Property tax deferral program for seniors
New Brunswick's property tax deferral program for seniors lets an owner aged 65 or older defer annual property tax increases on a principal residence above a base year. Deferred tax and interest form a lien and are payable when the property is sold or transferred.
We explain the official rules; we do not decide who qualifies. Eligibility is determined by Government of New Brunswick, Department of Finance and Treasury Board (Revenue Administration Division). Check the official program page before you apply.
What the Property tax deferral program for seniors is
The program "allows eligible New Brunswick seniors to defer the increase in their annual property taxes on their primary residence." It does not defer the whole bill. It defers the amount by which each year's property tax exceeds the tax in a "base year," which is the most recent of the year before the owner turns 65, the year the property was bought, or 2011.
The province's example: 2020 property taxes of $2,100 and base-year (2019) taxes of $2,000 give a deferral for 2020 of $100.
Deferred amounts carry annual interest that depends on taxable household income: 3.949% per year below $124,178 and 8.949% per year above $124,178, as currently published. Deferred taxes and interest "form a lien against the property and are payable when the property is sold or transferred." No payments are required while in the program, the balance appears on the annual tax bill, and full or partial payments can be made at any time.
The property must already receive the Residential Property Tax Credit.
Amounts
As published by Government of New Brunswick, Department of Finance and Treasury Board (Revenue Administration Division)
| Item | Amount or rule | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount that can be deferred | The amount of the annual property tax increase over the base year (the most recent of: the year before the owner turns 65, the year the property was bought, or 2011) | Current program rules (page read 2026-10-28) | 1 |
| Interest, household income less than $124,178 | 3.949% per year | Rates as published on the program page read 2026-10-28 (the page gives no effective date; rates are updated in line with the 10-year Provincial borrowing rate) | 1 |
| Interest, household income more than $124,178 | 8.949% per year | Rates as published on the program page read 2026-10-28 (the page gives no effective date; rates are updated in line with the 10-year Provincial borrowing rate) | 1 |
| Province's worked example | 2020 taxes $2,100 minus base year (2019) taxes $2,000 = deferral for 2020 of $100 | Illustration on the program page | 1 |
Official eligibility criteria
- "At least one of the property owners listed on the deed is 65 or older"1
- "The property is your principal residence"1
- "The property is currently receiving the Provincial Residential Tax Credit"1,2
- "Your property tax account is in good standing"1
- If the applicant dies, the program can continue if the applicant is survived by a spouse or common-law partner who continues to own and reside in the property as their principal residence.1
Quoted or closely paraphrased from the official program rules. Eligibility is determined by Government of New Brunswick, Department of Finance and Treasury Board (Revenue Administration Division).
How to apply
The application deadline is December 31 of the taxation year in which the owner wants to start deferring property tax increases. For 2026, that is December 31, 2026.
Applications can be made online, by mail or in person at any Service New Brunswick location. The mail-in application form (PDF) goes to Finance and Treasury Board, Revenue Administration Division, P. O. Box 3000, Fredericton, NB E3B 5G5. Applicants need the Property Assessment Number (PAN), social insurance number and household income information from last year's tax return(s).
If approved, the property tax account is updated and deferred taxes and interest are listed on the annual tax bill. Finance and Treasury Board answers questions at 1-800-669-7070 (toll-free in Canada), Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Eligibility is determined by the New Brunswick Department of Finance and Treasury Board.
Key dates
- Deadline to start deferring 2026 property tax increasesDecember 31, 2026
- Application deadline (each year)December 31 of the taxation year in which deferral starts
- Earliest possible base year2011
- Property tax bills mailed to most ownersMarch each year
- Current-year taxes billed in March due in full to avoid penaltyMay 31
Property tax deferral program for seniors: common questions
Does the New Brunswick seniors' deferral cover the whole property tax bill?
No. The program defers only the annual increase in property tax over the base year. The province's example shows 2020 taxes of $2,100 against base-year (2019) taxes of $2,000, for a 2020 deferral of $100. The base year is the most recent of the year before the owner turns 65, the year the property was bought, or 2011.
What interest is charged on deferred taxes?
The program page lists 3.949% per year where taxable household income is less than $124,178, and 8.949% per year where it is more than $124,178. The page states that annual interest rates are updated in line with the 10-year Provincial borrowing rate. The page does not give an effective date for the rates shown. Questions go to Finance and Treasury Board at 1-800-669-7070.
When does the deferred amount have to be repaid?
Deferred taxes and interest form a lien against the property. No payments are required while the owner is in the program, and full or partial payments can be made at any time. All deferred taxes and interest become due and payable to the province when the property is sold or transferred.
What happens if the applicant dies?
The province states that the program can continue if the applicant is survived by a spouse or common-law partner who continues to own the property and live in it as their principal residence. Separately, the page states that all deferred taxes and interest become due and payable to the province when the property is sold or transferred.
What is the deadline to apply for 2026?
An application must be made by December 31 of the taxation year in which the owner wants to start deferring increases, so December 31, 2026 for the 2026 tax year. Applications can be submitted online, by mail to Finance and Treasury Board in Fredericton, or in person at a Service New Brunswick location.
Related programs
Sources
Checked a second time against these sources on October 28, 2026
- Property tax deferral program for seniors, Government of New BrunswickApplies to Current program rules (page undated; read 2026-10-28) · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Property Assessment Services - Residential Property Tax Credit, Service New Brunswick (Government of New Brunswick)Applies to Current program rules (page undated; read 2026-10-28) · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Property tax billing cycle, Government of New BrunswickApplies to Annual billing cycle (page undated; read 2026-10-28) · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
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