Stamp Duty Concessions for First Home Buyers: Every State and Territory Explained

Each jurisdiction sets its own eligibility rules, but the core requirement across all eight is that neither you nor your spouse or domestic partner has previously owned residential property in Australia. You must also intend to live in the home as your principal place of residence, usually within 12 months of settlement and for a minimum continuous period (typically 6 to 12 months depending on the state). Most schemes require at least one applicant to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Beyond those common threads, the rules diverge. Some states distinguish between new and established homes. Some cap the property value. Some impose an income test. The sections below set out the current rules for each jurisdiction.

NSW offers a full exemption from transfer duty for first home buyers purchasing a new or established home valued at $800,000 or less. A sliding-scale concession applies for properties valued between $800,001 and $1,000,000. Properties at $1,000,000 or above receive no concession. The scheme covers both new and established homes, as well as vacant land intended for construction of a first home (with a lower threshold of $350,000 for a full exemption, tapering to $450,000).

The scheme is called the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS). Buyers must move into the home within 12 months of settlement and live there for a continuous period of at least 12 months.

The full exemption threshold of $800,000 has applied to contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2023. There is no income test.

Victoria offers a full exemption from land transfer duty for first home buyers purchasing a property with a dutiable value of $600,000 or less. A sliding-scale concession applies for properties between $600,001 and $750,000. No concession applies above $750,000.

The scheme covers new and established homes and vacant land intended for building a first home. For off-the-plan purchases, the dutiable value may be reduced by deducting construction costs incurred after the contract date, which can bring a higher-priced property within the exemption threshold.

Buyers must move in within 12 months of settlement and live there for at least 12 continuous months.

Queensland operates two separate concessions for first home buyers, and buyers can only claim one.

For new homes (including substantially renovated homes) and vacant residential land, a full transfer duty concession has applied to contracts entered into on or after 1 May 2025, with no price cap. This means eligible first home buyers purchasing a brand new home or vacant land to build on pay no transfer duty regardless of the purchase price.

For established homes, the first home concession applies to properties valued under $800,000 and can save buyers up to $24,525. Above $800,000, the full standard duty rate applies.

For all concessions, buyers must occupy the property as their principal place of residence within one year of the transfer date and must not sell or lease the entire property within one year of moving in. From 1 August 2026, all transferees must be Australian citizens, permanent residents, or specified foreign retirees.

WA updated its first home buyer stamp duty thresholds as part of the 2026-27 State Budget, with the changes applying to contracts entered into on or after 7 May 2026.

For new and established homes: a full exemption applies to properties valued up to $600,000 (increased from $500,000). A concessional rate applies for properties valued between $600,001 and $800,000 (increased from $700,000).

For vacant land: a full exemption applies to properties valued up to $450,000 (increased from $350,000). A concessional rate applies for properties valued between $450,001 and $550,000 (increased from $450,000).

The changes were part of a $297 million housing tax package and are expected to benefit more than 25,000 first home buyers over four years. The First Home Owner Grant cap for homes south of the 26th parallel was also increased to $800,000 from 7 May 2026.

SA offers stamp duty relief for eligible first home buyers, but only on new homes and vacant land. Stamp duty relief is not available for the purchase of an established home.

A new home is one that has not been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence, including substantially renovated homes. Since the 2024-25 State Budget (for contracts entered into on or after 6 June 2024), there is no property value cap on the stamp duty relief for new homes or vacant land.

Buyers must occupy the property as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months, commencing within 12 months of settlement.

SA also offers a First Home Owner Grant of up to $15,000 for eligible buyers of new homes.

The full stamp duty exemption for first home buyers of established homes that applied from 18 February 2024 expired on 30 June 2026 and is not available for transactions settling after that date. The State Revenue Office Tasmania has confirmed this exemption has ended.

First home buyers of new homes in Tasmania may still be eligible for duty relief under separate provisions. Tasmania also offers a First Home Owner Grant of $20,000 for eligible new home transactions with contracts signed from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.

Buyers considering a property in Tasmania should check the current position directly with the State Revenue Office Tasmania before entering into a contract, as the post-June 2026 rules for established homes are subject to any new budget measures.

From 1 July 2026, the ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBC) provides a full exemption from conveyance duty for eligible buyers, with no income test and no property price cap. This is a significant expansion from the previous scheme, which imposed both an income threshold and a property value limit.

The remaining eligibility requirements are unchanged: all buyers and their domestic partners must not have owned property in the last five years, at least one buyer must be aged 18 or over, and at least one buyer must own and live in the home as their principal place of residence for at least 12 months, commencing within one year of settlement.

The HBC applies to all ACT residential properties.

The NT does not offer a stamp duty concession specifically for first home buyers. Instead, NT provides the HomeGrown Territory Grant, a cash grant of $50,000 for eligible first home buyers purchasing or building a new home in the Territory. The grant is available for eligible contracts through 30 September 2027. Recipients must meet a 12-month residence requirement.

A broader Principal Place of Residence Rebate on stamp duty is available to all owner-occupiers in the NT, not just first home buyers.

The concession rules are set by each state or territory government and can change with each budget. Thresholds confirmed in this article apply to contracts entered into as at August 2026. Before entering into a contract, check the current rules directly with the relevant state revenue office using the source links at the end of this article.

A few things that vary between jurisdictions are worth checking in your specific situation. First, whether the property is new or established matters in SA (no relief for established) and QLD (different concession levels). Second, whether you have ever owned or had an interest in residential property in Australia or overseas, since most schemes extend that test globally, not just to Australian property. Third, whether your spouse or domestic partner's property history affects your eligibility, since most schemes treat couples jointly. Fourth, whether you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, since several jurisdictions now require this for contracts entered into from August 2026 onwards.

Your conveyancer or solicitor will usually apply for the concession on your behalf when lodging the transfer.