6 States & Territories Compared
Each Australian state and territory sets its own stamp duty rates and concessions.
Pick your state for the full calculator with first home buyer logic, foreign surcharge, and registration fees — or compare side-by-side first.
Each state has its own bracket schedule, first home buyer rules, and foreign surcharge. Click your state for the full calculator with worked examples and 5+ FAQ items.
Premium rate above $3.87M · 9% foreign surcharge from Jan 2025
Lower rates for a home to live in up to $550k · 8% foreign surcharge · 4% absentee land tax
Home Concession 1% on first $350k · first home buyers: no cap on new builds + vacant land
First home buyer limits lifted to $600k/$800k from 7 May 2026 · 7% foreign surcharge
First home buyers: new homes + vacant land exempt at ANY price (contracts from 6 June 2024)
Home Buyer Concession Scheme: $0 at any price from 1 July 2026 · No foreign surcharge
Buying a car, not a house? Stamp duty on a vehicle is a separate charge with its own rates in every state — use the car stamp duty calculator.
Paying more to buy in a school zone? The premium raises your stamp duty too — the school zone or school fees calculator weighs it against 13 years of private school fees.
How much does a typical existing-home purchase cost in stamp duty? Figures below are for an Australian citizen buying an existing home to live in, who has owned property before. They include each state's owner-occupier rates (such as Queensland's Home Concession) but no first home buyer concession. First home buyers can pay much less (see state cards above).
| State / Territory | $500,000 purchase | $750,000 purchase | $1,000,000 purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW — New South Wales | $16,687 | $27,937 | $39,187 |
| VIC — Victoria | $21,970 | $40,070 | $55,000 |
| QLD — Queensland | $8,750 | $19,600 | $30,850 |
| WA — Western Australia | $17,765 | $29,741 | $42,616 |
| SA — South Australia | $21,330 | $35,080 | $48,830 |
| ACT — Australian Capital Territory | $8,408 | $19,208 | $33,958 |
How to read this: The lowest-duty cell in each column is highlighted. Rates are for contracts signed in 2026–27. In the ACT, buyers who have not owned property in the past 5 years pay $0 at any price under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme (no income test from 1 July 2026). For first home buyer figures and new-home / vacant-land rules, open the state calculator.
Six states and territories, six sets of rules. SA, QLD, ACT waive duty entirely for first home buyers on new builds. NSW, VIC, WA cap it at a price.
Existing homes: no relief.
SA calculator →Existing: $0 to $700k, reduced duty to $800k.
QLD calculator →No property owned in the past 5 years.
ACT calculator →Reduced duty to $1M · vacant land $0 to $350k.
NSW calculator →Reduced duty to $750k.
VIC calculator →Reduced duty to $800k · from 7 May 2026.
WA calculator →Foreign persons (including most temporary visa holders) pay an additional surcharge of 7%–9% on top of standard transfer duty. Several states also impose an annual surcharge land tax on foreign owners — recurring every year, not just at purchase.
| State | Foreign buyer surcharge (upfront) | Annual surcharge land tax | On a $1M existing-home purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 9.0% (from 1 Jan 2025) | 5.0% of unimproved land value | ~$129,187 upfront |
| VIC | 8.0% | 4.0% (absentee owner) | ~$135,000 upfront |
| QLD | 8.0% | 3.0% above $350k land value | ~$110,850 upfront |
| WA | 7.0% | None | ~$112,616 upfront |
| SA | 7.0% | None | ~$118,830 upfront |
| ACT | 0% | 0.75% of land value | ~$33,958 upfront |
Of the six covered here, the ACT is the only one with no foreign buyer duty surcharge, though foreign owners there pay a 0.75% land tax surcharge each year. NSW lifted its surcharge from 8% to 9% on 1 January 2025; its annual surcharge land tax also rose from 4% to 5%.
It depends on who is buying. For a $750,000 home to live in, bought by someone who has owned before, the ACT ($19,208) and Queensland ($19,600) charge the least of the six, and Victoria the most ($40,070). First home buyers pay no duty on a new home at any price in Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. In the ACT that covers established homes too, for buyers who have not owned property in the past 5 years. Among the states with a price limit for first home buyers, NSW has the highest: no duty up to $800,000.
Each state and territory sets its own rates. Duty is worked out in bands on the dutiable value, which is usually the price you pay (or the market value, if that is higher). Rates run from nil on the first $5,000 in Queensland to 7% on NSW homes over $3.87 million. First home buyers and people buying a home to live in can pay less. Foreign buyers pay a surcharge of 7% to 9% in five of the six states and territories covered here.
Yes. Every state and territory charges duty when you buy property. Velofy covers NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, South Australia and the ACT. Tasmania and the Northern Territory are not covered yet.
For 2026–27: NSW 9%, Victoria 8%, Queensland 8%, WA 7%, South Australia 7% and the ACT 0%. The surcharge is charged on the full price, on top of standard duty. On a $1,000,000 home in NSW, a foreign buyer pays about $129,187 in total upfront duty. Foreign owners also pay an annual land tax surcharge in NSW (5%), Victoria (4%), Queensland (3% on land value over $350,000) and the ACT (0.75%).
Yes, within limits. ACT: no duty at any price under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, for buyers who have not owned property in the past 5 years. Queensland and South Australia: no duty on a new home or vacant land to build on, at any price. NSW: no duty on a new or existing home up to $800,000. Victoria: no duty up to $600,000. WA: no duty on a home up to $600,000 (contracts from 7 May 2026). Queensland also charges no duty on an established home up to $700,000. South Australia gives no relief on established homes.
Most buyers pay at or before settlement, through their conveyancer or solicitor. In NSW, duty is due within 3 months of signing the contract. In WA, the transaction must be lodged for duty within 2 months. Paying late can attract interest and penalties.