Stamp Duty Australia 2026-27: State-by-State Comparison

Stamp duty on property purchases varies wildly across Australia — from nil for first home buyers of new builds in Queensland and South Australia to approximately $40,000 on a $1 million home in NSW. The 2026-27 year sees Queensland lock in its $0 stamp duty for new builds into permanent law, the ACT become the first jurisdiction to abolish stamp duty for all first home buyers, and NSW and WA continue expanding their exemption thresholds.

Data in this article is sourced from state revenue offices and 2026-27 budget papers as at 5 July 2026.

New South Wales

NSW has the most complex stamp duty scale, with rates rising to 7% for properties over $3,505,000. No rate changes were announced in the 2026-27 Budget.

General rates 2026-27:

$0–$16,000: $1.25 per $100
$16,001–$35,000: $200 plus $1.50 per $100 over $16,000
$35,001–$93,000: $485 plus $1.75 per $100 over $35,000
$93,001–$351,000: $1,500 plus $3.50 per $100 over $93,000
$351,001–$1,168,000: $10,530 plus $4.50 per $100 over $351,000
$1,168,001–$3,505,000: $47,295 plus $5.50 per $100 over $1,168,000
Over $3,505,000: $175,830 plus $7.00 per $100 over $3,505,000

On a $1,000,000 property, general stamp duty is approximately $40,000.

First home buyer assistance (FHBAS):

Full exemption up to $800,000
Sliding scale concession from $800,001 to $1,000,000
Over $1,000,000: No concession

More than 94,000 first home buyers have saved an average of $20,400 each under these reforms since July 2023.

Foreign surcharge: 9% in addition to standard transfer duty.

Build-to-rent and retirement village relief: From 1 July 2026, foreign purchasers of operational BTR or retirement village properties may be eligible for refund of the 9% surcharge.

Key note: NSW's First Home Buyer Choice (property tax instead of stamp duty) closed to new entrants from 30 June 2024. Existing participants continue to pay the annual property tax: $400 plus 0.3% of unimproved land value.

Victoria

Victoria's stamp duty rates are unchanged for 2026-27.

General rates:

Up to $25,000: 1.4%
$25,001–$130,000: $350 plus 2.4%
$130,001–$960,000: 6%
$960,001–$2,000,000: 5.5%
Over $2,000,000: 6.5%

Stamp duty revenue is forecast at $10.0 billion for 2026-27.

First home buyer concessions:

Full exemption up to $600,000
Concessional rates from $600,001 to $750,000

Off-the-plan concession: Extended 6 months to contracts signed before 21 April 2027, offering 100% deduction of outstanding construction costs. Available to both owner-occupiers and investors.

Foreign surcharge: 8%.

Key reforms: Legislation announced to shift building and pest inspection costs from buyers to sellers, and to require agents to publish actual sale prices after settlement. Commencement dates are yet to be announced.

Queensland

Queensland's 2026-27 Budget committed to no new or increased taxes. Transfer duty is forecast to raise $8.346 billion.

General rates 2026-27:

$0–$5,000: Nil
$5,001–$75,000: $1.50 per $100 over $5,000
$75,001–$540,000: $1,050 plus $3.50 per $100 over $75,000
$540,001–$1,000,000: $17,325 plus $4.50 per $100 over $540,000
Over $1,000,000: $38,025 plus $5.75 per $100 over $1,000,000

Home concession: Reduced rates for owner-occupiers buying a principal place of residence — approximately $5,000 saving on a $600,000 property.

First home buyer concessions

Queensland offers the most generous first home buyer stamp duty concessions in the country:

New homes and vacant land: FULL exemption with NO price cap — locked into permanent law in the 2026-27 Budget. On a $1,000,000 new build, saving approximately $30,850.
Established homes: Full exemption up to $700,000 with sliding scale concession to $800,000. Over $800,000, no concession.

Since May 2025, more than 3,500 Queenslanders have saved over $66 million through the new build exemption. Annual relief is budgeted at over $60 million.

Foreign surcharge (AFAD): 8%.

Temporary resident exclusion: From 1 August 2026, temporary residents are generally ineligible for home, first home, and vacant land transfer duty concessions.

Western Australia

WA announced a third round of stamp duty relief on 7 May 2026.

