Stamp duty is one of the biggest upfront costs of buying a home, and for first home buyers it’s also the one that changes most from state to state. Depending on where you buy, you could pay nothing, pay a reduced amount, or pay the full rate just like everyone else.
The picture has also shifted this year. Western Australia lifted its thresholds in May, Tasmania’s full exemption closed at the end of June, and the ACT removed first home buyer stamp duty from 1 July. Here’s where each state and territory stands as at October 2026, based on the official revenue office and government pages linked below.
Stamp Duty at a glance
| State | Established home | New home |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $0 up to $800,000, reduced rate to $1,000,000 | Same |
| VIC | $0 up to $600,000, reduced rate to $750,000 | Same |
| QLD | $0 up to $700,000, reduced rate below $800,000 | $0, no price cap |
| WA | $0 up to $600,000, reduced rate to $800,000 | Same |
| SA | Full duty | $0, no price cap |
| TAS | Full exemption has ended, check current relief | Check current relief |
| ACT | $0, no price or income limit | Same |
| NT | No general concession | No general concession, but see house and land packages below |
These are the headline settings only. Eligibility rules apply in every state, and thresholds change, so confirm your own situation with the relevant revenue office before you sign a contract.
New South Wales
Under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, eligible buyers pay no transfer duty on a new or existing home valued up to $800,000. Between $800,000 and $1,000,000 a concessional rate applies, and above that you pay full duty (Revenue NSW). Vacant land is exempt up to $350,000, with a reduced rate up to $450,000.
The concession tapers rather than stopping suddenly. On an $850,000 purchase, for example, the reduced duty works out to about $9,797 (NSW Government).
Victoria
Eligible first home buyers pay no duty on a property valued up to $600,000, and a reduced amount between $600,001 and $750,000. It applies to new homes, established homes and vacant land you intend to build your first home on (State Revenue Office Victoria). You also need to live in the home as your principal residence for at least 12 months, starting within 12 months of settlement.
Queensland
Queensland has the most generous new-home rules of the larger states. For an established home, eligible first home buyers pay no duty at $700,000 or less, with a partial concession for homes under $800,000 that can save up to $24,525 (Queensland Revenue Office).
For a new home under a contract signed on or after 1 May 2025, there is a full concession with no cap on the purchase price. The same full concession applies to vacant land you’ll build your first home on (Queensland Revenue Office).
Western Australia
WA’s 2026-27 Budget lifted the first home owner thresholds from 7 May 2026. Eligible buyers now pay no duty on a home valued up to $600,000, with a concessional rate up to $800,000 statewide. For vacant land, the thresholds are $450,000 and $550,000 (Aussie). I’d double-check these against RevenueWA before relying on them, since they’re recent.
South Australia
South Australia’s relief is aimed squarely at new builds. Eligible first home buyers pay no stamp duty on a new home, an off-the-plan apartment or vacant land to build on, and since 6 June 2024 there has been no property value cap. An established home gets no first home buyer relief at all, so you pay the full rate (RevenueSA).
Tasmania
Tasmania’s 100 per cent duty exemption for first home buyers of established homes up to $750,000 applied to purchases settling between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026. The State Revenue Office confirms it is not available for transactions settling after 30 June 2026 (State Revenue Office Tasmania). If you’re buying in Tasmania now, check with the SRO for the relief that currently applies. Note that it’s the settlement date that mattered, not the contract date.
Australian Capital Territory
From 1 July 2026, eligible first home buyers in the ACT can pay no stamp duty through the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, with no income threshold and no property price limit (ACT Government). It’s the first jurisdiction in the country to do this. Ownership history and residency conditions still apply.
Northern Territory
The NT doesn’t offer a general stamp duty concession for first home buyers. It relies on cash grants instead, and buyers of an eligible new house and land package may qualify for a stamp duty exemption under the House and Land Package Exemption (SBS News).
The rules that catch buyers out
A few conditions come up repeatedly across states:
- New versus established. In SA and for the biggest savings in Queensland, whether the home is new matters more than the price.
- You usually have to live there. Most schemes require you to occupy the home as your principal residence, often for 6 to 12 months.
- Value is measured on dutiable value. That’s generally the higher of the price and the market value, and for house and land it can include the building cost.
- Timing can decide eligibility. Tasmania’s exemption depended on the settlement date, and several Queensland and WA changes depend on when the contract was signed.
- Thresholds are a cliff or a taper, depending on the state. In NSW and Victoria the concession phases out gradually. Check which applies before you bid.
How stamp duty fits into your bigger picture
Stamp duty is only one piece. A first home buyer who saves duty can still face lenders mortgage insurance on a small deposit, and the right schemes can change that too. Our case study on buying with the Help to Buy Scheme shows how a stamp duty exemption combined with a government equity contribution changed one buyer’s numbers, and 90% loan, zero LMI shows how lender choice can remove LMI entirely.
To estimate your own duty, try our stamp duty calculator, and see our first home buyers page for the schemes worth knowing about.
If you’d like help working out what you’d actually pay, and how stamp duty, your deposit and your loan fit together, get in touch with the hfinance team. We compare across 50+ lenders and can map out your upfront costs before you make an offer.
This article is general information only and does not take into account your personal financial situation or objectives. Stamp duty thresholds, concessions and eligibility rules are set by each state and territory and change regularly. Confirm current settings with the relevant revenue office before making any purchase decision. Speak with an hfinance broker before making any lending decisions.