Changing your property title while in tax deferment

If you’re thinking about applying to defer your annual property taxes, make sure any changes to your property title such as removing a deceased owner or adding an owner who is not a spouse, are completed before you apply.

Once your tax deferment application is approved, you'll have a restrictive lien registered against your property. This means you are limited in the types of changes you can make to your property title while you're in the tax deferment program. For example, certain title changes, such as selling your property, can’t be completed until your tax deferment loan is paid in full.

Find out more about:

• Property title changes you can NOT make while in the tax deferment program
• Property title changes you may be able to make while in the tax deferment program

For any situations not described on this page, please contact our office. You may also go to the Land Title Office or Personal Property Registry for more information. 

Property title changes you can’t make while in the tax deferment program

Situations where you would have to pay off your deferment loan include:

• Selling your property
• Adding someone to title who isn't your spouse
• Removing someone from title who isn't deceased
• Refinancing with most lenders (check with your lender to confirm)

When refinancing, some lenders want their lien to have priority over the property tax deferment lien to protect their loan in certain situations, such as bankruptcy. However, we won’t give any new liens or charges on title priority over our tax deferment lien.

Find out how to repay your deferred property taxes.

Title changes you may be able to make while in the tax deferment program

There are certain changes you can make to your property title while you’re in the tax deferment program. Some of these changes require a consent letter or approval from our office before they can be completed.

Property title changes that don’t need our consent

While you're in the tax deferment program, the following title changes can be made without having to contact our office.

• Transmission of a deceased owner’s interest to a surviving joint tenant
• Transmission of a deceased owner’s interest to an executor/executrix of the will of the deceased owner, or to the administrator of the estate of the deceased owner
• Transfers between owners where the same owners are on title before and after the transfer, such as from tenants in common to joint tenants
• Changing your name on title

Property title changes that need our consent

Some property title changes require consent from our office before they can be registered. These include:

• Adding a spouse to title:
  Complete and mail us an Application and Amending Agreement for Adding a Spouse to a Property Tax Deferment Agreement (FIN 54) (PDF).
  Learn more about adding a spouse to your property title while deferring your taxes.

• Transferring ownership from the executor/executrix of the will of a deceased owner, or the administrator of the estate of a deceased owner, to a surviving spouse:
  Send us an email with a copy of the land title document for the transfer along with documentation that confirms the person is the surviving spouse of the deceased owner. Examples of documentation would be the will (if it describes the person as the deceased owner’s spouse) or a marriage certificate.

• Changing property details, such as subdividing, consolidating lots, re-establishing boundaries, accretion of land, natural boundary adjustments, easements and statutory right of ways:
  Send us an email with a copy of the land title documents for the change.

When you email land title documents to us for review, please include the tax deferment agreement number or the parcel identifier (PID) for the property.

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Go back to apply for or renew a property tax deferment program application