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    TaxKiln Australia
    TaxKilnAustralia tax guidance

    Stamp Duty (Transfer Duty) by State and Territory

    An eight-jurisdiction comparison of residential transfer duty rates, first home buyer concessions, foreign buyer surcharges, off-the-plan concessions, and the ACT phase-out model for 2025-26.

    Stamp duty (called transfer duty in most jurisdictions) is a state and territory tax on property purchases, with rates, thresholds, and concessions varying significantly across Australia's eight jurisdictions. For a standard $750,000 residential purchase by an Australian citizen with no concessions, duty ranges from approximately $25,000 in Tasmania to over $40,000 in Victoria. First home buyer concessions can eliminate duty entirely in some states (NSW to $800,000, ACT to $1,000,000 means-tested, SA for new homes with no value cap), while foreign buyer surcharges add 7% to 9% on top of standard duty.

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    New South Wales

    NSW uses a progressive transfer duty scale with a top general rate of $5.50 per $100 above $1,240,000 and a premium residential rate of 7% above $3,721,000 for 2025-26. First home buyers receive a full exemption on homes up to $800,000 under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, with concessional rates tapering to general rates at $1,000,000. The foreign purchaser surcharge is 9% from 1 January 2025 (increased from 8%), plus a 5% surcharge land tax on residential land with no threshold.

    Victoria

    Victoria's land transfer duty scale reaches 5.5% of the full dutiable value for properties between $960,001 and $2,000,000, with 6.5% applying above $2,000,000. First home buyers pay no duty on properties up to $600,000, with a sliding concession from $600,001 to $750,000. The foreign purchaser additional duty (FPAD) is 8%, plus a 4% absentee owner land tax surcharge. Victoria also applies a windfall gains tax on rezoning uplifts above $100,000, with marginal rates stepping up to 62.5%.

    Queensland and Western Australia

    Queensland applies a progressive scale with a top general rate around 5.75%. First home concessions reduce duty on homes up to approximately $550,000. The additional foreign acquirer duty is 8% from 1 July 2024, with a 3% absentee owner land tax surcharge on land above $350,000. Western Australia's general scale runs to $5.15 per $100 above $725,000. The first home owner rate provides no duty on homes up to $500,000 (metropolitan/Peel and regional), with concessional rates to $700,000 (metro) or $750,000 (regional). The foreign buyer surcharge is 7%. WA's 2026-27 budget lifts the no-duty threshold to $600,000.

    South Australia and Tasmania

    South Australia's progressive residential scale tops out around 4.95% to 5%. First home buyer relief provides duty elimination for eligible FHBs on new homes, off-the-plan apartments, and vacant land up to $400,000 for land. The foreign ownership surcharge is 7%. Tasmania's scale reaches $4.50 per $100 above $725,000. FHBs receive a 50% duty discount on established homes up to $750,000 (settlement between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026). The foreign investor duty surcharge is 8% (1.5% for primary production), with a 2% surcharge land tax on properties acquired after July 2022.

    ACT and Northern Territory

    The ACT is unique nationally: it is phasing down conveyance duty and increasing annual general rates (land-tax-like charges) as a long-term structural reform. The Home Buyer Concession Scheme provides a full duty exemption up to $1,000,000 (means-tested), with the maximum concession capped at $35,238 for 2025-26. The ACT imposes no foreign purchaser surcharge but levies a 0.75% land tax surcharge on foreign-owned residential land. The Northern Territory uses a formula-based calculation for properties up to $525,000, then steps through 4.95%, 5.75%, and 5.95% bands. NT imposes no foreign purchaser duty or land tax surcharges. NT offers a $10,000 FHOG for established homes and a $50,000 HomeGrown Territory Grant for eligible new home purchasers.

    Foreign buyer surcharge comparison

    Foreign purchaser surcharges vary substantially. NSW leads at 9% from 1 January 2025 and also imposes the highest land tax surcharge at 5% with no threshold. Two jurisdictions impose no purchaser surcharge at all (ACT and NT), while the remainder sit at 7% to 8%.

    First home buyer concession comparison

    The generosity of FHB concessions varies dramatically. SA offers the most open-ended support for new homes (no value cap on either the FHOG or duty abolition), while the ACT provides the highest individual property price threshold at $1,000,000 for duty exemption (means-tested). QLD and TAS both offer $30,000 grants for new homes, though both are explicitly tagged to 30 June 2026.

    Statute references

    • Revenue NSW (transfer duty rates, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, foreign surcharges)
    • State Revenue Office Victoria (land transfer duty, FPAD, windfall gains tax)
    • Queensland Revenue Office (transfer duty, AFAD, absentee surcharge)
    • WA Office of State Revenue (transfer duty, FHOR, foreign surcharge)
    • RevenueSA (stamp duty, FHB relief, foreign surcharge)
    • State Revenue Office Tasmania (transfer duty, FIDS)
    • ACT Revenue Office (HBCS, duty reform, foreign land tax surcharge)
    • NT Treasury (stamp duty formula, FHOG, HomeGrown Territory Grant)

    Frequently asked questions

    Which state has the lowest stamp duty on a $750,000 home?+
    For a non-first-home-buyer Australian citizen at $750,000, Tasmania offers the lowest duty at approximately the mid-$20,000s, while Victoria is typically the highest at around $40,000. ACT can be zero if you qualify for the Home Buyer Concession Scheme. The NT uses a unique formula-based calculation that produces relatively high duty at lower price points but competitive rates above $525,000.
    Do foreign buyers pay extra stamp duty in every state?+
    No. The Northern Territory does not impose any foreign purchaser surcharge on duty or land tax. The ACT does not charge surcharge purchaser duty but does levy a small 0.75% land tax surcharge on foreign-owned residential land. Every other jurisdiction imposes a surcharge ranging from 7% (WA, SA) to 9% (NSW).
    Are trusts affected by foreign buyer surcharges?+
    Yes. Several states have look-through tests for trustees that catch foreign beneficiaries even if the trustee is Australian. Discretionary and unit trusts can trigger foreign purchaser surcharges where a foreign beneficiary or unit holder exceeds specified control thresholds (often 50%, though NSW uses 20% for residential surcharge land tax). SMSFs can also be caught if they meet foreign person definitions.
    Is stamp duty payable on business goodwill and stock?+
    Generally no. Pure business assets (goodwill, plant and equipment, trading stock) are no longer dutiable in most states following past reforms. Duty is calculated only on the dutiable components: freehold property, certain leases and fixtures, and interests in land-rich entities. This split is usually documented in the sale contract.

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