BC Home Owner Grant: Amounts, Eligibility and How to Claim

The BC Home Owner Grant knocks hundreds of dollars off your property tax bill every year — but only if you actually claim it. Since the province centralized applications through eTaxBC, your municipal office no longer handles it for you. Miss the filing and you're paying more than you need to.

What the Grant Is Worth in 2026

The Home Owner Grant is a direct reduction applied against the provincial school tax portion of your property tax bill. You don't get a cheque — the credit reduces what you owe on your annual tax notice.

For 2026, the amounts are:

• Basic Grant (Metro Vancouver & Fraser Valley): up to $570
• Basic Grant (Northern & Rural areas): up to $770 (includes $200 carbon tax offset — ending January 1, 2027)
• Additional Grant for Seniors 65+, Persons with Disabilities, or Veterans: up to $845 (or $1,045 in Northern/Rural areas)

There's a mandatory minimum out-of-pocket payment of $100, meaning the grant won't cover your entire tax bill no matter how small it is.

The $2,075,000 Threshold

For the 2026 tax year, the grant begins to phase out when your property's assessed value exceeds $2,075,000. The reduction is $5 for every $1,000 of assessed value above that threshold.

A Metro Vancouver senior whose home is assessed at $2,200,000 would see a reduction of $625, dropping the $845 additional grant to $220. The senior additional grant reaches zero at an assessed value of $2,244,000.

If your property sits above the threshold but your income is low, the Low Income Grant Supplement can restore some or all of the grant. You qualify for the full supplement if your adjusted household net income is $30,000 or less, with a partial supplement for incomes between $30,001 and $32,000. You'll need to submit Form FIN 65 along with your CRA Notice of Assessment.

Who Qualifies

The basic requirements are straightforward: Canadian citizen or permanent resident, BC resident, and the property must be your principal residence on the application date.

For the additional senior grant, the registered owner must turn 65 during the calendar year. If a property is co-owned by a senior and a non-senior, the senior must be the one to apply — otherwise the property only receives the basic amount.

Veterans and persons with disabilities also qualify for the additional grant amount, regardless of age.

How to Claim

All claims go through the province, not your municipality. You have three options:

1. eTaxBC online — enter your SIN, date of birth, jurisdiction code, and roll/folio number from your tax notice. No account registration required for standard claims.
2. Automated phone line (1-888-355-2700) — 24/7 touch-tone system. Have your SIN and roll number ready.
3. Service BC Centre — any location can help you file electronically in person.

Deadlines That Matter

Claim before your municipal tax due date (typically the first business day after July 1) to avoid late penalties. Municipalities charge 5-10% on unpaid balances. If your grant hasn't been applied by the due date, the uncovered portion of your bill counts as unpaid.

The absolute deadline to claim for the current tax year is December 31. Filing late still reduces your tax balance, but municipal penalties on the late-claimed amount remain.

Forgot to claim last year? You can file a retroactive claim for the previous tax year up until December 31 of the current year. You'll need proof of principal residency — a CRA Notice of Assessment or BC Hydro statements work.

Grant Plus Deferment

The Home Owner Grant and the Property Tax Deferment Program work together, but sequence matters. Always claim the grant first. It reduces your net tax owing, which means you defer a smaller amount and accrue less interest. The step-by-step guide walks through the exact application order and timing to get both benefits right.

See more British Columbia guides →