Stamp Duty by State 2026: Rates and a $750k Comparison
Stamp duty by state in 2026: what the same $750,000 home costs in each state and territory
On this page ▾
- Stamp duty on a $750,000 home in every state and territory
- Which state has the highest stamp duty, and which has the lowest?
- Stamp duty rates and thresholds by state (2026-27)
- First home buyer stamp duty concessions compared
- Foreign buyer stamp duty surcharges by state
- Who pays stamp duty, and when is it due?
- Can stamp duty be added to your home loan?
- Ways to pay less stamp duty, legitimately
- How we plan for stamp duty with you
- Frequently asked questions
Victoria charges the most stamp duty in Australia on a typical home: $40,070 on a $750,000 purchase. The ACT ($19,208) and Queensland ($19,600) charge the least for a buyer who will live in the property, and an eligible first home buyer pays nothing at that price in NSW or the ACT.
That is a gap of $20,862 on the same purchase price, and it lands on top of your deposit. We checked every figure on this page against the relevant state or territory revenue office on 26 September 2026. That includes the NSW thresholds indexed on 1 July 2026, the ACT first home buyer change that started on 1 July 2026, and the Tasmanian exemption that ended on 30 June 2026.
Stamp duty on a $750,000 home in every state and territory
The table assumes an established (previously lived-in) home bought for $750,000. A “standard buyer” is an owner-occupier who has owned a home before. A “first home buyer” meets that state’s first home buyer rules and will live in the home. The foreign surcharge column shows the extra duty at the same price. Most foreign buyers can currently only buy new homes or vacant land (see the foreign buyer section below).
| State or territory | Standard buyer (owner-occupier) | First home buyer | Investor | Extra surcharge if a foreign buyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | $19,208 | $0 | $22,200 | None |
| Queensland | $19,600 | $10,925 | $26,775 | $60,000 (8%) |
| New South Wales | $27,937 | $0 | $27,937 | $67,500 (9%) |
| Tasmania | $28,935 | $28,935 | $28,935 | $60,000 (8%) |
| Western Australia | $29,740.50 | $24,225 | $29,740.50 | $52,500 (7%) |
| South Australia | $35,080 | $35,080 | $35,080 | $52,500 (7%) |
| Northern Territory | $37,125 | $37,125 | $37,125 | None |
| Victoria | $40,070 | $40,070 | $40,070 | $60,000 (8%) |
Five things in that table are easy to miss.
- Queensland’s low figure depends on living there. At $750,000 the owner-occupier rate is $7,175 lower than the investor rate.
- Victoria’s first home buyer concession runs out at exactly $750,000. Duty is nil up to $600,000 and tapers back to full duty at $750,000, so a Victorian first home buyer at this price pays the same $40,070 as everyone else. At $700,000 the same buyer would pay $24,713.
- Tasmania no longer has first home buyer duty relief. Its 100% exemption on established homes stopped for settlements after 30 June 2026.
- South Australia only helps first home buyers of new homes. On an established home they pay full duty.
- In the ACT, “first home buyer” really means “no property in the last five years”. From 1 July 2026 the ACT removed both the income test and the price cap on its Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
Where you buy can matter more than the interest rate you negotiate. We had an investor weighing up Queensland against Victoria at around $700,000. The Victorian purchase needed roughly $12,000 more cash to complete, almost all of it duty. On the same savings, that investor was shopping at a lower price in Victoria. That’s why we work out the funds needed to complete in each state before anyone starts looking at listings.
Which state has the highest stamp duty, and which has the lowest?
Highest: Victoria. Above about $550,000 it charges the most of any state or territory, whether you live in the home or rent it out, and it stays the highest well past $2 million. Victoria’s 6% rate applies from $130,000, and the owner-occupier discount stops at $550,000, which is where Victoria overtakes the Northern Territory.
Lowest: it depends on the price. For an owner-occupier, the ACT is lowest up to roughly $780,000 and Queensland is lowest from there to about $1.75 million. At $1,000,000, Queensland’s home concession rate gives $30,850 against $33,958 in the ACT. For investors, the ACT is lowest up to about $1.1 million.
First home buyers: NSW and the ACT. Both charge $0 at $750,000. Queensland and South Australia charge first home buyers nothing on a new home at any price.
Stamp duty rates and thresholds by state (2026-27)
These are the tables each revenue office publishes. Most charge “per $100 or part of $100” of the dutiable value, which is the higher of the price you pay and the property’s market value. Use the effective date beside each table to check you are reading the current one.
