Welcome tax refund: up to $5,875 back for first-time buyers

First-time buyer · 2026

It is the best news of the year for first-time buyers in Quebec, and most of them have not heard it yet: the welcome tax paid on a first home is now refundable, up to $5,875, retroactive to January 1, 2026.

Since 2026, the Quebec government refunds part of the land transfer duties, commonly called the welcome tax, to first-time buyers: 100% of the first $5,000 paid and 25% of any excess, up to a maximum refund of $5,875. The measure is retroactive to January 1, 2026. Main conditions: you must be an individual buying a first principal residence priced under $1,000,000, and the buyers must not have owned property in recent years. You first pay the bill sent by your municipality, then claim the refund from Revenu Québec; advance payment mechanisms are expected in fall 2026. Quebec estimates about 38,000 first-time buyers will benefit each year, with average assistance of roughly $3,700 per household. Combined with the first-time home buyers' tax credits, the FHSA and the HBP, the measure meaningfully lowers the cost of getting in. The Loaa & Manseur team, the number one team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, builds these programs into every buyer's budget from the first meeting. Answer within 24 hours: 438 807 3653.

What Quebec refunds, exactly

The mechanics are simple and generous in the price ranges where first-time buyers actually shop:

• 100% of the first $5,000 of transfer duties paid;
• 25% of anything above $5,000;
• up to a maximum refund of $5,875.

The measure is retroactive to January 1, 2026: if you bought your first home this year and already paid the bill, you are covered. Quebec expects about 38,000 first-time buyers to benefit every year, with an average of roughly $3,700 per household.

A quick example: a buyer who pays $5,000 in duties gets all of it back. At $8,500 in duties, the refund is $5,000 plus 25% of $3,500, which is $5,875, the maximum. Our welcome tax calculator gives the gross bill and the net amount after the refund for your price and municipality.

Who qualifies

• you are an individual, not a corporation;
• you are buying a first principal residence, not a cottage or a rental property;
• the price is under $1,000,000;
• the buyers have not owned property in recent years, a condition similar to other first-buyer programs.

The fine print belongs to Revenu Québec, and it is worth confirming your eligibility before you count on the money, especially for couples where one partner has owned a home before. The reflex is the same as for the first-time home buyers' tax credit: confirm before the purchase, not after.

How to claim, in three steps

• 1. You pay the bill. Nothing changes on the municipal side: the city sends the welcome tax bill a few weeks to a few months after closing, payable in one installment. The full first-year cost timeline is a chapter of its own for new owners.
• 2. You claim from Revenu Québec. The refund is requested from Revenu Québec afterwards, with the transaction documents. Keep the deed, the adjustments statement and the proof of payment.
• 3. Advance payments are coming. Quebec has announced advance payment mechanisms expected in fall 2026, which will bring the refund closer to the moment the bill actually hurts.

The practical point: you still need the cash on hand to pay the municipal bill first. The refund softens year one; it does not replace the provision you set aside at purchase.

Stacked with everything else, the math changes

This refund joins a first-buyer toolbox that has never been this full:

• the FHSA, which shelters your down payment savings with a deduction going in and a tax-free withdrawal coming out, as we explain on our FHSA page;
• the HBP, stackable with the FHSA to draw from your RRSPs;
• the federal and provincial first-time home buyers' tax credits;
• and now the welcome tax refund, up to $5,875.

Put together, these programs cut the cost of entry by thousands of dollars. On Montreal's South Shore, where the condo segment has shifted in the buyer's favour, falling prices plus richer programs create a real window for first-time buyers. Our pages on the minimum down payment and mortgage rates in Quebec cover the rest of the entry math, and our promise to purchase guide walks through the offer itself.

Mistakes to avoid

• Counting the refund as part of your down payment. The refund arrives after the bill, which arrives after closing. Your closing budget is built without it.
• Forgetting to claim. The refund is not automatic: the city bills, Revenu Québec refunds on request. Put the claim on your calendar the day you sign.
• Disqualifying yourself without knowing. A co-buyer who already owned property, a building with a rental unit, or a use other than principal residence can change eligibility. Ten minutes of verification before the offer beats a $5,875 disappointment.
• Confusing the programs. The provincial refund adds to existing municipal programs and tax credits; it does not replace them. Some cities keep their own measures for families, and the stacking rules are checked city by city.

Frequently asked questions

How does the welcome tax refund work in Quebec?

Since 2026, an eligible first-time buyer recovers 100% of the first $5,000 of land transfer duties paid and 25% of the excess, up to a maximum of $5,875. The measure is retroactive to January 1, 2026. The buyer pays the municipal bill first, then claims the refund from Revenu Québec, with advance payment mechanisms expected in fall 2026.

Who is eligible for the welcome tax refund?

Individuals buying a first principal residence priced under $1,000,000 who have not owned property in recent years. The precise conditions belong to Revenu Québec and deserve verification before the purchase, especially for couples where only one partner has owned a home before. Quebec estimates about 38,000 buyers per year will benefit.

How much will I get back on my welcome tax?

It depends on the amount paid, so on your price and municipality. The formula: 100% of the first $5,000 and 25% of the excess, capped at $5,875. Quebec estimates the average assistance at about $3,700 per household. On many first purchases, the tax is wiped out entirely or almost; our welcome tax calculator shows the gross and net amounts for your situation.

Does the refund apply if I bought in early 2026?

Yes: the measure is retroactive to January 1, 2026. An eligible buyer who has paid the welcome tax since that date can claim the refund from Revenu Québec. Keep the deed, the transaction documents and the proof of payment of the municipal bill.

Buy with our team · Start my project

Programs evolve and eligibility rules belong to the tax authorities: confirm your situation with Revenu Québec or a professional. Published by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number one team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the worldwide top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.

Related reading: Best realtor in Brossard: 41 days, the number that sorts them, Best real estate team on Montreal's South Shore: the proof test and Buying a condo in Brossard: the balance of power has shifted.

The reduction between $750,000 and $1,000,000

Finances Québec's Information Bulletin 2026-2 adds a detail that matters on the South Shore and in Montreal: the credit is reduced by 2.35% of the portion of the tax base above $750,000, and reaches zero once the base hits $1,000,000. On an $800,000 home, the maximum credit of $5,875 becomes $4,700; on $900,000, $2,350. The credit never covers the supplementary duty, and only one credit is granted per home when several buyers qualify. Advance payment is available from October 2026 when the eligible amount exceeds $1,000.

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Quebec real estate vocabulary, French to English

Quebec runs on civil law, so several French terms have no direct English equivalent: hypothèque is a hypothec and not a mortgage, vices cachés are latent defects, and the taxe de bienvenue is legally transfer duties. The full list is in our Quebec real estate glossary. See also this term explained.