How much is stamp duty in Australia?

It depends on the state and the property value. Each state and territory sets its own progressive transfer-duty scale. For a $1,000,000 home a standard buyer pays roughly $39,400 in NSW, $55,000 in Victoria, $38,000 in Queensland, $42,600 in WA and $48,800 in SA. First-home buyers and off-the-plan buyers may pay much less or nothing.

Do first-home buyers pay stamp duty?

Often not, up to a threshold. NSW exempts homes up to $800,000 (tapering to $1m), Victoria up to $600,000 (to $750k), Queensland up to $700,000 (to $800k), and WA up to $500,000. SA exempts eligible first-home buyers of new builds with no value cap, but established homes get no concession.

What is the foreign-buyer stamp duty surcharge?

Buyers who aren't Australian citizens or permanent residents pay an extra surcharge on the full property value, on top of standard duty: 9% in NSW, 8% in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, and 7% in WA and SA. The ACT and Northern Territory don't charge one.

Australia · current state scales

Australia Stamp Duty Calculator

Stamp duty — officially transfer duty — is the biggest upfront cost after the deposit. Each state sets its own progressive scale. Pick your state to see the duty, with first-home concessions and the foreign-buyer surcharge.

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Current published transfer-duty scales (reviewed June 2026). Scales for all 8 states and territories, taken from each official revenue office. Stamp duty is set by each state and charged on the transfer date, not by financial year — most 2026-27 state-budget changes take effect from 1 July 2026 and will be folded in as each revenue office publishes them. The ACT uses separate owner-occupier and investor rates; the NT uses a statutory formula for homes under $525,000. Not tax advice — confirm with your state revenue office or conveyancer.

Your purchase

Property value

State

I'm a first-home buyer I'm a foreign buyer (not a citizen/PR)

Stamp duty payable

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— of the property value

Standard transfer duty$0

Total duty$0

Standard duty

% of value

Surcharge

Cash at settlement

How stamp duty works in Australia

Stamp duty is a one-off state tax on property transfers — there's no federal stamp duty. Each state and territory runs its own progressive scale, so the same $800,000 home costs thousands more or less depending on the border it sits behind. It's charged on the dutiable value (the price or market value, whichever is higher), it's calculated in slices like income tax, and crucially it must be paid in cash at settlement — you can't roll it into the mortgage.

First-home-buyer concessions

Every state gives first-home buyers a break, but the thresholds differ sharply. NSW exempts homes up to $800,000 (with a taper to $1m); Victoria up to $600,000; Queensland up to $700,000; WA up to $500,000. South Australia is the outlier — it exempts eligible first-home buyers of new builds with no price cap, but gives nothing on established homes. Eligibility generally needs you to be a citizen or PR, never to have owned property here, and to live in the home.

The foreign-buyer surcharge

If you're not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, most states add a hefty surcharge on the full property value — 9% in NSW, 8% in Victoria and Queensland, 7% in WA and SA. On a $1m purchase that's $70,000–$90,000 on top of standard duty, and first-home concessions don't reduce it. The ACT and Northern Territory are the exceptions with no surcharge.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Victoria so expensive at the top end?

Victoria applies a flat 5.5% on the entire value for homes between $960,001 and $2m — not just the slice above the threshold. So a $1m home is taxed at 5.5% on the whole $1m ($55,000), making VIC the most expensive mainland state at that price point.

Can I add stamp duty to my home loan?

Not directly — duty is due in cash at or before settlement. Some buyers borrow a little more against the property to cover it, but that depends on your loan-to-value ratio and lender. Budget for it as an upfront cost alongside the deposit, legal fees and inspections.

Why does the ACT ask if you'll live in the home?

The ACT is the one jurisdiction with separate duty scales for owner-occupiers and investors — owner-occupiers pay materially less (about $19,200 versus $22,200 on a $750,000 home). Tick the box if at least one buyer will live there for a year. The NT instead uses a formula for homes under $525,000 and a flat 4.95% above that.

Educational estimate — not tax advice. Australia transfer (stamp) duty for all eight states and territories, using each revenue office's currently published scale (reviewed June 2026; any 2026-27 state-budget changes effective 1 July 2026 are not yet incorporated). Victoria applies a flat 5.5% on the full value for $960,001–$2,000,000; the ACT uses separate owner-occupier and investor schedules converging to a flat 4.54% above $1,455,000; the NT uses the statutory formula D = (0.06571441 × V²) + 15V (V = value ÷ 1,000) below $525,000, then 4.95% to $3m. First-home concessions: NSW exempt to $800,000 (taper $1m); VIC to $600,000 (taper $750k); QLD to $700,000 (taper $800k); WA nil to $500,000 then a concessional rate to $700,000; SA new builds only; TAS established homes to $750,000; ACT income-tested Home Buyer Concession Scheme (duty less $35,238, nil to $1,020,000); NT none (the $50,000 HomeGrown grant applies instead). Concession tapers are approximated linearly (WA exact). Foreign-buyer surcharge on the full value: NSW 9%, VIC/QLD/TAS 8%, WA/SA 7%; the ACT and NT charge none. Excludes off-the-plan, pensioner and vacant-land concessions and registration fees. Confirm with your state revenue office or a conveyancer.