New South Wales
Rates for contracts signed from 1 July 2026 (the 2026/27 rate year). NSW indexes its thresholds to CPI every 1 July.
| Dutiable value | Transfer duty |
|---|---|
| $0 to $18,000 | $1.25 per $100 (minimum $20) |
| $18,001 to $38,000 | $225 plus $1.50 per $100 over $18,000 |
| $38,001 to $103,000 | $525 plus $1.75 per $100 over $38,000 |
| $103,001 to $387,000 | $1,662 plus $3.50 per $100 over $103,000 |
| $387,001 to $1,290,000 | $11,602 plus $4.50 per $100 over $387,000 |
| Over $1,290,000 | $52,237 plus $5.50 per $100 over $1,290,000 |
Premium property duty applies to residential property above $3,870,000: $194,137 plus $7.00 per $100 over that threshold. Transfer duty figures are based on rates effective 1 July 2026, sourced from Revenue NSW.
First home buyers in NSW pay no transfer duty on a new or existing home valued at $800,000 or less, and reduced duty below $1 million. Who qualifies is set out in our NSW stamp duty exemption guide for first home buyers, with worked examples.
Victoria
General rates for contracts from 1 July 2021, still current in 2026-27.
| Dutiable value | Land transfer duty |
|---|---|
| $0 to $25,000 | 1.4% of the value |
| Over $25,000 to $130,000 | $350 plus 2.4% over $25,000 |
| Over $130,000 to $960,000 | $2,870 plus 6% over $130,000 |
| Over $960,000 to $2,000,000 | 5.5% of the whole value |
| Over $2,000,000 | $110,000 plus 6.5% over $2,000,000 |
A lower principal place of residence rate applies only between $130,000 and $550,000. Above $550,000 an owner-occupier pays the general rates. First home buyers pay no duty up to $600,000 and reduced duty from $600,001 to $750,000 (State Revenue Office Victoria). A temporary off-the-plan concession lets any buyer, investors included, deduct construction costs from the dutiable value of an apartment or townhouse in a strata development, for contracts signed before 21 April 2027.
Queensland
Queensland publishes two schedules: the standard transfer duty rate, and a lower home concession rate for people buying a home to live in. Both are current per the Queensland Revenue Office (standard rates updated 25 June 2026; home concession rates updated 31 July 2026).
| Dutiable value | Standard rate (investors) |
|---|---|
| Up to $5,000 | Nil |
| $5,001 to $75,000 | $1.50 per $100 over $5,000 |
| $75,001 to $540,000 | $1,050 plus $3.50 per $100 over $75,000 |
| $540,001 to $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 |
| Dutiable value | Home concession rate (owner-occupiers) |
|---|---|
| Up to $350,000 | $1.00 per $100 |
| $350,001 to $540,000 | $3,500 plus $3.50 per $100 over $350,000 |
| $540,001 to $1,000,000 | $10,150 plus $4.50 per $100 over $540,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $30,850 plus $5.75 per $100 over $1,000,000 |
First home buyers start from the home concession rate and subtract a set amount, which wipes out duty up to $700,000 and phases out by $800,000. First home buyers of a new home or vacant land pay no duty at all, with no price cap, on contracts signed from 1 May 2025.
Western Australia
General rate current per RevenueWA (updated 30 July 2026).
| Dutiable value | Transfer duty |
|---|---|
| $0 to $120,000 | $1.90 per $100 |
| $120,001 to $150,000 | $2,280 plus $2.85 per $100 over $120,000 |
| $150,001 to $360,000 | $3,135 plus $3.80 per $100 over $150,000 |
| $360,001 to $725,000 | $11,115 plus $4.75 per $100 over $360,000 |
| Over $725,000 | $28,453 plus $5.15 per $100 over $725,000 |
From 7 May 2026 the first home owner rate is nil up to $600,000 and $16.15 per $100 above $600,000 up to $800,000, statewide. Vacant land is nil up to $450,000 with a concession to $550,000.
