Home owner grant
The B.C. home owner grant reduces the property taxes owners pay on their principal residence. For 2026 the full grant is available on properties assessed at $2,075,000 or less, with a higher additional grant for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.
We explain the official rules; we do not decide who qualifies. Eligibility is determined by B.C. Ministry of Finance, Property Taxation Branch (Home Owner Grant Administration). Check the official program page before you apply.
What the Home owner grant is
The home owner grant is a provincial grant that "reduces the amount of property taxes you pay each year on your principal residence." It is available to owners who pay property taxes to a municipality, or to the province in a rural area. People who pay property taxes to a First Nation are directed to contact the First Nation for an equivalent benefit.
There are two levels. Most owners receive the regular grant (also called the basic grant). Owners who are 65 or older, veterans receiving certain allowances, or people with disabilities (or living with a spouse or relative with a disability) may receive the higher additional grant instead.
For 2026, the grant amounts in the Home Owner Grant Act are higher in the "northern and rural area", which the Act defines as the province outside the Metro Vancouver, Capital and Fraser Valley regional districts. Budget 2026 repealed that $200 northern and rural benefit for 2027 and later years.
The grant is reduced on properties assessed above the 2026 threshold of $2,075,000. The province describes the grant as "a form of payment towards your property taxes."
Amounts
As published by B.C. Ministry of Finance, Property Taxation Branch (Home Owner Grant Administration)
| Item | Amount or rule | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular grant, 2026, outside the northern and rural area | $570 where property taxes are $920 or more; otherwise the amount of property taxes minus $350 (Schedule 1) | 2026 | 5 |
| Regular grant, 2026, northern and rural area | $770 where property taxes are $1,120 or more; otherwise the amount of property taxes minus $350 (Schedule 3) | 2026 | 5 |
| Additional grant (seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities), 2026, outside the northern and rural area | $845 where property taxes are $945 or more; otherwise the amount of property taxes minus $100 (Schedule 2) | 2026 | 5 |
| Additional grant, 2026, northern and rural area | $1,045 where property taxes are $1,145 or more; otherwise the amount of property taxes minus $100 (Schedule 4) | 2026 | 5 |
| Grant threshold | $2,075,000 assessed or partitioned value | 2026 | 1, 2 |
| Reduction above the threshold | $5 for each $1,000 of assessed value over $2,075,000 | 2026 | 1, 5 |
| Regular grant reaches $0 | Residential or partitioned value over $2,189,000 ($2,229,000 in the northern and rural area) | 2026 | 1 |
| Additional grant reaches $0 | Residential or partitioned value over $2,244,000 ($2,284,000 in the northern and rural area) | 2026 | 1 |
| Minimum property tax to be paid before the grant | $350 (regular grant); $100 (additional grant) | 2026 | 1 |
| Regular grant from 2027 | $570 for properties in B.C., including northern and rural areas | Effective January 1, 2027 | 1, 6 |
| Seniors' grant (65 or older) from 2027 | $845 for properties in B.C., including northern and rural areas | Effective January 1, 2027 | 2 |
| Previous threshold (for retroactive 2025 claims) | Reduced by $5 for each $1,000 of assessed value over $2,175,000 | 2025 | 4 |
Official eligibility criteria
- Be the registered owner of the residence (or a spouse or relative of the deceased owner).1
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.1
- Live in B.C. and occupy the residence as your principal residence (only one principal residence can be used for the grant).1
- The principal residence must be assessed and taxed as an improvement, such as a single family dwelling, strata duplex, strata condominium, strata townhouse, manufactured home or modular home.1
- The assessed or partitioned value of the property does not exceed the grant threshold ($2,075,000 for 2026 for the full grant; a reduced grant may apply above it).1
- Additional requirements apply when buying or selling: for a purchase in the current tax year, the previous owner did not claim the grant, the buyer did not receive the grant this year for another property, and the buyer occupies the property as a principal residence when applying.1
- Additional grant: the owner is 65 years of age or older in the tax year, is a person with disabilities (or the spouse or relative of a person with disabilities who resides with the owner), is designated as a person with disabilities receiving assistance under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act, or receives (or is the spouse of a person receiving) an allowance under the War Veterans Allowance Act or the Merchant Navy Veteran and Civilian War-related Benefits Act.5,2
- The homeowner who meets the additional-grant qualifications must be named as the applicant to receive the additional grant.2
Quoted or closely paraphrased from the official program rules. Eligibility is determined by B.C. Ministry of Finance, Property Taxation Branch (Home Owner Grant Administration).
