Stamp duty (transfer duty) is often the largest cost of buying a home after the deposit. It is set by each state and territory, so the same $750,000 home attracts very different duty in Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide. This guide compares the 2026–27 duty in all eight jurisdictions for three prices, and shows how first home buyer concessions change it.
Duty on a home you will live in
These figures are for an established home bought as your own home, by a buyer who is not a first home buyer. Several states charge less when you live in the property.
| State or territory | $500,000 | $750,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $16,687 | $27,937 | $39,187 |
| VIC | $21,970 | $40,070 | $55,000 |
| QLD | $8,750 | $19,600 | $30,850 |
| WA | $17,765 | $29,741 | $42,616 |
| SA | $21,330 | $35,080 | $48,830 |
| TAS | $18,248 | $28,935 | $40,185 |
| ACT | $8,408 | $19,208 | $33,958 |
| NT | $23,929 | $37,125 | $49,500 |
On a $750,000 home the gap between the cheapest and dearest jurisdiction is over $20,000. Queensland and the ACT are lower for owner-occupiers because both have home concession rates. Victoria's concession only applies up to $550,000, so it helps at $500,000 but not at the higher prices.
Investors pay the general rate
If you are buying to rent out, the owner-occupier concessions do not apply. The difference shows up in three places at $500,000:
- Queensland: $15,925 instead of $8,750.
- Victoria: $25,070 instead of $21,970.
- ACT: $11,400 instead of $8,408.
In the other five, the duty is the same whether or not you live in the home.
First home buyers
Most states cut or remove duty for eligible first home buyers, up to a price cap. This is the duty an eligible first home buyer pays on an established home in 2026–27:
| State or territory | $500,000 | $750,000 | $1,000,000 | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $0 | $0 | $39,187 | Nil up to $800,000, reduced up to $1m |
| VIC | $0 | $40,070 | $55,000 | Nil up to $600,000, reduced up to $750,000 |
| QLD | $0 | $10,925 | $30,850 | Nil up to $700,000, reduced up to $800,000 |
| WA | $0 | $24,225 | $42,616 | Nil up to $600,000, reduced up to $800,000 |
| SA | $21,330 | $35,080 | $48,830 | Relief for new homes only |
| TAS | $18,248 | $28,935 | $40,185 | Established-home exemption ended 30 June 2026 |
| ACT | $0 | $0 | $0 | Home Buyer Concession Scheme, no price cap |
| NT | $23,929 | $37,125 | $49,500 | No general first home duty concession |
Eligibility is the catch
Each scheme has its own tests. Common ones are that you, and anyone buying with you, have never owned a home in Australia, that you move in within a set time, and that you live there for a minimum period, usually 6 or 12 months. From 1 August 2026, Queensland's home and first home concessions are limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and some foreign retirees. From 1 July 2026 the ACT scheme has no price cap or income test, but no buyer can have owned property in the last five years. Many states also have separate rules and caps for new homes and vacant land, which are not shown here.
Duty is paid in cash, not borrowed
Lenders generally expect duty to come from your own savings, on top of the deposit. On a $750,000 home in South Australia, a 20% deposit of $150,000 plus $35,080 of duty means $185,080 before legal and other costs. That is why duty is worth modelling early. It changes how long it takes to save, and whether the loan needs mortgage insurance.
For your own price, the stamp duty calculator works out the 2026–27 duty for any state. How a deposit, offset account and repayments then play out is covered in offset account vs redraw.
Assumptions behind the numbers
- Duty uses each state's 2026–27 general and owner-occupier rates, as coded in the MyFinancialFuture engine and checked in October 2026 against the revenue offices. ACT figures use the rates published from 1 July 2025. The ACT usually lowers its rates each July, so 2026–27 duty there may be slightly less. Victorian and NT figures match the published rates but could not be read directly from the revenue office pages.
- Figures are for an established residential home bought by an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Foreign purchaser surcharges, off-the-plan and vacant land rules, pensioner schemes and the NT house and land exemption are not included.
- First home buyer figures assume every eligibility test is met. WA's caps are those in force from 7 May 2026. Figures are rounded to the nearest dollar.
- The state revenue office gives the official figure for any purchase, and a conveyancer or solicitor can confirm it for a specific contract.
Run your own numbers
Every household is different. MyFinancialFuture lets you model buying a home, including stamp duty and the loan, alongside the rest of your finances with your own income, loan and super, month by month, for free and without an account.
Open the planner