South Australia
Conveyance rates per RevenueSA, current for 2026-27.
| Dutiable value | Stamp duty |
|---|---|
| Up to $12,000 | $1.00 per $100 |
| $12,001 to $30,000 | $120 plus $2.00 per $100 over $12,000 |
| $30,001 to $50,000 | $480 plus $3.00 per $100 over $30,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $1,080 plus $3.50 per $100 over $50,000 |
| $100,001 to $200,000 | $2,830 plus $4.00 per $100 over $100,000 |
| $200,001 to $250,000 | $6,830 plus $4.25 per $100 over $200,000 |
| $250,001 to $300,000 | $8,955 plus $4.75 per $100 over $250,000 |
| $300,001 to $500,000 | $11,330 plus $5.00 per $100 over $300,000 |
| Over $500,000 | $21,330 plus $5.50 per $100 over $500,000 |
First home buyer relief covers new homes, off-the-plan apartments and vacant land for a new build, with no price cap for contracts from 6 June 2024. Established homes are excluded.
Tasmania
Rates for transfers on or after 21 October 2013, still current per the State Revenue Office of Tasmania.
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| Up to $3,000 | $50 |
| $3,001 to $25,000 | $50 plus $1.75 per $100 over $3,000 |
| $25,001 to $75,000 | $435 plus $2.25 per $100 over $25,000 |
| $75,001 to $200,000 | $1,560 plus $3.50 per $100 over $75,000 |
| $200,001 to $375,000 | $5,935 plus $4.00 per $100 over $200,000 |
| $375,001 to $725,000 | $12,935 plus $4.25 per $100 over $375,000 |
| Over $725,000 | $27,810 plus $4.50 per $100 over $725,000 |
Tasmania’s first home buyer exemption on established homes up to $750,000 is not available for settlements after 30 June 2026, and its off-the-plan apartment concession closed for contracts after the same date.
Australian Capital Territory
Owner-occupier rates for transactions from 1 July 2025, unchanged for 2026-27 per the ACT Revenue Office. At least one buyer must live in the home for a year, starting within 12 months.
| Dutiable value | Conveyance duty (owner-occupier) |
|---|---|
| Up to $260,000 | $0.28 per $100 |
| $260,001 to $300,000 | $728 plus $2.20 per $100 over $260,000 |
| $300,001 to $500,000 | $1,608 plus $3.40 per $100 over $300,000 |
| $500,001 to $750,000 | $8,408 plus $4.32 per $100 over $500,000 |
| $750,001 to $1,000,000 | $19,208 plus $5.90 per $100 over $750,000 |
| $1,000,001 to $1,455,000 | $33,958 plus $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000 |
| Over $1,455,000 | $4.54 per $100 on the whole value |
Investors use a separate schedule that works out $2,992 higher between $260,000 and $1,455,000 ($22,200 at $750,000). Under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, buyers who haven’t owned any property in the last five years pay no duty on transactions from 1 July 2026, with no income test and no price cap.
Northern Territory
The Territory uses a formula rather than brackets, per the Territory Revenue Office’s stamp duty calculator:
- Up to $525,000: duty = (0.06571441 × V²) + (15 × V), where V is the value divided by 1,000. A $400,000 home works out at about $16,514.
- Over $525,000 and under $3 million: 4.95% of the whole value ($37,125 at $750,000).
- $3 million and above: higher flat rates apply.
There is no first home buyer duty concession. Instead, the $50,000 HomeGrown Territory Grant helps first home buyers of new homes (contracts to 30 September 2027). The House and Land Package Exemption removes duty for any eligible buyer of a house-and-land package from a builder, with no price cap, on contracts signed by 30 June 2027.
First home buyer stamp duty concessions compared
This table covers duty concessions only. For grants, see our first home owners grant by state comparison.
| State | No duty up to | Reduced duty up to | New homes | $750,000 established home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $800,000 | Under $1 million | Same thresholds | $0 |
| Victoria | $600,000 | $750,000 | Same thresholds | $40,070 |
| Queensland | $700,000 | Under $800,000 | No duty, no price cap | $10,925 |
| Western Australia | $600,000 | $800,000 | Same, plus an off-the-plan concession | $24,225 |
| South Australia | Not available | Not available | No duty, no price cap | $35,080 |
| Tasmania | Not available (ended 30 June 2026) | Not available | Not available | $28,935 |
| ACT | No price cap | Not needed | No duty, no price cap | $0 |
| Northern Territory | No duty concession | No duty concession | $50,000 grant instead | $37,125 |
Each scheme has its own tests on citizenship, prior ownership and how long you must live in the home, so treat this table as a map, not an eligibility check. NSW buyers can find the detail in our NSW exemption guide, and our first home buyer stamp duty concession page covers how we work out the full cash needed before you sign. If you are buying your first home, start with our first home buyer loans page.
