First home buyer stamp duty concessions
First home buyer stamp duty concessions could save you up to $31,335 depending on your state and property price. That is not a rounding error. It is the difference between affording the home you want and falling short. We build your entire deposit and borrowing strategy around maximising this advantage, so every dollar of your stamp duty concession works harder for you. Explore your options with our first home buyer loans team.
How much first home buyers save on stamp duty by state
The table below shows where first home buyers pay $0, where a concession still applies, and a typical saving at common price points.
NSW and ACT are the most generous at higher price points. VIC delivers some of the biggest savings below $600,000, while QLD and WA phase out earlier.
The biggest trap is threshold pricing. In states with a hard exemption cap, even a small increase above the limit can wipe out the full exemption or sharply reduce the saving.
Use our stamp duty calculator to see the exact figure for your property price and state.
| State | FHB pays $0 up to | Concession up to | Saving at typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $800,000 | $1,000,000 | $29,585 at $750K |
| VIC | $600,000 | $750,000 | $31,070 at $580K |
| QLD | $500,000 | $550,000 | $15,925 at $500K |
| WA | $430,000 | $530,000 | $14,440 at $420K |
| SA | No exemption | $650,000 | Up to $15,000 |
| TAS | No exemption | $600,000 | ~$7,558 at $450K |
| ACT | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | Full duty at $800K |
| NT | New builds <$650K | $650,000 | $10,000 discount |
Do you qualify for the first home buyer stamp duty concession?
The eligibility rules for the first home buyer stamp duty concession are more straightforward than most people expect. Ask yourself four questions:
You cannot have previously owned residential property in Australia, either alone or with someone else. Inherited property counts in most states.
Temporary visa holders usually do not qualify, and both applicants on a joint purchase normally need to meet this requirement.
Investment properties do not qualify. As the State Revenue Office Victoria states, Victoria requires you to move in within 12 months of settlement and stay for at least 12 continuous months. Other states apply similar occupancy rules.
Refer to the table above for your state's cap. Even $1 over the exemption threshold can cost you the full exemption.
If you answered yes to all four, you are likely eligible.
Common edge cases
In most states, that disqualifies the whole purchase. Victoria allows limited proportional relief in some cases, but the rules are strict.
You cannot claim the concession. Even if you never lived in it, it still counts as prior ownership.
If any of these scenarios apply to you, a broker can confirm your eligibility before you make an offer. That way, there are no surprises on settlement day.
How to claim your first home buyer stamp duty concession
Knowing you qualify is one thing. Making sure the first home buyer stamp duty concession is applied correctly at settlement is another. The process requires specific actions at specific times, and mistakes can cost you the full concession amount.
Your concession is not automatic. Someone needs to apply for it, and post-settlement rules apply for months after you move in.
01
Confirm eligibility before making an offer
Your broker or conveyancer can verify you meet your state’s criteria before you commit. This matters most when the property is close to the cap, because a valuation or settlement figure above the threshold can wipe out the exemption.
02
Apply at or before settlement
In most states, your conveyancer lodges the concession with the transfer documents. If nobody submits it, you pay full duty. Confirm that the application is on the settlement checklist before you exchange contracts.
03
Pay any remaining duty at settlement
If you qualify for a concession rather than a full exemption, the reduced amount is due at settlement. Your conveyancer calculates it and includes it in the settlement statement.
04
Meet your post-settlement obligations
You must move in within the required timeframe and stay for the minimum period set by your state. If you break the occupancy rules, the concession can be clawed back with interest. Set a calendar reminder for your move-in and occupancy deadlines.
How stamp duty concessions stack with Help to Buy and the First Home Guarantee
Your stamp duty concession is one of the biggest levers in your upfront cash plan. When you combine it with a federal scheme, the effect can be dramatic.
Help to Buy
The Help to Buy scheme contributes up to 40% equity on new homes and 30% on existing homes. You still qualify for your state's stamp duty concession on the full property value.
Worked example: a $600,000 existing property in VIC. Help to Buy covers $180,000 in equity. The stamp duty exemption saves you $31,070. Your deposit falls to 2% of the full price, or $12,000, so total upfront cash can drop to under $20,000 once you add normal buying costs.
First Home Guarantee
Buy with as little as 5% deposit and pay no Lenders Mortgage Insurance. The stamp duty concession still applies on top. On a $700,000 property in NSW, that can mean a $35,000 deposit, $0 in stamp duty, and $0 in LMI instead of a $140,000 deposit plus duty for a standard buyer.
This is why we model these concessions together, not one by one. The right combination can change when you buy, what price range you target, and how much buffer you keep after settlement.
Two stamp duty decisions that can save or cost you thousands
Can you add stamp duty to your home loan?
Some lenders let you capitalise stamp duty into the mortgage. That reduces the upfront cash needed, but it also increases the loan and the interest you pay over time. A $20,000 stamp duty bill added to a 30-year loan at 6% can cost about $23,000 in extra interest.
Should you stay under the threshold?
If you are shopping close to an exemption cap, the cheaper property can be far better value overall. In VIC, the difference between a $600,000 home and a $610,000 home is not just $10,000 in price. It can also mean losing part of the concession and ending up materially worse off after duty.
Use our stamp duty calculator before you make an offer. For the full upfront cash picture, see our first home buyer deposit guide.
How a broker factors stamp duty into your buying strategy
Stamp duty for a first home buyer is not an isolated cost. It affects your deposit, your loan-to-value ratio, your interest rate, and which lenders will approve you. Here is how we turn that knowledge into a plan specific to your situation.
We are paid by the lender, not by you. No hidden fees. We will tell you exactly what commission we receive on your loan.
Total cost mapping
We calculate your stamp duty, deposit, LMI (if applicable), conveyancing fees, and building inspection costs together. You get one number: the exact cash you need before you start looking at properties.
Borrowing capacity impact
Your stamp duty saving changes how much cash you have left for a deposit. A larger deposit means a lower LVR, which means a better interest rate. We model this across lenders to find where the saving has the biggest compounding effect on your total loan cost.
Concession confirmation
We confirm your eligibility and coordinate with your conveyancer to ensure the concession application is lodged correctly at settlement. If there is a risk you fall outside the threshold, we flag it before you sign a contract.
Lender matching across 40+ options
Some lenders are more flexible with capitalising stamp duty into the loan. Others offer better rates for first home buyers with smaller deposits. With access to 40+ lenders, we match you with the one that fits your deposit, income, and property price.
Frequently asked questions
Find out exactly what you will pay in stamp duty
You have seen what first home buyer stamp duty concessions could save you. Now get the exact figure for your target property and state. A Stryve broker will map your stamp duty, deposit, and borrowing capacity into one clear plan. No pressure, no obligation.
See what you could save