First Home Stamp Duty Exemptions

Why it matters

Stamp duty support matters because it changes the total cash needed at purchase, not just the monthly mortgage story. A buyer can be comfortable with a repayment estimate and still be blocked by the upfront transaction cost.

The problem is that each state and territory uses different rules, different price bands, and different labels. Some systems offer a full exemption in lower bands. Others offer a partial concession, a nil-duty new-home pathway, or a means-tested concession. That is why a simple "first-home buyers do not pay stamp duty" assumption is unreliable.

How stamp duty affects upfront cash

• Transfer duty is often one of the largest non-deposit costs in a purchase.
• Relief can improve the buyer's total cash-outlay position, not just the size of the loan.
• The type of property matters: new home, existing home, vacant land, off-the-plan, and house-and-land packages can all be treated differently.
• Contract date, settlement date, and move-in rules can all affect whether relief sticks.

NSW first-home stamp duty support

NSW currently provides one of the clearest first-home duty structures, but the bands still need checking before exchange.

• Eligible first-home buyers may receive a full exemption on a new or existing home valued up to $800,000.
• A concession may apply on a new or existing home valued above $800,000 and below $1,000,000.
• For vacant land, a full exemption may apply up to $350,000, with a concession above $350,000 and below $450,000.
• For agreements entered into on or after 1 July 2023, Revenue NSW says the buyer must move in within 12 months and live there continuously for at least 12 months.

This can materially reduce the upfront cash needed, but only if the buyer remains inside the current price band and satisfies the residence rules.

National snapshot beyond NSW

VIC

• Victoria currently gives first-home buyers an exemption or concession on a home or vacant land valued up to $750,000.
• No duty applies up to $600,000, with a concession from $600,001 to $750,000.
• This can apply to a new home, an established home, or vacant land, subject to current conditions.

QLD

• From 1 May 2025, Queensland introduced a full first-home concession on transfer duty for new homes and vacant land, which can reduce duty to nil. See the Queensland Revenue Office transfer duty guidance.
• Queensland also has a first-home concession for established homes, with no duty up to $700,000 and a partial concession from $700,001 to $800,000.
• In practice, the property type matters a lot in Queensland.

WA

• WA uses the first home owner rate of duty.
• For transactions on or after 21 March 2025, no duty applies on a home up to $500,000, with concessional duty above that up to $700,000 in the metropolitan or Peel region and up to $750,000 outside those areas.
• For vacant land, no duty applies up to $350,000, with a concession from $350,001 to $450,000.

SA

• South Australia currently has relief for eligible first-home buyers purchasing a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, or vacant land to build a home.
• Property value caps can matter depending on the contract date and transaction type. See RevenueSA's first-home buyer relief pages before relying on a band.
• SA also changed some prior-ownership settings for contracts on or after 13 February 2025, so older summaries may be wrong.

TAS

• Tasmania's headline current relief is a 100% duty exemption for eligible first-home buyers purchasing an established home with a dutiable value of $750,000 or less, settling between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026.
• Because the relief is date-specific, check the current window before assuming the exemption still applies when you buy.

ACT

• The ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme is means-tested.
• From 1 July 2025, eligible buyers may pay no conveyance duty on a home worth up to $1,020,000, with a partial concession above that up to a higher threshold. See the ACT Revenue Office 2025-26 changes page.
• Current ACT guidance also includes a one-year residence requirement.

NT

• The NT House and Land Package Exemption can apply to eligible house-and-land package transactions contracted between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2027.
• Current NT guidance says there is no means test and no property value cap for that exemption, but occupancy rules still apply.
• At least one applicant must move in within 12 months and live there for at least 6 months.

What to verify before relying on it

• Check the exact contract date rule for your state or territory.
• Check whether the property is classed as new, established, vacant land, or a house-and-land package.
• Check whether previous ownership by you or your spouse affects eligibility.
• Check the residence requirement and how long you must stay.
• Check whether a refinance, delayed move-in, or change in circumstances could trigger reassessment.

Example 1

Scenario only.

Buyer A in NSW buys a home for $780,000 and meets the current first-home and residence rules.

• If the current NSW exemption still applies at that price point, the buyer may pay no transfer duty.
• That can leave more cash available for legal fees, moving costs, a buffer, or minor repairs.

Buyer B buys a similar home but does not qualify for relief.

• Buyer B must cover the full duty cost on top of the deposit and other purchase expenses.
• The monthly mortgage might look the same, but the entry cash hurdle is much higher.

Example 2

Scenario only.

Buyer C compares a $790,000 established home in NSW with a similarly priced new home in Queensland.

• In NSW, the current exemption or concession outcome turns on the NSW home value band and the buyer's eligibility.
• In Queensland, a first-home buyer of a new home may currently reduce duty to nil under the new-home concession settings.

The cash-outlay difference can be material even when the sticker price looks similar. This is why interstate comparisons should never be done using headline price alone.

Common mistakes

• Assuming all first-home buyers get full stamp duty relief.
• Confusing established-home rules with new-home or vacant-land rules.
• Missing the residence requirement after settlement.
• Relying on an old threshold table without checking the current contract date rules.
• Comparing two states by property price only and ignoring transaction costs.

Quick checklist

• Identify the property type first.
• Check the live threshold or concession band for your state.
• Check residence and ownership rules for both buyer and spouse.
• Recalculate total cash needed with and without duty relief.
• Verify the rule again before exchange if your search has dragged on.
• If you are comparing states, compare total cash-outlay, not just deposit size.

General information disclaimer

This article is general information only. It is not legal advice, financial advice, or a substitute for the current revenue-office rules in your state or territory. Duty settings, dates, bands, and eligibility tests can change, so confirm the live rule set before relying on any exemption or concession.

Check the official source on this page before you rely on any duty threshold, concession band, or residence rule.