Foreign buyer stamp duty surcharges by state
Six states add a surcharge when a foreign person buys residential property. It is charged on top of ordinary duty.
| State | Surcharge rate | Extra on a $750,000 purchase |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 9% | $67,500 |
| Victoria | 8% | $60,000 |
| Queensland | 8% | $60,000 |
| Tasmania | 8% | $60,000 |
| Western Australia | 7% | $52,500 |
| South Australia | 7% | $52,500 |
| ACT | None | $0 |
| Northern Territory | None | $0 |
Two points matter more than the rates. First, most foreign persons can’t buy an established home in Australia at the moment. The federal government banned those purchases for two years from 1 April 2025. The 2026-27 Budget announced an extension of the ban to 30 June 2029, covering temporary residents and foreign-owned companies unless an exception applies. So for most foreign buyers, the surcharges above now apply to new homes and vacant land.
Second, the ACT skips the duty surcharge but charges foreign owners a land tax surcharge of 0.75% a year of the land’s average unimproved value.
Whose name goes on the title matters too. We’ve seen couples where one partner holds a temporary visa, and putting that partner on the title would have brought a surcharge into play that the other partner alone wouldn’t trigger. Get the structure checked before you sign, not after. If you are an Australian citizen living overseas, our guide to getting a home loan as an expat covers the lending side.
Who pays stamp duty, and when is it due?
The buyer pays. In NSW, for example, transfer duty is the purchaser’s liability, not the seller’s. The due date varies by state:
- NSW: by settlement or within three months of signing the contract, whichever comes first (Revenue NSW).
- Queensland: documents must be lodged within 30 days of the liability arising, usually when the contract is signed or becomes unconditional.
- Northern Territory: within 60 days of the transaction or at settlement, whichever is earlier.
- ACT: within 14 days of the notice of assessment, which is issued after the title is registered.
In most states your conveyancer or solicitor pays the duty at or before settlement, so plan for it as cash you need by settlement day, alongside your deposit. The ACT is the exception: duty is assessed after the title is registered, but you still need the money soon after settlement.
Can stamp duty be added to your home loan?
No, in almost every case. Stamp duty is a cash cost on top of your deposit, and lenders expect you to have the savings to pay it. On a $750,000 Victorian purchase with a 20% deposit, that is $150,000 plus $40,070 in duty, about $190,000 before legal fees and inspections. Our deposit guide walks through the full cash requirement.
What a loan can do is shrink the deposit. If your application fits the lender’s policy, you can borrow up to its maximum loan-to-value ratio (LVR), meaning the loan divided by the property’s value. Some lenders will lend up to 95% of the purchase price and add the lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) premium on top. A very small number go as far as 97% or 98% with the premium included, depending on the loan amount. That works out to borrowing about 93% or 94% of the price before LMI, so you still need a deposit of 6% to 7%, plus the stamp duty, plus legal fees.
If paying the duty leaves you with less than a 20% deposit, borrowing past 80% of the value usually brings lenders mortgage insurance, unless you qualify for one of the LMI waiver programs some lenders offer to certain professions. With a waiver, a doctor, for example, can potentially borrow 95% with no premium added to the loan.
The one exception is a family guarantee, where a family member’s property is used as extra security. In that case some lenders on our panel will lend 100% of the price plus all the purchase costs, stamp duty included, so you can buy without putting in any cash of your own.
Ways to pay less stamp duty, legitimately
- Check whether you count as a first home buyer. In the ACT that now means no property in the last five years, so someone who sold a home more than five years ago can qualify.
- Look at new homes. Queensland and South Australia charge first home buyers nothing on new homes at any price, and the NT’s House and Land Package Exemption applies to any eligible buyer. Our house and land package finance guide covers how these loans are structured.
- Consider off-the-plan in Victoria or WA. Victoria’s temporary concession is open to every buyer of a strata apartment or townhouse on contracts signed before 21 April 2027. WA’s covers 100% of the duty on a new dwelling up to $800,000 (capped at $50,000) for contracts signed before construction starts.
- Watch the thresholds. A NSW first home buyer at $800,000 pays nothing. A Victorian first home buyer pays progressively more from $600,001 up to full duty at $750,000.
What doesn’t work is understating the price. Duty is charged on the higher of the price and the market value, and Revenue NSW, for one, requires a formal valuation when buyer and seller are related.
