
How long to sell by price in Quebec City:
Median days on market by price bracket over the past twelve months, the fastest bracket, the slowest and what it changes for selling or buying in Quebec City.
How much the lot is worth in a house price in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The median price of houses on small lots and on large lots year by year since 2016, the large-lot premium and how it moved in Quebec City.
How many dollars of condos sell in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Condo sales volume year by year since 2016, the number of sales and the average price behind it, and the condo's share of the market in Quebec City.
The average condo price in Quebec City, and why it exceeds the median:
The average sale price of condos year by year since 2016, beside the median price and the asking price, and the gap between the two in Quebec City.
How long to sell a condo by price in Quebec City:
Median condo days on market by price bracket over the past twelve months, the fastest bracket, the slowest and what it changes for selling or buying a condo in Quebec City.
How long to sell a plex by price in Quebec City:
Median plex days on market by price bracket over the past twelve months, the fastest bracket, the slowest and what it changes for selling or buying a plex in Quebec City.
At what price plexes sell in Quebec City, range by range:
The distribution of plex sales by price bracket in 2020 and 2026, the best-selling range, the share under $450,000 and under $600,000 in Quebec City.
The average plex price in Quebec City, and why it exceeds the median:
The average sale price of plex year by year since 2016, beside the median price and the asking price, and the gap between the two in Quebec City.
How many dollars of plex sell in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
Plex sales volume year by year since 2016, the number of sales and the average price behind it, and the plex's share of the market in Quebec City.
Where the real estate money goes in Quebec City:
Sales dollars split between houses, condos and plexes every year since 2016, the category that weighs the most and the one that grew the most in Quebec City.
What sells at what price in Quebec City:
The 2026 sales crossed by price range and category: what sells under $300,000, who holds the million, where houses, condos and plexes compete in Quebec City.
Which sells fastest in Quebec City, house, condo or plex:
Days on market of houses, condos and plexes compared price range by price range over twelve months in Quebec City.
At what price houses sell in Quebec City, range by range:
The distribution of sales by price bracket in 2020, 2023 and 2026, the best-selling range, the share under $500,000 and above $750,000 in Quebec City.
At what price condos sell in Quebec City, range by range:
The distribution of condo sales by price bracket in 2020 and 2026, the best-selling range, the share under $300,000 and under $400,000 in Quebec City.
The plex in Quebec City, the 2026 file:
Prices, door, days on market, volume, down payment and what the median does not say, on Centris sales.
Is a plex profitable in Quebec City in 2026:
The full math on the duplex, triplex and fourplex at the 2026 median price and the median rent in Quebec City, labelled assumptions.
Duplex or triplex in Quebec City, the 2026 comparison:
Prices, price per unit, minimum down payment to live in it and days on market, on Centris sales by type.
House or plex in Quebec City, ten years face to face:
Prices, change, days on market, negotiation, plex-to-house ratio and price per door, on Centris sales.
And the market in Quebec City this month:
The past twelve months, month by month, from the same Centris listings.
Condo or plex to invest in Quebec City:
The median rental condo against the 2026 median duplex and triplex in Quebec City, at the same rent, rate and down payment, labelled assumptions.
How many foreclosures in Quebec City, ten years of perspective:
The number of houses sold as foreclosures year by year since 2016, their share of sales, their median price against all sales and the rebound from the trough in Quebec City.
How much buyers negotiate on a house by price in Quebec City:
Sold-to-asking ratio by price bracket over the past twelve months, the bracket negotiated the most, the one where asking or more is paid, and what it changes for selling or buying in Quebec City.
How much buyers negotiate on a condo by price in Quebec City:
Sold-to-asking ratio by price bracket over the past twelve months, the bracket negotiated the most, the one where asking or more is paid, and what it changes for selling or buying in Quebec City.
How much buyers negotiate on a plex by price in Quebec City:
Sold-to-asking ratio by price bracket over the past twelve months, the bracket negotiated the most, the one where asking or more is paid, and what it changes for selling or buying in Quebec City.
Where the money goes by price in Quebec City:
Share of dollars against share of sales by price bracket over the past twelve months, the average ticket and the bracket that weighs the most in Quebec City.
How much sellers cut their price before selling in Quebec City:
Sold price against the first asking price and the last, by price bracket over the past twelve months, and the bracket where sellers adjust the most in Quebec City.
And on a condo in Quebec City?
The tax on the median condo year by year, what a first-time buyer pays net and the cash needed, house alongside.
What the median plex costs in Quebec City:
The payment at 20% down and the welcome tax, year by year, house alongside.
The Loaa & Manseur team, led by Lotfi Manseur and Loaa Al Daow, is the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 of large residential teams according to the official RE/MAX ranking, computed on actual transactions. Its Google profile counts 221 reviews with a 4.9 rating. Its offices are at 55 avenue de l'Équinoxe in Brossard, one bridge from the island, and every broker's licence can be checked in the OACIQ public register. Three things to verify yourself before calling us, and to demand of any other broker.
For selling, selling a house in Quebec City; for a broker, real estate broker in Quebec City; for the refund, the welcome tax refund; for the general rules, our guide to the welcome tax in Quebec.
$5,385.50 with Quebec City's 2026 grid, if the price paid is the tax base. An eligible first-time buyer gets $5,096.38 back from Revenu Québec and pays $289.12 net.
A few weeks to two months after signing at the notary, once the deed is registered in the Land Register. Quebec City bills after registration and allows three equal interest-free instalments at 30, 90 and 150 days when the bill exceeds $300.
Between $500,000 and $750,000, Quebec City is cheaper than Lévis, Laval, Brossard, Gatineau or Sherbrooke, which bill 3% from $500,000, and more expensive than Montreal (2%) or Longueuil (1.5% up to $630,100). Above $750,000 it applies the same 3% as its neighbours. Below $500,000, the tax is the same everywhere.
Yes, the grid is the same for a house, a condo, a plex or a lot, and the price used as the base includes sales taxes on a new build. Since 2026 the GST is eliminated up to $1,000,000 on a new home for a first-time buyer, which lowers the price paid and therefore the welcome tax base.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.