Australian Stamp Duty Concessions Guide 2026: State-by-State Breakdown

When I was implementing the Australian Stamp Duty calculator, I quickly realized why homebuyers find the process so overwhelming. Stamp duty is the largest upfront transactional fee outside of your property deposit, but there is no unified national rate. Because it is administered by individual state Revenue Offices, a first-home buyer in Sydney faces completely different rules, exemption thresholds, and concessions than one in Melbourne or Brisbane.

To make sense of this geographical fragmentation, I mapped the complete state-by-state tax tables and First Home Buyer (FHB) concession rules directly into our calculator. I built this guide and the accompanying tool to help you calculate your exact stamp duty liabilities and check if you qualify for state concessions in 2026.

Use the State-by-State Australian Stamp Duty Calculator →

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1. State-by-State First Home Buyer Exemption Thresholds

To assist first-time buyers entering the Australian housing market, state revenue authorities provide full or partial stamp duty exemptions:

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|            FIRST HOME BUYER STAMP DUTY EXEMPTION CAPS            |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| NSW (FHBAS) : 100% Exempt up to $800,000 | Concession up to $1.0M  |
| VIC (FHB)   : 100% Exempt up to $600,000 | Concession up to $750,000|
| QLD (FHC)   : 100% Exempt up to $700,000 | Concession up to $800,000|
| WA (FHB)    : 100% Exempt up to $450,000 | Concession up to $600,000|
| SA (FHB)    : 100% Exempt for new builds | Zero cap for new homes  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Comprehensive Stamp Duty Comparison Table ($650k, $850k, $1.2M Homes)

The table below compares standard owner-occupier stamp duty against First Home Buyer discounted duty across major Australian states:

State	Property Price	Standard Stamp Duty ($)	First Home Duty ($)	First Home Savings ($)
NSW	$650,000	$24,250	$0 (Full Exempt)	$24,250 Saved
NSW	$850,000	$33,250	$16,625 (Partial)	$16,625 Saved
NSW	$1,200,000	$49,000	$49,000 (Full Duty)	$0 Saved
VIC	$650,000	$34,370	$11,457 (Partial)	$22,913 Saved
VIC	$850,000	$46,070	$46,070 (Full Duty)	$0 Saved
QLD	$650,000	$18,600	$0 (Full Exempt)	$18,600 Saved
QLD	$850,000	$27,350	$27,350 (Full Duty)	$0 Saved

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Step-by-Step Worked Scenario: $750,000 Purchase in NSW vs. VIC

Let's model the upfront cash needed to buy a $750,000 home in Sydney (NSW) versus Melbourne (VIC) for a First Home Buyer:

1. New South Wales (NSW) Purchase ($750,000)

• Standard Transfer Duty = $28,750.
• FHBAS Concession = $21,563 discount.
• Final NSW Stamp Duty Payable = $7,187.

2. Victoria (VIC) Purchase ($750,000)

• Standard Transfer Duty = $40,070.

• First Home Concession = Exceeded ($750,000 cap reached).

• Final VIC Stamp Duty Payable = $40,070.

• Outcome: Buying a $750,000 first home in Sydney costs $32,883 less in upfront tax than in Melbourne!

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Actionable Tips for Property Buyers

1. Calculate Upfront Cash Needs Early: Stamp duty cannot be borrowed or capitalized into your mortgage balance; it must be paid in cash at settlement.
2. Check Contract Dates for Threshold Eligibility: Concession rules are determined by the date the contract of sale is signed.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can stamp duty be added to my home loan balance?

No. Australian banks require stamp duty to be paid upfront from your cash reserves at settlement; it cannot be added to your mortgage loan amount.

When is stamp duty payable in Australia?

In most states (like NSW and VIC), stamp duty is due within 3 months of contract signing or at settlement, whichever comes first.

What is the foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge?

Foreign buyers purchasing residential property in Australia pay an additional stamp duty surcharge ranging from 7.0% to 8.0% on top of standard transfer duty rates.

Do off-the-plan property purchases qualify for stamp duty discounts?

Yes! States like Victoria and NSW offer off-the-plan duty concessions where stamp duty is assessed on the land value only, excluding construction costs.

What transfer registration fees apply in addition to stamp duty?

