Updated July 2026
Stamp duty — officially "transfer duty" in most jurisdictions — is often the single largest upfront cost of buying property in Australia after the deposit itself. On a typical capital-city home it can run to tens of thousands of dollars, and because each state and territory sets its own rates, thresholds and concessions, the same house price can produce wildly different bills depending on where you buy.
Transfer duty is a state tax, not a federal one. There is no national stamp duty rate; each state and territory revenue office administers its own legislation, sets its own rate schedule, and changes those settings — sometimes substantially — in its annual budget.
Duty is calculated on the dutiable value of the property: the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher. That "whichever is higher" rule matters if you buy below market value from a family member — the revenue office will assess duty on a valuation, not the discounted price.
All states use sliding scales (also called progressive brackets). Rather than one flat percentage, the price is split into bands, with each band taxed at an increasing marginal rate. The practical effect is that duty rises faster than the price: a $900,000 home doesn't attract 50% more duty than a $600,000 home — it usually attracts considerably more than that, because more of the price falls into higher bands.
Payment is handled at or around settlement. Your conveyancer or solicitor lodges the transfer with the state revenue office and arranges payment, because in every state the transfer generally can't be registered on the title until duty is paid. The formal legal deadline varies: some states require payment within 30 days, others allow up to three months from settlement or the contract date. Miss the deadline and interest and penalties apply — though in practice your conveyancer will make sure this is sorted on settlement day.
Below is how each state and territory approaches transfer duty and first home buyers at a high level. Thresholds and rates change with state budgets — often on 1 July — so treat the details as a map, not a rate card, and confirm current figures with the relevant revenue office or our calculator.
NSW uses a progressive scale administered by Revenue NSW, with brackets indexed periodically. First home buyers get meaningful help through the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme: a full exemption below a price threshold and a tapering concession above it, for both new and established homes you intend to live in. The thresholds have moved several times in recent years, so check the current cut-offs before you rely on them.
Victoria's duty scale is among the steepest in the country at typical Melbourne price points. First home buyers can access a full exemption below a threshold and a partial concession in a band above it, provided the home becomes their principal place of residence. Victoria has also historically offered off-the-plan concessions that deduct construction costs incurred after the contract date from the dutiable value — the eligibility rules for these have changed repeatedly, so verify what applies to your contract with the State Revenue Office.
Queensland is notable for having a lower general rate for owner-occupiers: the home concession reduces duty for anyone buying a home to live in, not just first-timers. On top of that, the first home concession can eliminate duty entirely below a threshold, and there's a separate concession for first home buyers purchasing vacant land to build on. Occupancy rules apply — you generally need to move in within a year and not sell or lease out the whole property too soon.
WA applies a general scale with a concessional residential rate for homes and business premises. First home buyers benefit from the First Home Owner Rate of duty — zero duty below one threshold and a reduced rate up to a higher cap, with separate (more generous per-dollar) settings for vacant land. WA has lifted these thresholds in recent budgets, so check the current numbers.
SA was long the outlier with no first home buyer duty relief at all. That changed: SA now offers first home buyer relief, but it is targeted at new homes and vacant land to build on — buying an established home generally attracts full duty even for first-timers. If you're a first home buyer in SA, the new-versus-established distinction is the single most important thing to check with RevenueSA.
Tasmania applies a progressive scale and has offered first home buyers a substantial concession on established homes below a price cap — in recent years this has been expanded toward a full exemption under the threshold. Because the settings have shifted, confirm the current concession level and cap with the State Revenue Office of Tasmania.
The ACT is structurally different from everywhere else: it has been running a two-decade tax reform that phases out conveyance duty and replaces the revenue with higher general rates (the ACT's equivalent of council rates). Duty rates have fallen steadily as a result, and some transactions — such as eligible off-the-plan purchases under a price cap — can attract no duty at all. First home buyer relief in the ACT is income-tested under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme rather than restricted by property type, which is unusual nationally.
The NT calculates duty using a formula for lower-value properties and flat percentage rates above a threshold, and at many price points it produces some of the higher bills in the country. Territory home buyer assistance schemes have come and gone with budgets — grants and concessions targeted at new builds and territory home ownership have featured prominently — so check the Territory Revenue Office for what's currently on offer.
To make the state differences concrete, here's roughly what an owner-occupier (not a first home buyer, not a foreign purchaser) could expect on a $750,000 established home. These figures are indicative only — scales change with each state budget, and concessions can change the outcome entirely. Use the calculator for current figures.
| State/Territory | Indicative duty on $750,000 | Roughly % of price |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | ~$28,000–$30,000 | ~3.8–4.0% |
| VIC | ~$40,000 | ~5.3% |
| QLD | ~$19,000–$20,000 (home rate) | ~2.6% |
| WA | ~$29,000 | ~3.9% |
| SA | ~$35,000 | ~4.7% |
| TAS | ~$28,000–$29,000 | ~3.8% |
| ACT | ~$20,000 or less | ~2.5% and falling |
| NT | ~$37,000 | ~4.9% |
The spread is striking: on the same purchase price, a Victorian buyer can pay roughly double what a Queensland owner-occupier pays. If you're comparing job offers or lifestyle moves between states, duty deserves a line in the spreadsheet.
If you're not an Australian citizen or permanent resident (and don't fall within an exempted visa class), most states impose an additional duty surcharge on residential property — typically in the range of 7% to 8% of the full purchase price, on top of standard duty. On a $750,000 property, that's an extra $50,000–$60,000. Several states also apply an ongoing annual land tax surcharge to foreign owners. Definitions of "foreign person" differ by state and can capture some temporary visa holders, trusts and companies with foreign shareholders, so get specific advice before signing if this might apply to you.
Stamp duty is the biggest government charge, but it's not the only cost due around settlement:
Because duty and these costs usually come from savings rather than the loan, they directly reduce your effective deposit. Run your numbers through our borrowing power calculator to see how upfront costs interact with what you can borrow.
You can't negotiate duty, but you can structure a purchase to qualify for less of it:
For a deeper dive, read our full guide on how to reduce stamp duty in Australia.
Calculate Your Stamp Duty Now →Not for your own home. For an investment property, duty generally isn't deductible in the year you pay it, but it forms part of the property's cost base and reduces capital gains tax when you sell. (The ACT's leasehold system can produce different treatment.) Talk to an accountant about your circumstances.
Usually not directly — lenders expect it paid from your own funds at settlement. If your deposit is big enough, borrowing slightly more can effectively cover it, but that means paying interest on your duty for up to 30 years.
Often not, or not the full amount. Every state and territory offers some relief — exemptions below a threshold, tapering concessions, income-tested schemes, or new-build-only relief. Thresholds move with state budgets, so check the current threshold with your state revenue office or the calculator.
Practically, at settlement — the transfer can't be registered until it's paid. The statutory deadline ranges from about 30 days to three months depending on the state, with interest charged on late payment.
An extra duty of around 7–8% of the purchase price charged to foreign buyers in most states, on top of standard duty, sometimes accompanied by an annual land tax surcharge.
Yes, but only on the land's value — not on any construction you contract afterwards. That's why house-and-land packages typically attract far less duty than an established home at the same all-in price.
Only the ACT is actually phasing it out, replacing the revenue through higher general rates over a 20-year transition. Other states have debated duty-to-land-tax swaps, and NSW briefly ran an opt-in property tax before winding it back, but for now transfer duty remains firmly in place across the states.
This article is general information only and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. It is not financial, tax or legal advice — confirm current rates and eligibility with your state revenue office and seek professional advice before acting.