Casual Legal: Land titles fee increases

DISCLAIMER: This article is meant to provide information to Alberta Municipalities members only and is not intended to provide legal advice. You should seek the advice of legal counsel to address your specific set of circumstances. Although every effort has been made to provide current and accurate information, changes to the law may cause the information in this article to be outdated. This content is not intended for the general public.

By Tess Layton
Reynolds Mirth Richards Farmer LLP
Alberta Municipalities Casual Legal Service Provider

Land transfer and mortgage registration fees processed by the Alberta Land Titles Office rose significantly due to amendments made to the Land Titles Act that came into effect on October 24, 2024.

The fee increases affect total fees levied to registrants. Prior to these changes taking effect, fees were calculated at $2 per $5,000 of value for a land transfer and $1.50 per $5,500 of value for a mortgage, plus a $50 base fee.

As of October 24, 2024, any transfer or mortgage will be calculated at $5 per $5,000 of value, plus a $50 base fee. The new fee schedule for transfers and mortgages is included in the Land Titles Act, specifically sections 64.1 (land transfers) and 102.1 (mortgage registrations).

The following examples illustrate how fees have changed:

• The fee for a $500,000 land transfer used to be $250. Now, it is $550.
• The fee for a $500,000 mortgage used to be $200. Now, it is $550.

Municipalities will want to ensure that registrations are accompanied by the revised fees to ensure there are no processing delays.

To access Alberta Municipalities Casual Legal Helpline, Alberta Municipalities members can call toll-free to 1-800-661-7673 or casuallegal [at] abmunis.ca (email) to reach the municipal legal experts at Reynolds Mirth Richards and Farmer LLP. For more information on the Casual Legal Service, please call 310-MUNI (6864) or riskcontrol [at] abmunis.ca (email) to connect with Alberta Municipalities Risk Management staff. Any Regular or Associate member of Alberta Municipalities can access the Casual Legal Service.