State Land Registry Offices charge land transfer registration fees (typically $150 to $350) and mortgage registration fees (typically $120 to $200) at settlement.

Do married couples get two First Home Buyer concessions?

No. If either spouse or partner has previously owned residential property in Australia, neither partner is eligible for First Home Buyer stamp duty concessions.

What is the NSW Annual Property Tax (opt-in scheme)?

NSW introduced an opt-in alternative to stamp duty for properties under $1.5M. First home buyers can choose to pay an annual property tax of $400 + 0.3% of land value per year instead of a large upfront stamp duty payment. This is advantageous for buyers who plan to sell within 7–8 years but disadvantages long-term holders.

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Full Stamp Duty Rate Table: All Major States (2026)

Property Price	NSW (non-FHB)	VIC (non-FHB)	QLD (non-FHB)	WA (non-FHB)
$400,000	$13,490	$15,070	$8,750	$11,115
$600,000	$22,490	$31,070	$12,850	$19,115
$800,000	$31,490	$43,070	$20,350	$27,115
$1,000,000	$40,490	$55,070	$30,850	$35,115
$1,500,000	$64,615	$82,070	$56,350	$57,115
$2,000,000	$89,615	$110,000	$81,350	$78,115

Cheapest state for a $1M property: QLD ($30,850) — saving $24,640 vs NSW.

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Real-World Case Studies

Case Study 1: The Sydney First Home Buyer — $799,000 Unit

Profile: 27-year-old buying their first home in Parramatta, NSW, for $799,000

Calculation	Amount
Standard transfer duty	$31,000
FHBAS full exemption (under $800,000)	−$31,000
Total stamp duty payable	$0
Government registration fee	$165
Total government upfront costs	$165

Saving vs. non-FHB: $31,000 — equivalent to 15 months of rent in Western Sydney.

Note: Property is $1,000 below the $800,000 exemption ceiling. Had the purchase been $801,000, the full $31,080 duty would have been payable.

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Case Study 2: The Investor Paying Full Stamp Duty — Interstate Comparison

Profile: Investor buying $900,000 investment property, choosing between Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane

City	Stamp Duty (Investor)	Upfront Cash Required (20% deposit + duty)
Sydney (NSW)	$36,715	$180,000 + $36,715 = $216,715
Melbourne (VIC)	$49,070	$180,000 + $49,070 = $229,070
Brisbane (QLD)	$31,700	$180,000 + $31,700 = $211,700

Brisbane is $17,370 cheaper than Melbourne in upfront costs for the same investment purchase — a meaningful difference in capital requirement.

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Case Study 3: The Off-the-Plan Buyer Who Saved $28,000

Profile: Melbourne buyer, $650,000 off-the-plan apartment purchase

Standard stamp duty on $650,000 established property: $34,370

Off-the-plan calculation:

• Land component only (from developer disclosure): $180,000
• VIC duty on $180,000 land: $6,370
• Saving vs. established property: $28,000

This off-the-plan concession is designed to incentivise new housing construction and is available to both owner-occupiers and investors in Victoria.

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First Home Guarantee Scheme (Federal) — Interaction with Stamp Duty

The federal First Home Guarantee allows eligible buyers to purchase with 5% deposit (no LMI) — but stamp duty concessions are determined entirely by state rules, not the federal scheme. Both can be combined:

Benefit	Provider	Max Value
First Home Guarantee (5% deposit, no LMI)	Federal Government	LMI saving ~$15,000–$25,000
Stamp Duty Exemption (FHB concession)	State Revenue Office	$0–$50,000 depending on state
First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSS)	ATO via Super	Up to $50,000 super withdrawal

Combined maximum saving for a eligible FHB: $80,000–$125,000 in government assistance.

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Edge Cases

Situation	Stamp Duty Treatment
Buying land only (no house)	Stamp duty applies on land purchase price; no FHB exemption in most states
Buying with partner who owned property before	Neither partner qualifies for FHB concession
Property received as a gift	Concessional or market value duty may apply depending on state
Transfer between spouses/de facto	Most states offer exemption or reduced duty on transfers between spouses
Trust purchase	Trusts generally don't qualify for FHB concessions; standard investor rates apply

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💡 Disclaimer: Stamp duty rates and concession thresholds are updated regularly by each state government. This guide is for educational purposes only. Verify current rates with your state Revenue Office before purchase.

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