Sellers · Calgary

How much does a Real Property Report cost in Calgary?

If you're selling a house in Calgary, you'll almost always need a Real Property Report, or RPR. It's a survey drawing that shows where your house, garage, deck and fences sit on your lot. Here's what it costs, how long it takes, and why the cheapest RPR may be the one you already have.

If nothing has changed since your last RPR, you may not need a surveyor at all.
The City's compliance stamp is $189 for a house.
The survey is usually about $500–$700 for an update, $700–$1,200 new. Get quotes.
If something has changed, an update from the original surveyor usually costs less than a new one.
Order early: in spring and summer, surveyors can be booked weeks out.

Seenu George

REALTOR® · eXp Realty

Selling soon?
Start with the RPR.

Tell Seenu your address. She'll let you know whether your current RPR is likely to need an update and send recent sales near you, usually within 24 hours. No obligation.

The two costs

Start with the one you already have.

An RPR doesn't expire. What matters is whether it still matches your property today. If nothing has been added, removed or changed on your lot since it was drawn (no new deck, garage, shed, fence, air conditioner or addition), your old RPR can still do the job, even if it's many years old. Your lawyer will usually ask you to sign a simple declaration that nothing has changed. If your old RPR already has the City's compliance stamp, there may be no cost at all; if it doesn't, you can send it to the City for the stamp yourself.

One caution: the buyer's lender can set its own rules, and some prefer a newer report. Your lawyer can tell you early if that's likely.

1. The survey (only if something has changed). A licensed Alberta Land Surveyor visits your property and draws the RPR. There's no set price; each surveyor quotes it. As a rough guide, Calgary surveyors commonly quote around $500 to $700 to update an existing RPR and $700 to $1,200 for a new one, before GST. The price goes up with a bigger or odd-shaped lot, more buildings (a garage, shed or deck), and rush service. Only the surveyor who signed your original RPR can update it; any other firm has to do a new one. That's why it helps to find the old report first. Ask two or three surveyors for a quote.

2. The City's compliance stamp. Whether your RPR is old or new, the City of Calgary checks it against its building rules and stamps it. For a single house, semi-detached home or duplex, the fee is $189 per lot, and the first review usually takes one to two days. If the City needs a closer look, add about 14 days. Many surveyors will submit it to the City for you.

Extra costs, only if there's a problem. If something doesn't meet the rules, such as a deck too close to the property line, or a fence that crosses onto City land, you may need a permit or an encroachment agreement before the City will stamp it. These cost more and can take weeks, which is the main reason to order your RPR early.

How to get one

Five steps, in order.

Look for your old RPR

Check your purchase papers or ask the lawyer who handled your purchase. You need it either way: it may be all you need, and if not, the surveyor's name is on it.

Compare it with your property today

Walk your lot with the drawing in hand. If nothing has changed and it already has a City stamp, you may be done. If nothing has changed but there's no stamp, skip to step 4. If you've added a deck, garage, shed, fence, air conditioner or addition, go to step 3.

If something changed, call the original surveyor

Ask the surveyor who signed your old RPR for an update price and wait time. If they can't do it, get quotes from two or three other Alberta Land Surveyors for a new one, and ask whether they'll handle the City submission.

Get the City stamp

The surveyor or you submit the RPR to the City of Calgary for the compliance stamp ($189 for a house).

Fix anything flagged, early

If the City flags something, you can fix it, apply for a permit, or talk with your lawyer about other options. Finding this out before you list keeps it from delaying your sale.

Common questions

Questions Calgary sellers ask about RPRs.

Who pays for the RPR when you sell?

Usually the seller. The standard Alberta purchase contract asks the seller to provide a current RPR with evidence of City compliance. Your offer terms can change this, so check with your REALTOR® and lawyer.

My RPR is 15 years old. Do I need a new one?

Not just because of its age. An RPR stays usable as long as it matches the property as it is today. If anything on the lot has changed since it was drawn, it needs an update or a new report. The buyer's lender may have its own requirements, so check with your lawyer.

Do I need an RPR for a condo?

For most apartment condos, no; the building is covered by the condominium plan. Bareland condos, where you own the land your home sits on, often do need one.

How long does it take?

The City's first review for a house is usually one to two days. The survey is the longer part: the wait depends on the surveyor and the season, and it's longest in spring and summer.

Can I use title insurance instead?

Sometimes a buyer and their lender will accept title insurance instead of an RPR. It covers different things and isn't always accepted, so talk to your lawyer before you agree to it.

Sources. Law Society of Alberta recommended practice on Real Property Reports (age is not relevant if the RPR reflects the current property); AREA standard Residential Purchase Contract; City of Calgary, Apply for a Certificate of Compliance (fees and review times, 2026); Alberta Land Surveyors' Association. Survey prices are set by each surveyor; the ranges shown are approximate, based on published Calgary surveyor and local guide pricing in 2026. City fees are reviewed each year, usually effective January 1. General information, not legal advice; ask your lawyer about your own sale.

How much does a Real Property Report cost in Calgary?

Start with the one you already have.

Five steps, in order.

Questions Calgary sellers ask about RPRs.

Selling soon? Start with what sold near you.

Calgary & area, one place at a time.