In Ontario in 2026, the minimum down payment is tiered by price: 5% on the first $500,000, 10% on the portion from $500,000 to $1,500,000, and 20% on any amount above $1,500,000. So a $500,000 home needs $25,000 down, an $800,000 home needs $55,000, and a $1,200,000 home needs $95,000. Below is the full math, worked out.
What is the minimum down payment in Ontario?
The rules are set nationally and apply across Ontario. You do not put one flat percentage on the whole price. Instead, the price is split into bands, and each band has its own rate.
- 5% on the first $500,000 of the purchase price
- 10% on the portion between $500,000 and $1,500,000
- 20% on any portion above $1,500,000
The 5% band is the floor. There is no legal way to buy a home in Ontario with less than 5% down. Homes priced $1,500,000 and above require at least 20% down on the whole price, because default insurance is not available at that level (more on that below).
the minimum down payment on an $800,000 home in Ontario
How the tiered math works (worked examples)
The easiest way to see it is to run three common price points. Notice the minimum climbs faster than the price once you cross $500,000, because the second band is taxed at 10% instead of 5%.
$500,000 home
The whole price sits inside the first band, so it is a flat 5%.
- 5% of $500,000 = $25,000
$800,000 home
Split it into two bands: the first $500,000, then the remaining $300,000.
- 5% of $500,000 = $25,000
- 10% of $300,000 = $30,000
- Minimum down payment = $55,000
$1,200,000 home
Same split, just a bigger second band ($700,000 of it).
- 5% of $500,000 = $25,000
- 10% of $700,000 = $70,000
- Minimum down payment = $95,000
Minimum down payment by home price (Ontario, 2026)
- $500,000. Minimum down payment: $25,000
- $800,000. Minimum down payment: $55,000
- $1,000,000. Minimum down payment: $75,000