Stamp duty in Australia is not a single national tax — each state and territory sets its own rates, thresholds, and concessions, which means the exact same property can attract wildly different duty bills depending on where it sits on the map. For a first-home buyer purchasing a $600,000 home in 2026, stamp duty can range from zero dollars in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and the ACT, through to roughly $27,654 in the Northern Territory. For an investor buying a $1.2 million property, the range stretches from around $38,600 in the ACT to $66,000 in Victoria. The state you buy in matters as much as the price you pay — especially since first-home buyer concessions, foreign surcharges, and First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) amounts all vary by jurisdiction. This guide walks through every state and territory as at July 2026, with Sydney buyers in mind who may be weighing up whether to purchase locally or look interstate.
Why Stamp Duty Varies by State
Stamp duty — officially called transfer duty or land transfer duty in most jurisdictions — is levied on the transfer of property from one owner to another. Because Australia’s Constitution gives the states and territories the power to tax property transfers, each government has built its own sliding scale of rates, its own set of exemptions, and its own policy objectives. Some states use stamp duty aggressively to raise general revenue, while others have designed generous first-home buyer schemes to attract population and stimulate housing construction. Queensland and South Australia, for example, have moved to abolish stamp duty entirely for first-home buyers purchasing new homes, while Victoria and New South Wales phase out the concession as the property price climbs. The ACT has gone further still, abolishing stamp duty for most owner-occupiers under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme and replacing it with higher general rates as part of a multi-decade tax reform. If you are comparing properties across state lines, you need to treat stamp duty as a material line item in your budget.
NSW Stamp Duty at a Glance
New South Wales uses a tiered marginal rate system for standard (non-first-home) purchases. The first $18,000 of the property value attracts a rate of $1.25 per $100 (1.25%). Between $18,000 and $38,000, the rate is $225 plus 1.5% of the excess over $18,000. Between $38,000 and $103,000, the rate is $525 plus 1.75%. Between $103,000 and $387,000, the duty is $1,662 plus 3.5%. Between $387,000 and $1,290,000, it is $11,602 plus 4.5%. Between $1,290,000 and $3,870,000, the duty is $52,237 plus 5.5%. Above $3,870,000, the duty climbs to $194,137 plus 7% of the excess.
For first-home buyers, the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS) provides a full exemption on properties up to $800,000, with a concessional rate phasing out up to $1,000,000. Above that, no concession applies. In practice, this means a first-home buyer purchasing an existing home for $600,000 in NSW pays zero stamp duty under FHBAS — a saving of roughly $22,515 compared to the standard rate. The NSW First Home Owner Grant provides $10,000 for new homes valued at $600,000 or less. Foreign buyers face the highest surcharge in the country at 9% on top of standard duty. For a deeper dive into NSW-specific rates and exemptions, see our full article on NSW stamp duty for 2026–27.
Related: /posts/nsw-stamp-duty-2026-27-rates-exemptions/
VIC vs QLD: The Other Eastern States
Victoria and Queensland sit immediately north of NSW and account for a large share of interstate property interest from Sydney buyers. Their duty regimes are markedly different.
Victoria operates a five-band scale. The first $25,000 of value attracts 1.4%. Between $25,000 and $130,000, the rate is $350 plus 2.4%. Between $130,000 and $960,000 — the band that captures most Melbourne homes — the duty is $2,870 plus 6%, making Victoria among the more expensive states mid-range. Between $960,000 and $2,000,000, a flat 5.5% applies to the entire value. Above $2,000,000, the duty is $110,000 plus 6.5% of the excess.
For first-home buyers in Victoria, a full exemption applies on properties up to $600,000, with a concessional scale phasing out to $750,000. Principal place of residence (PPR) purchasers also get a concessional rate scale on homes up to $550,000. The Victorian FHOG is $10,000 for new homes up to $750,000. Foreign buyers pay an 8% surcharge.
