First Home Buyer Grants and Stamp Duty by State (2026)
Last updated: September 2026. Reviewed by Mansour Soltani, Director and Credit Representative 527161, Soren Financial.
Between the First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty concessions, a first home buyer can be tens of thousands of dollars better off, but the rules differ in every state and several just changed on 1 July 2026. This guide lays out what is on offer where, so you know exactly what to claim.
This is the deep-dive on grants and stamp duty. For the full first home buyer picture, start with our first home buyer guide.
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The two big savings: grant vs stamp duty
A first home buyer in NSW can claim up to $10,000 in cash and skip around $31,000 in stamp duty. They are two different schemes with different rules, and most people who qualify can claim both:
- The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is a one-off cash payment from your state, almost always for new builds or newly built homes only.
- Stamp duty concessions waive or reduce the transfer duty you would normally pay, and these often apply to existing homes too, up to a price threshold.
You can usually claim both if you qualify, and neither is the same as the federal 5% deposit scheme. More on how they stack below.
First Home Owner Grant by state (2026)
| State / territory | FHOG amount | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $10,000 | New homes up to $600,000, or land + build up to $750,000 |
| Victoria | $10,000 | New homes valued up to $750,000 |
| Queensland | $30,000 | New homes valued under $750,000 including land; still running for contracts signed from 1 July 2026 |
| Western Australia | $10,000 | New homes only. Value cap $800,000 south of the 26th parallel (which includes all of Perth), $1,000,000 north of it. Caps raised 7 May 2026 |
| South Australia | $15,000 | New homes only, no property price cap |
| Tasmania | $20,000 | New homes; reduced from $30,000 on 1 July 2026 |
| Australian Capital Territory | No cash grant | Help comes via stamp duty instead (below) |
| Northern Territory | $50,000 | New builds (HomeGrown Territory Grant) |
FHOG amounts, caps and end dates are set by each state and change often, sometimes at short notice in a budget. Every state in the table above links straight to its own revenue office, so you can confirm the current figure at the source before you rely on it.
First home buyer stamp duty concessions by state (2026)
Stamp duty is usually the biggest upfront cost after your deposit, and it is where the largest savings sit. Several states changed on 1 July 2026:
| State / territory | First home buyer stamp duty relief (2026) |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Full exemption on homes up to $800,000, concessions tapering to $1,000,000 |
| Victoria | Full exemption up to $600,000, concessions up to $750,000 |
| Queensland | New homes: full exemption, no price cap. Existing homes: no duty up to $700,000, phasing out to $800,000 |
| Western Australia | No duty up to $600,000, concession tapering to $800,000 — one set of thresholds statewide since 7 May 2026. Vacant land: no duty to $450,000, concession to $550,000 |
| South Australia | Full exemption on eligible new homes, no price cap; no relief for established homes |
| Australian Capital Territory | Stamp duty abolished for all first home buyers from 1 July 2026, no price or income limit |
| Tasmania | The established-home duty relief ended 30 June 2026; standard rates now apply |
| Northern Territory | No first-home stamp duty exemption (the NT offers the $50,000 grant instead) |
Thresholds and eligibility are set by each state and territory and change regularly. These are a guide only; we will calculate your exact duty for the property and state you are buying in.
First home buyer grants and schemes in NSW: the full picture
Most of our first home buyers purchase in NSW, so here is exactly what you can claim in 2026 — and yes, the three schemes stack.
First Home Owner Grant (NSW)
$10,000 for buying or building a new home — up to $600,000 for a new home, or $750,000 for a house-and-land build. Established homes never qualify for the grant.
First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (stamp duty)
Zero transfer (stamp) duty on new or established homes up to $800,000, with a discount that phases out at $1,000,000. Vacant land: full exemption to $350,000, concession to $450,000. You must move in within 12 months and live there for a continuous 12 months.
First Home Guarantee (5% deposit, no LMI)
Buy with a 5% deposit and pay no lenders mortgage insurance. Since 1 October 2025 there are no income caps and no limit on places. The price cap for Sydney and major NSW regional centres is $1,500,000.
Put together on a $740,000 new build in Western Sydney, that is the $10,000 grant, roughly $29,000 of stamp duty you never pay, and a deposit of $37,000 instead of $148,000 — with no LMI. The schemes have different fine print, so the order you claim them in matters.
What changed on 1 July 2026
If you read this earlier in the year, a few things moved:
- Queensland kept its $30,000 grant going past 30 June, but added a citizenship or permanent residency condition from 1 August 2026.
- Tasmania’s grant fell from $30,000 to $20,000, and its stamp duty relief on established homes finished on 30 June.
- The ACT went the other way and abolished stamp duty entirely for first home buyers, with no price or income limit.
Timing your contract date around these dates can be worth thousands, which is exactly the kind of thing worth a quick chat before you sign.
Grants and stamp duty rules change more often than people realise, and a contract signed a week either side of a cut-off date can cost or save thousands. Before you commit, it is worth ten minutes to confirm exactly what your state is offering right now.
Mansour Soltani, Soren Financial
How grants stack with the deposit schemes
Yes, you can claim all of them at once. The state grant and stamp duty concession sit on top of the two federal schemes:
- The First Home Guarantee (5% deposit scheme) lets you buy with a 5% deposit and no LMI, and you can still claim your state grant and stamp duty concession alongside it.
- The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets you save a deposit through super with a tax advantage.
- Buying new to grab the grant means a bigger stamp duty saving in most states too, so the two often work together.
Used well, a first home buyer can combine a low deposit, a waived LMI premium, a cash grant and a stamp duty exemption in the one purchase.
Download the First Home Buyer’s Complete Guide
The step-by-step guide our clients use — grants, schemes, deposits and the buying process, in plain English. Free, no sign-up.
Why use a Soren Financial broker?
We keep across these rules as they change and make sure you claim everything you are entitled to, then match you to a lender whose loan and timing fit your grant and concession. It costs you nothing, and it is the difference between leaving money on the table and not.
Related first home buyer guides
- First Home Buyer Guide (2026) – the complete guide to deposits, loans, costs and schemes.
- First Home Guarantee (5% deposit scheme) – buy with 5% and no LMI.
- Family Home Guarantee – single parents can buy with a 2% deposit.
- How to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance.
- Stamp duty calculator – work out the duty on your purchase in every state.
FAQs
Is the First Home Owner Grant only for new homes?
In every state, the FHOG is effectively limited to new builds or newly constructed homes. Stamp duty concessions are what usually help with existing homes.
How much stamp duty will I actually pay?
It depends on your state, the price and whether the home is new or existing. Our stamp duty calculator gives you an instant estimate, and we will confirm the exact figure for your purchase.
I am buying an existing home. What can I claim?
Generally not the FHOG, but you may still get a stamp duty concession depending on your state and the price, plus the 5% deposit scheme.
How much is the first home buyer grant in NSW?
$10,000, and only for new homes — up to $600,000 for a new build, or $750,000 for house-and-land. If you are buying an established home, the stamp duty exemption is the saving to chase instead.
What is the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme?
The NSW scheme that removes stamp duty for first home buyers on homes up to $800,000 and discounts it up to $1,000,000. It applies to established homes as well as new ones, which the grant does not.
Can I combine the NSW grant, the stamp duty exemption and the First Home Guarantee?
Yes. On an eligible new build under $600,000 you can claim all three at once.
Information is general only and does not take your circumstances into account. Grant amounts, stamp duty thresholds and eligibility are set by each state and territory and change regularly. Always confirm the current rules for your state before you buy.