How to apply
The grant must be claimed every year, and only one qualifying owner can claim it for a property each year. Applications go to the Province (Home Owner Grant Administration), and a financial institution that pays the property taxes will not apply on an owner's behalf.
The province says the fastest way is to apply online through eTaxBC. The application needs the property's jurisdiction and roll number (on the property tax notice or BC Assessment notice) and the applicant's social insurance number. Owners can also apply by phone, 24 hours a day, at 1-888-355-2700, or get help at a Service BC location. Anyone with the owner's permission can apply for them.
The province recommends applying after the property tax notice arrives and before the property tax due date. Because the grant counts as a payment toward the tax bill, applying after the due date may lead to late payment penalties on the unpaid portion. Applications are accepted until December 31 of the current tax year.
Eligibility is determined by the B.C. Ministry of Finance (Home Owner Grant Administration).
Key dates
- Apply before the local property tax due date to avoid late payment penalties on the unpaid portionVaries by municipality (2026 tax year)
- Last day to apply for the 2026 grantDecember 31, 2026
- Last day for a retroactive claim of the 2025 grant (application must be received)December 31, 2026
- $200 northern and rural home owner benefit repealed; regular grant $570 in all areasJanuary 1, 2027
Home owner grant: common questions
How much is the B.C. home owner grant in 2026?
Under the Home Owner Grant Act schedules, the 2026 regular grant is $570, or $770 in the northern and rural area. The additional grant for seniors, eligible veterans and people with disabilities is $845, or $1,045 in the northern and rural area. Smaller amounts apply when property taxes are low, because owners must pay at least $350 (regular) or $100 (additional) in tax before the grant.
What is the 2026 home owner grant threshold?
The province states that the grant threshold for 2026 is $2,075,000. Above that assessed or partitioned value, the grant is reduced by $5 for each $1,000 over the threshold. The regular grant is $0 above $2,189,000 ($2,229,000 in the northern and rural area), and the additional grant is $0 above $2,244,000 ($2,284,000 in the northern and rural area).
What changes for the home owner grant in 2027?
Budget 2026 repealed the $200 northern and rural home owner benefit for the 2027 and later taxation years. The province says that, effective January 1, 2027, the regular grant is $570 for properties anywhere in B.C., including northern and rural areas, and the total grant for seniors aged 65 or older is $845.
What counts as the northern and rural area?
The Home Owner Grant Act defines the "northern and rural area" as the area of the province outside the boundaries of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, the Capital Regional District and the Fraser Valley Regional District. For the 2026 tax year, eligible residences in that area use the higher amounts in Schedules 3 and 4 of the Act.
Can a missed grant be claimed for last year?
Yes, the province allows a retroactive claim for the previous year only. Conditions include having qualified on December 31 of last year, still being the registered owner, not having claimed a grant on another property, and no claim by a previous owner. The application must be received by December 31 of the current year. For 2025 claims, the threshold was $2,175,000.
Does a mortgage lender apply for the grant when it pays the property taxes?
No. The province states that a financial institution paying the property taxes will not apply for the home owner grant on the owner's behalf. The owner, or someone with the owner's permission, needs to claim the grant online or by phone each year. Applications are audited for up to 7 years.
Related programs
Sources
Checked a second time against these sources on October 28, 2026
- Home owner grant (last updated September 22, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2026 grant threshold; amounts effective January 1, 2027 · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Home owner grant for seniors (last updated July 3, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2026 threshold; 2027 seniors amount · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Apply for the home owner grant (last updated August 31, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2026 tax year application rules · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Retroactive home owner grant (last updated January 19, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to Retroactive claims for the 2025 grant, made in 2026 · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Home Owner Grant Act, RSBC 1996, c. 194 (current to October 27, 2026), Government of British Columbia, King's Printer (BC Laws)Applies to 2026 tax year (consolidation current to October 27, 2026) · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- B.C. Provincial budget tax changes (Budget 2026, announced February 17, 2026; last updated February 26, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2027 and subsequent taxation years · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
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