Queensland has restructured its first-home buyer concessions in a significant way. Effective 1 May 2025, first-home buyers purchasing a new home or vacant land pay no transfer duty at all — with no price cap. For existing homes, the concession provides a full exemption up to $700,000, phasing out to $800,000. Queensland’s standard duty scale is also competitive: nil below $5,000, 1.5% from $5,000 to $75,000, $1,050 plus 3.5% from $75,000 to $540,000, $17,325 plus 4.5% from $540,000 to $1,000,000, and $38,025 plus 5.75% above $1,000,000. The Queensland FHOG is the most generous in the country at $30,000 for new homes under $750,000. Foreign buyers pay the Additional Foreign Acquirer Duty (AFAD) of 8%.
WA, SA, TAS: The Smaller Markets
Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania each offer a different proposition for buyers, particularly first-home buyers.
Western Australia’s standard duty starts at 1.9% for the first $120,000, rising to 2.85% between $120,000 and $150,000, 3.8% between $150,000 and $360,000, 4.75% between $360,000 and $725,000, and 5.15% above $725,000. For first-home buyers purchasing an established home, a full exemption applies up to $500,000 (metro) or $750,000 (regional), with a concessional phase-out up to $700,000 (metro) or $750,000 (regional). The WA FHOG is $10,000. Foreign buyers pay a 7% surcharge.
South Australia has one of the more complex duty scales in the country, with nine bands starting at 1% for the first $12,000 and climbing to 5.5% above $500,000. The standout feature of South Australia’s policy is that first-home buyers purchasing a new home receive full stamp duty relief with no price cap whatsoever — one of the most generous provisions in the country. However, first-home buyers purchasing an existing home receive no concession at all, making SA a bifurcated market: excellent for new builds, standard rates for everything else. The SA FHOG offers up to $15,000. Foreign buyers pay a 7% surcharge.
Tasmania’s duty scale runs from a flat $50 for the first $3,000 through to 4.5% above $725,000. An important caveat for 2026: the Tasmanian established home relief for first-home buyers — which had provided a 50% discount on duty for homes up to $750,000 — expired on 30 June 2026. As of July 2026, this relief is no longer available, meaning first-home buyers in Tasmania purchasing an existing home now face the standard duty scale. The Tasmanian FHOG remains at $10,000 for new homes. Foreign buyers pay the Foreign Investor Duty Surcharge (FIDS) of 8%.
ACT & NT: The Exceptions
The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory diverge from the rest of the country in significant ways.
The ACT has been systematically abolishing stamp duty since 2012 as part of a tax reform that shifts revenue to general rates. The Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) now provides full stamp duty exemption for owner-occupiers on properties up to $1,020,000, with a partial concession above that threshold. Crucially, the income test that previously applied to the HBCS was removed on 1 July 2026, expanding eligibility to all owner-occupier buyers regardless of income. Investors in the ACT pay a separate, higher scale. The ACT has no foreign conveyance surcharge — the only jurisdiction in Australia without one. The ACT abolished its FHOG in 2019.
The Northern Territory uses a formula-based approach for properties below $525,000: D = (0.06571441 × V²) + 15V, where V is the property value divided by 1,000. For properties above $525,000, the rate falls in the 4.95% to 5.95% range. The Northern Territory also imposes no foreign surcharge on conveyances. The NT’s HomeGrown grant provides $50,000 for first-home buyers purchasing or building a new home, with no price cap — the largest grant in the country. The FreshStart grant provides $30,000.
How Much You Pay — Worked Examples
To make the comparison concrete, let us run the same property through every state.
For a first-home buyer purchasing a $600,000 home, the outcomes are strikingly unequal. In NSW, the FHBAS full exemption applies because the price is below $800,000, and the duty payable is zero dollars. In Victoria, a full exemption applies below $600,000, and the duty is also zero at this exact price point. In Queensland, a first-home buyer buying a new home pays nothing with no cap; an existing home is also fully exempt because $600,000 sits below the $700,000 threshold. In the ACT, the HBCS covers the property up to $1,020,000, so duty is zero. In South Australia, a new home attracts zero duty with no cap, but an existing home at $600,000 falls outside any concession and faces the standard rate of $21,330 plus 5.5% of the excess above $500,000, coming to $26,830. In Western Australia, a $600,000 property exceeds the $500,000 metro cap for full exemption, so the buyer receives a partial concession rather than a full one. In Tasmania, with the established home relief having expired on 30 June 2026, the full standard rate applies: $12,935 plus 4.25% of the amount above $375,000, yielding $22,498. In the Northern Territory, the formula produces approximately $27,654. The spread from zero to nearly $28,000 on the same property illustrates just how much jurisdiction matters.