First home buyer thresholds (from 7 May 2026):

Full exemption: established/new homes up to $600,000 (up from $500,000); vacant land up to $450,000 (up from $350,000)
Concessional threshold: established homes up to $800,000; vacant land up to $550,000

Maximum savings are approximately $22,515 on an established home and $25,390 on vacant land plus building. With the $10,000 FHOG, total benefits can reach $35,390. An estimated 25,000 buyers will benefit over four years.

Off-the-plan concession: Extended to 30 June 2028 and expanded to include survey-strata and community title schemes from March 2026. Pre-construction exemption up to $800,000, tapering to 50% above $900,000.

FHOG decoupling: FHOG eligibility was decoupled from the first home owner rate of duty value cap from 7 May 2026.

Foreign surcharge: 7%.

South Australia

SA abolished stamp duty for first home buyers purchasing or building a new home from 6 June 2024 — with no property value cap. This was a groundbreaking reform at the time.

First home buyer new builds: FULL abolition, no value cap. Established homes are not eligible.

Eligibility tightened (13 February 2025):

Any prior residential property ownership in Australia disqualifies the applicant
Foreign ownership surcharge no longer eligible for FHB relief

Seniors downsizing relief (from 25 March 2026): Full stamp duty relief for new homes up to $2 million for buyers aged 60 and above.

Off-the-plan concession: Available — duty assessed on land component value at exchange only.

Foreign surcharge: 7%.

Tasmania

Tasmania's stamp duty rates are unchanged for 2026-27.

First home buyer concession: 50% discount on stamp duty for established homes up to $600,000 (from 1 July 2023). The window for full exemption on established homes up to $750,000 (available 18 February 2024 to 30 June 2026) has now closed. From 1 July 2026, no first home buyer duty concession exists for new homes — only established homes get the 50% discount.

Foreign surcharge (FIDS): 8% on full contract price, making it one of the highest foreign buyer surcharges in Australia.

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT has been progressively replacing stamp duty with an annual land tax (general rates) since 2012.

Major reform from 1 July 2026:

Stamp duty FULLY ABOLISHED for all first home buyers who live in the property — the first jurisdiction in Australia to do this
Property price cap and income threshold for the Home Buyer Concession Scheme removed
New turn-key units (newly constructed, not sold off-plan) exempt from duty for owner-occupiers
Pensioner duty concession expanded, DVA Gold Card 12-month waiting period eliminated
Disability duty concession expanded to full exemption regardless of property price
Commercial conveyance tax-free threshold increased by $100,000 to $2,100,000

The ACT does not offer a FHOG — the HBCS provides a full stamp duty waiver instead.

Northern Territory

The NT uses a unique formula-based stamp duty calculation, producing relatively high effective rates at mid-range prices.

Territory Home Owner Discount (THOD): Full stamp duty exemption on properties up to $500,000. Not limited to first home buyers — applies to anyone who does not currently own NT residential property.

Foreign surcharge: NONE — the NT does not impose a foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge.

Key grants:

HomeGrown Territory Grant: $50,000 for first home buyers of new homes (extended to 30 September 2027)
FreshStart New Home Grant: $30,000 for existing homeowners buying/building a new home

FAQ

Which state has the lowest stamp duty for first home buyers?

Queensland, South Australia, and the ACT all offer full stamp duty exemption for first home buyers of new builds with no price cap. The ACT extends this to all property types for first home buyers from 1 July 2026. SA eliminated stamp duty for new build FHBs from June 2024.

How much stamp duty on a $700,000 home in NSW?

If you are a first home buyer occupying as principal residence: $0 (full exemption up to $800,000). If you are not a first home buyer: approximately $26,000 in general duty, or about $19,500 with the home concession (owner-occupier rate). Add 9% surcharge for foreign buyers.

Are there any off-the-plan stamp duty concessions?

Yes, in several states. Victoria's off-the-plan concession (100% deduction of construction costs) is extended to contracts before 21 April 2027. WA's is extended to 30 June 2028. NSW, SA, and NT also offer off-the-plan concessions that assess duty on the land component only.

Can I combine a state stamp duty concession with the First Home Owner Grant?

Yes. In most states, the stamp duty concession and FHOG are separate programs that can be combined. In Queensland, you can stack $0 stamp duty on a new build with the $30,000 FHOG and the federal First Home Guarantee.

Which state charges the highest foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge?

NSW at 9%, closely followed by VIC at 8%, QLD at 8%, TAS at 8%, WA at 7%, and SA at 7%. The ACT and NT do not impose a foreign stamp duty surcharge.