How we plan for stamp duty with you
Before you make an offer, we work out the full cash needed to complete in the state you are buying in: deposit, stamp duty, any lenders mortgage insurance, lender fees and legal costs. Then, with access to 52+ lenders, we match that to the lender whose policy suits your deposit and income, whether you’re comparing states or buying an investment property. If you own property in NSW, our NSW land tax guide covers the ongoing cost that follows the duty.
Ready to test the numbers on a real purchase? Speak to a mortgage broker at Mortgage World Australia before you sign the contract.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the highest stamp duty in Australia?
Victoria. On a $750,000 home a buyer pays $40,070, the most of any state or territory, and Victoria is the highest on every home priced above about $550,000. Its 6% rate applies from $130,000, and a flat 5.5% of the whole value applies between $960,000 and $2 million.
Which state has the lowest stamp duty?
For a buyer who will live in the home, the ACT is lowest at $750,000 ($19,208), with Queensland close behind ($19,600). At $1,000,000 Queensland is lowest ($30,850). For eligible first home buyers, NSW and the ACT both charge $0 on a $750,000 established home.
What are the current stamp duty rates in Australia?
Each state and territory sets its own sliding scale, so there is no national rate. On a $750,000 home the bill ranges from $19,208 in the ACT to $40,070 in Victoria. The highest published rate is NSW premium property duty of $7.00 per $100 above $3,870,000, and the Northern Territory charges a flat 4.95% of the whole value between $525,000 and $3 million. NSW thresholds were indexed on 1 July 2026, so check the effective date on any table you rely on.
How much stamp duty would I pay on a $1,000,000 house in Queensland?
$30,850 if you will live in it and are not a first home buyer, using the home concession rate. An investor pays $38,025 on the standard rate. A first home buyer gets no first home concession at $1,000,000 on an established home, but pays no duty on a new home at any price.
How much is stamp duty on a $700,000 house in Queensland?
$17,350 for an owner-occupier who is not a first home buyer, $24,525 for an investor, and $0 for an eligible first home buyer, because Queensland’s first home concession fully covers the duty up to $700,000.
Is Queensland getting rid of stamp duty?
No. Queensland still charges transfer duty on its standard and home concession rates. What changed is that first home buyers of a new home or vacant land pay no duty at all, with no price cap, on contracts signed from 1 May 2025.
Why is stamp duty so high in South Australia?
South Australia’s top rate of 5.5% starts at $500,000, much earlier than in NSW, where the 5.5% bracket starts at $1,290,000. South Australia also gives first home buyers no relief on established homes. On a $750,000 home that adds up to $35,080.
Can I sell my house to my son for $1 to avoid stamp duty?
No. Stamp duty is charged on the higher of the price paid and the property’s market value, so a $1 sale between family members is assessed on what the home is actually worth. Some transfers, such as between spouses, have their own exemptions, so get advice from a solicitor or conveyancer before transferring property within the family.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty?
It depends on the state and the price. At $750,000, an eligible first home buyer pays $0 in NSW and the ACT, $10,925 in Queensland and $24,225 in Western Australia, and full duty in Victoria, South Australia (established homes), Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
Is stamp duty tax deductible for investors?
No. The ATO treats stamp duty on the purchase of a rental property as a capital cost. You can’t claim it against rental income, but it forms part of the property’s cost base, which reduces capital gains tax when you sell. Speak to a registered tax agent about your situation.
Patrick O’Brien, Director and Home Loan Specialist since 2001
This article contains general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Your personal financial situation, objectives and needs have not been considered. Before acting on any information, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Speak to a qualified mortgage broker for advice tailored to your situation. Stamp duty rates and concessions are set by each state and territory government and change often, so confirm the current figure with the relevant revenue office before you sign a contract. Mortgage World Australia Pty Ltd is a credit representative (CR No. 396946) of Mortgage Specialists Pty Ltd (Australian Credit Licence No. 387025).
Patrick is a Director and a Home Loan Specialist. He has been helping Australians with home loans since 2001. Prior to working as a mortgage broker Patrick was employed by Macquarie Bank for 3 years and also worked as an accountant for a publicly listed company. Patrick’s qualifications include:
Bachelor of Business, UTS Sydney. Majored in accounting and sub-majored in Finance and Marketing.
Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management FNS50310
Certificate IV in Financial Services (Finance/Mortgage Broking) FNS40804
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