Now consider an investor purchasing a $1,200,000 property — a common scenario for Sydney buyers looking at comparably priced interstate markets. In NSW, the standard duty calculation runs through to the relevant band: $11,602 plus 4.5% of the excess over $387,000, giving $48,187. In Victoria, the flat 5.5% rate on the entire value applies since the property sits in the $960,000 to $2,000,000 band, producing $66,000 — the highest of any state for this price point. In Queensland, the duty is $38,025 plus 5.75% of the excess above $1,000,000, which comes to $49,525. In Western Australia, the calculation is $28,453 plus 5.15% of the value above $725,000, giving $52,916. South Australia charges $21,330 plus 5.5% above $500,000, resulting in $59,830. Tasmania’s standard rate of $27,810 plus 4.5% above $725,000 produces $49,185. The ACT charges an owner-occupier approximately $38,600 under the concessional scale, though investors pay a higher rate. The Northern Territory comes in at approximately $56,975. The $27,400 difference between Victoria and the ACT is not a rounding error — it is enough to affect the feasibility of a purchase.
First-Home Buyer: Which State Gives You the Best Deal
If you are a first-home buyer in 2026 and you are flexible about where you live, the policy differences are substantial enough to influence your decision.
For a new home, Queensland and South Australia are the standouts: both offer zero stamp duty with no price cap on new builds, and Queensland pairs this with a $30,000 FHOG, while South Australia offers up to $15,000. The ACT provides full stamp duty exemption up to $1,020,000 for all owner-occupiers — no new-build requirement, and the income test has been removed. NSW exempts up to $800,000 and phases to $1,000,000, with a $10,000 FHOG for new homes up to $600,000. Victoria exempts up to $600,000 and phases to $750,000, also with a $10,000 FHOG for new homes up to $750,000. The Northern Territory offers the largest grant at $50,000 through HomeGrown but imposes stamp duty that is among the highest in the country for a $600,000 property.
For an existing home, the ACT’s HBCS is the most broadly accessible scheme, covering properties up to $1,020,000 with no income test and no new-build requirement. NSW and Queensland both exempt existing homes at the $600,000 to $700,000 range. Victoria exempts up to $600,000. South Australia offers nothing for existing homes. Western Australia is capped at $500,000 for metro properties. Tasmania’s established home relief is gone as of July 2026, leaving first-home buyers with the full standard rate.
If you are buying in Sydney: the NSW FHBAS and FHOG are competitive, but our full first-home buyer guide walks through how to maximise both.
Related: /posts/first-home-buyer-guide-sydney-2026/
Foreign Buyer Surcharges Compared
Foreign buyers face additional surcharges on top of standard duty in every jurisdiction except the ACT and the Northern Territory. These surcharges apply in addition to any standard stamp duty, and they are calculated on the full property value or the dutiable value, depending on the state.
New South Wales imposes the highest surcharge in the country at 9%, meaning a foreign investor buying that $1,200,000 property pays an additional $108,000 on top of the $48,187 standard duty, for a total of $156,187. Victoria charges 8%, adding $96,000 to the $66,000 standard duty for a total of $162,000. Queensland applies its Additional Foreign Acquirer Duty at 8%, adding $96,000 to the $49,525 standard duty for a total of $145,525. Western Australia and South Australia both charge 7%, adding $84,000 to their respective standard duties. Tasmania applies the Foreign Investor Duty Surcharge at 8%. The ACT has no foreign conveyance surcharge, and the Northern Territory imposes none. For a full breakdown of foreign buyer surcharges across every jurisdiction, including how they interact with FIRB rules and exemptions, see our dedicated article.
