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The foreign buyer tax in BC is an extra 20% of the home’s value, charged on top of the regular property transfer tax. It applies in five regional districts, including Metro Vancouver and the Capital Regional District, and it hits foreign nationals, foreign corporations and taxable trustees. On a $1,000,000 home that’s $200,000 extra.
Where does the BC foreign buyer tax apply?
Not everywhere in the province. The province charges it in five regional districts, and the list below is what the government’s page names. Tsawwassen First Nation treaty lands are left out.
| Regional district | Extra tax |
|---|---|
| Metro Vancouver | 20% |
| Capital | 20% |
| Fraser Valley | 20% |
| Central Okanagan | 20% |
| Nanaimo | 20% |
A house in Prince George or Kamloops sits outside this tax. The regular property transfer tax still applies there. Look up the exact address before you make an offer.
Who has to pay it?
The BC page names three groups: foreign nationals, foreign corporations and taxable trustees. It’s charged on the fair market value of your share of the property. If you buy half of a $1,000,000 home, the base is $500,000 and the extra tax is $100,000.
There are exemptions. A BC Provincial Nominee who lives in the home full time can be exempt. So can some Canadian-controlled limited partnerships and fund trusts, and some transfers the ordinary tax already excuses. We haven’t listed every condition, because they change and the wording matters. Read the government page before you count on one.
What does a $1,000,000 purchase cost in BC?
Two taxes are in play. The regular property transfer tax on $1,000,000 is $18,000, or 1.80% of the price. The foreign buyer tax adds $200,000, using the non-resident buyer tax calculator. Together that’s $218,000, and legal fees come after.
Now the same purchase by someone who isn’t caught by the extra tax pays only the $18,000. That’s the gap this tax creates, and it’s big enough to change whether a deal makes sense at all. You can run your own price through the property transfer tax calculator, which leaves the foreign buyer tax out.
Is there a federal ban as well?
Yes. Ottawa’s Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act has been in force since January 1, 2023. Its end date was pushed back to January 1, 2027. We found no official page announcing anything past that, so check the Justice Laws site before you plan around it.
The Act has exceptions, for instance for some temporary residents, for protected persons and for people buying with a Canadian spouse or partner. The fine print is in the regulations, and we didn’t read them line by line. The BC tax and the federal ban are separate, and meeting one test doesn’t answer the other.
How do you budget for the purchase?
Start with the price, then add the taxes and the cash you need on closing day. The closing costs calculator gathers the usual items in one place. We couldn’t confirm what lenders ask of a non-resident buyer, so ask yours early. Use the down payment calculator to see how much cash a given price needs.
Mistakes and gaps
People assume the 20% only applies to Vancouver. It doesn’t. Four other regional districts are on the list. Others forget it’s on top of the regular tax, not instead of it. And some forget that the tax follows your share of the title, so check who’s named on it.
BC also has a Speculation and Vacancy Tax, which is an annual tax and a different thing. We didn’t research it for this page.
Where the numbers come from
The 20% rate, the five districts and the exemptions come from the province’s pages on the additional property transfer tax, dated June 20, 2025 when we read them. Federal ban details come from the Justice Laws website. The Ontario 25% tax is a different rule and is covered elsewhere on this site. This site isn’t connected to any government.
Frequently asked questions
What is the foreign buyer tax rate in BC?
20% of the fair market value of the buyer's share, charged in addition to the regular property transfer tax.
Which parts of BC does it cover?
Metro Vancouver, the Capital, Fraser Valley, Central Okanagan and Nanaimo regional districts. Tsawwassen First Nation treaty lands are excluded.
Can a foreign buyer get an exemption?
Some can. A BC Provincial Nominee using the home as a principal residence is one example, and the government page lists others.
Is there a federal ban on foreign buyers too?
Yes, it started January 1, 2023 and was set to end January 1, 2027. We found no official extension.
Does the tax replace the regular property transfer tax?
No. On $1,000,000 the regular tax is $18,000 and the extra tax is $200,000.
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Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.