Stamp duty on a $700,000 home in each state
The same $700,000 established home costs $20,022 more in duty in Victoria than in the ACT for an owner-occupier. First home buyer relief makes a bigger difference than the state's rates.
| State or territory | Owner-occupier | First home buyer | Investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $25,687 | $0 | $25,687 |
| Victoria | $37,070 | $24,713 | $37,070 |
| Queensland | $17,350 | $0 | $24,525 |
| Western Australia | $27,265 | $16,150 | $27,265 |
| South Australia | $32,330 | $32,330 | $32,330 |
| Tasmania | $26,747.50 | $26,747.50 | $26,747.50 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $17,048 | $0 | $20,040 |
| Northern Territory | $34,650 | $34,650 | $34,650 |
Stamp duty on an $800,000 home in each state
| State or territory | Owner-occupier | First home buyer | Investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $30,187 | $0 | $30,187 |
| Victoria | $43,070 | $43,070 | $43,070 |
| Queensland | $21,850 | $21,850 | $29,025 |
| Western Australia | $32,315.50 | $32,300 | $32,315.50 |
| South Australia | $37,830 | $37,830 | $37,830 |
| Tasmania | $31,185 | $31,185 | $31,185 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $22,158 | $0 | $25,150 |
| Northern Territory | $39,600 | $39,600 | $39,600 |
How stamp duty is calculated
Stamp duty (called transfer duty, land transfer duty or conveyance duty depending on the state) is a state tax on buying property. It is worked out on the dutiable value: the price you pay, or the market value if that is higher. Every state uses a sliding scale, so the rate rises with the price.
- Find the band. Each band has a base amount and a rate on the value above its threshold, usually charged for every $100 or part of $100.
- Apply owner-occupier rates where the state has them: Victoria for homes up to $550,000, Queensland's home concession, WA's concessional rate up to $200,000, and the ACT's owner-occupier rates.
- Take off first home buyer relief if you qualify. Most states remove duty below a price limit and reduce it on a sliding scale above that.
- Add any foreign purchaser surcharge, charged as a percentage of the whole dutiable value.
Each state page shows the official rate table and the working for a $700,000 purchase.
First home buyer stamp duty concessions by state
Most states and territories cut or remove stamp duty for first home buyers below a price limit. The rules differ on new versus established homes and on land, and every scheme needs you to live in the home.
| State or territory | First home buyer relief |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | No duty on a new or existing home up to $800,000, reduced duty under $1,000,000. Vacant land: none up to $350,000, reduced under $450,000. |
| Victoria | No duty up to $600,000, reduced duty up to $750,000 (new or established homes, and land to build on) |
| Queensland | Established homes: no duty up to $700,000, reduced duty under $800,000. New homes and vacant land: no duty, with no value cap. |
| Western Australia | No duty on a home up to $600,000, reduced duty up to $800,000. Vacant land: none up to $450,000, reduced up to $550,000. |
| South Australia | No duty on a new home, an off-the-plan apartment or land to build on, at any value. Full duty on an established home. |
| Tasmania | None: the exemption for established homes ended for settlements after 30 June 2026 |
| Australian Capital Territory | Home Buyer Concession Scheme: no duty at any value if you haven't owned property in the last 5 years |
| Northern Territory | No first home buyer duty concession. Any buyer of a new house and land package from a builder is exempt until 30 June 2027. |
Duty relief sits alongside the federal 5% Deposit Scheme and state grants. Our first home buyer schemes and grants guide covers those.
Owner-occupier rates, foreign buyers and when duty is due
| State or territory | Owner-occupier rates | Foreign purchaser surcharge | When duty is due |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Same rates for homes and investments | Surcharge purchaser duty: 9% | By settlement, or within 3 months of signing the contract if that is earlier |
| Victoria | Lower principal place of residence rates on homes from $130,000 to $550,000 | Foreign purchaser additional duty: 8% | At settlement; penalty tax and interest can apply if it isn't paid within 30 days of settlement |
| Queensland | Home concession rate on the first $350,000 (saves up to $7,175) | Additional foreign acquirer duty: 8% | Documents lodged within 30 days of the contract; duty paid by the due date on the assessment |
| Western Australia | Concessional rate on a home valued up to $200,000 | Foreign transfer duty: 7% | Within a month of the assessment notice, or 12 months after the contract; usually paid at settlement |
| South Australia | Same rates for homes and investments | Foreign ownership surcharge: 7% | At settlement, when the property transfers to you |
| Tasmania | Same rates for homes and investments | Foreign investor duty surcharge: 8% | Within 3 months of the transaction, usually settlement |
| Australian Capital Territory | Lower owner-occupier rates for buyers who will live in the home | No duty surcharge (foreign owners pay a 0.75% a year land tax surcharge instead) | 14 days after the transfer is registered and the notice of assessment issues |
| Northern Territory | Same rates for homes and investments | None listed by the Territory Revenue Office | Within 60 days of the transaction, or at settlement if that is earlier |
What the calculator leaves out
- Land titles registration and transfer fees, charged separately by each state.
- Off-the-plan, pensioner and other special concessions, and purchases split between eligible and ineligible buyers.
- Mixed-use, commercial and primary production property.
Stamp duty usually comes out of your savings rather than the loan, so budget for it on top of your deposit. Themortgage repayment calculator shows what the loan itself will cost, and our guide tolow deposit home loans explains LMI and buying with less saved.
Stamp duty questions
How much is stamp duty on a $700,000 house?
It depends on the state. For an owner-occupier buying an established home it is $17,048 in the ACT, $17,350 in Queensland, $25,687 in NSW, $26,747.50 in Tasmania, $27,265 in WA, $32,330 in South Australia, $34,650 in the NT, $37,070 in Victoria. First home buyers pay less, or nothing, in most states.
What is the formula for calculating stamp duty?
Each state publishes a table of bands. Find the band your price falls in, then add the band's base amount to its rate on the value above the band's threshold. Most states charge the rate for every $100, or part of $100. Concessions are then taken off, and any foreign purchaser surcharge is added as a percentage of the whole value.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty?
Often not, up to a price limit. On a $700,000 established home, an eligible first home buyer pays nothing in NSW, in Queensland and in the ACT. The limits, and whether new homes or land count, differ by state. Tasmania has had no first home buyer relief since 30 June 2026, and the NT has no first home buyer duty concession, though it exempts house and land packages bought from a builder.
Who pays stamp duty, the buyer or the seller?
The buyer. Revenue offices charge transfer duty to the purchaser (the transferee), and it is usually paid through the buyer's conveyancer or solicitor at or before settlement.
Which state has the lowest stamp duty?
On a $700,000 established home bought by an owner-occupier, the lowest of the states covered here is $17,048 in the ACT and the highest is $37,070 in Victoria. The order changes with the price and the buyer, so run your own numbers.
Is there stamp duty on vacant land?
Yes, at the same rates as other property in most states. First home buyers get relief on land to build a home on in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, South Australia and the ACT, each with its own limits.