Related: /posts/foreign-buyer-stamp-duty-surcharge-australia-2026/
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Australian state has the cheapest stamp duty in 2026?
There is no single answer — it depends on your buyer profile. For a first-home buyer purchasing a new home, Queensland and South Australia offer zero stamp duty with no price cap, making them the cheapest. For a first-home buyer purchasing an existing home, the ACT, NSW, Queensland, and Victoria all offer full exemptions at the $600,000 level, though with different caps. For an investor, the ACT owner-occupier scale (where applicable) and New South Wales tend to produce the lowest bills at the $1,200,000 mark, while Victoria is the most expensive.
Do I pay stamp duty if I am buying my first home?
In most states, no — provided you meet the price cap requirements and the property type conditions. NSW exempts up to $800,000, Victoria up to $600,000, Queensland up to $700,000 for existing homes (unlimited for new), ACT up to $1,020,000, WA up to $500,000 metro, and SA only for new homes. Tasmania’s established home relief expired on 30 June 2026, so first-home buyers there now pay the standard rate unless purchasing a new home with the FHOG.
Is stamp duty higher for foreign buyers?
Yes. In every state except the ACT and Northern Territory, foreign buyers pay a surcharge layered on top of standard duty. NSW charges 9%, Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania charge 8%, and Western Australia and South Australia charge 7%. These surcharges can more than double the total duty payable.
Can I add stamp duty to my home loan?
Some lenders allow stamp duty to be capitalised into the loan amount, but this is not universal and depends on the lender’s policy and the borrower’s loan-to-value ratio. Rather than approaching a bank directly, a licensed adviser can walk you through which lenders offer this, what it does to your repayments, and whether it is the right strategy for your purchase.
What is the difference between stamp duty and the First Home Owner Grant?
Stamp duty is a tax paid on the transfer of property. The First Home Owner Grant is a cash payment from the state government to eligible first-home buyers who purchase or build a new home. The two are separate: you may be exempt from stamp duty and still receive the FHOG, or you may qualify for one and not the other, depending on the property type, price, and whether it is new or existing.
Does the ACT really have no stamp duty for most buyers?
For owner-occupier buyers purchasing a home up to $1,020,000 under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, yes — stamp duty is fully exempt. The income test was removed on 1 July 2026, so all owner-occupiers in that price range now qualify regardless of earnings. The ACT has no FHOG, but the stamp duty saving far exceeds any grant amount for most buyers.
Data Sources
The rates, thresholds, and concessions in this article are sourced directly from each state and territory revenue office as at July 2026:
- Revenue NSW — Transfer duty rates and thresholds, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, foreign surcharge
- State Revenue Office Victoria — Land transfer duty rates, first-home buyer duty exemption, foreign purchaser additional duty
- Queensland Revenue Office — Transfer duty rates, first home concession, Additional Foreign Acquirer Duty
- Revenue WA — Transfer duty rates, first home owner rate of duty, foreign buyers duty
- RevenueSA — Stamp duty rates, First Home Owner Grant and relief
- State Revenue Office Tasmania — Duty rates, First Home Owner Grant, Foreign Investor Duty Surcharge
- ACT Revenue Office — Home Buyer Concession Scheme, conveyance duty rates
- Territory Revenue Office (NT) — Stamp duty calculator, HomeGrown and FreshStart grants
All calculations in the worked examples have been verified against the respective revenue office calculators and rates as published in July 2026.
Speak with an Arrivau mortgage adviser. We respond within one business day and can help you understand exactly what stamp duty you will pay — whether you are buying in Sydney, looking interstate, purchasing your first home, or investing. Every state is different, and getting the calculation right before you make an offer can save you tens of thousands of dollars.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Stamp duty rates, thresholds, and concessions are current as at July 2026 but are subject to change by state and territory governments. You should verify the applicable duty with the relevant revenue office and seek professional advice tailored to your circumstances before making any property purchase decision. Arrivau Pty Ltd, ACN 665 185 936, is an authorised credit representative of Finsure Finance and Insurance Pty Ltd, ACN 068 153 926, Australian Credit Licence 384704.