The same house costs thousands more depending on which side of a state line you are on
(called transfer duty in most states) is a one-off state tax you pay when you buy property. It is calculated as a percentage of the , and the rates, thresholds, and first home buyer concessions are different in every state and territory. On a median-priced home, stamp duty is typically the single largest variable transaction cost you face, and it has to be paid in cash at or shortly after settlement.
On a $500,000 property, a non-first-home buyer pays about $8,750 in Queensland and over $23,900 in the Northern Territory .
How this applies in your state
Sign up to see how this applies in your state.
New South Wales: NSW calls it transfer duty...
Victoria: Victoria calls it land...
Queensland: Queensland calls it transfer...
South Australia: South Australia calls it...
Western Australia: WA calls it transfer duty and...
Tasmania: Tasmania calls it duty. First...
Australian Capital Territory: The ACT calls it conveyance...
Northern Territory: The NT uses a formula-based...
Tailored to your property journey
Sign up to see how this applies to your property journey.
First Home Buyers: Your biggest stamp duty...
Rentvesters: Rentvesters pay full stamp...
The same house costs thousands more depending on which side of a state line you are on
(called transfer duty in most states) is a one-off state tax you pay when you buy property. It is calculated as a percentage of the , and the rates, thresholds, and first home buyer concessions are different in every state and territory. On a median-priced home, stamp duty is typically the single largest variable transaction cost you face, and it has to be paid in cash at or shortly after settlement.
On a $500,000 property, a non-first-home buyer pays about $8,750 in Queensland and over $23,900 in the Northern Territory .
How this applies in your state
Sign up to see how this applies in your state.
New South Wales: NSW calls it transfer duty...
Victoria: Victoria calls it land...
Queensland: Queensland calls it transfer...
South Australia: South Australia calls it...
Western Australia: WA calls it transfer duty and...
Tasmania: Tasmania calls it duty. First...
Australian Capital Territory: The ACT calls it conveyance...
Northern Territory: The NT uses a formula-based...
Tailored to your property journey
Sign up to see how this applies to your property journey.
First Home Buyers: Your biggest stamp duty...
Rentvesters: Rentvesters pay full stamp...
Tasmania's cliff-edge first home buyer exemption saves up to $27,810 at $750,000 but collapses entirely one dollar above the threshold .
The ACT offers the highest threshold in Australia at $1,020,000, but it is the only state that income-tests the concession .
That is not a rounding error. It is money you need in your bank account before settlement day, and the amount you owe can swing by $15,000 or more based purely on which state you buy in.
The rates climb faster than the price
Every state uses a progressive bracket system, similar to income tax. You do not pay one flat rate on the entire purchase price. Instead, each portion of the price is taxed at an increasing rate as the value rises .
For example, in NSW the first $17,000 is taxed at 1.25%, the next $20,000 at 1.50%, and so on up to 5.50% for amounts above $1,240,000 . The result is that stamp duty grows faster than the property price. A $600,000 property does not cost twice the stamp duty of a $300,000 property. It costs significantly more than twice.
Timing varies too. In most states, stamp duty is due within 30 to 90 days of the contract date or at settlement, whichever comes first . Your conveyancer handles the payment, but the money comes from you. It cannot be added to your home loan, with one exception: the ACT and NT allow deferred payment in some cases.
The first home buyer concession landscape is a patchwork
Every state offers some form of stamp duty relief for first home buyers, but the details vary enormously. Some states exempt you entirely below a threshold. Others give you a sliding concession. A few have abolished stamp duty on new homes for first home buyers altogether, with no cap on the purchase price. The table below summarises the key thresholds as of early 2026.
State/Territory
Full Exemption Threshold
Concession Range
Applies To
NSW
Up to $800,000
$800,001 - $1,000,000
New and existing homes
VIC
Up to $600,000
$600,001 - $750,000
New and existing homes
QLD
Up to $700,000 (established)
$700,001 - $800,000
Established homes
QLD
No cap (new homes, from 1 May 2025)
N/A
New homes only
SA
No cap (new homes)
N/A
New homes only
WA
Up to $500,000
$500,001 - $700,000 (metro) / $750,000 (regional)
New and existing homes
TAS
Up to $750,000
N/A (cliff edge, not sliding)
New and existing homes (expires 30 June 2026)
ACT
Up to $1,020,000
$1,020,001 - $1,455,000
New and existing homes (income-tested)
NT
No specific duty exemption
$7,000 PPRR rebate available
See PPRR and grants below
Cliff edges can cost you tens of thousands
Some concessions phase out gradually on a sliding scale. Others cut off sharply. Tasmania is the clearest example: you pay $0 duty on a $750,000 home, but full duty on a $750,001 home . That single dollar costs you roughly $27,810 in stamp duty.
NSW and Victoria use a sliding scale, so the transition is smoother. But the principle is the same. If you are buying near a threshold, check where you land. A small reduction in the purchase price could save you thousands.
Off-the-plan can shift when the tax is calculated
Several states offer reduced stamp duty for off-the-plan purchases. The duty is calculated on the land value at the contract date, not the finished value of the apartment . In NSW, the has been extended to 21 October 2026 . Victoria has a similar extension running to the same date . These concessions apply to all buyers, not just first home buyers.
Tasmania's cliff-edge first home buyer exemption saves up to $27,810 at $750,000 but collapses entirely one dollar above the threshold .
The ACT offers the highest threshold in Australia at $1,020,000, but it is the only state that income-tests the concession .
That is not a rounding error. It is money you need in your bank account before settlement day, and the amount you owe can swing by $15,000 or more based purely on which state you buy in.
The rates climb faster than the price
Every state uses a progressive bracket system, similar to income tax. You do not pay one flat rate on the entire purchase price. Instead, each portion of the price is taxed at an increasing rate as the value rises .
For example, in NSW the first $17,000 is taxed at 1.25%, the next $20,000 at 1.50%, and so on up to 5.50% for amounts above $1,240,000 . The result is that stamp duty grows faster than the property price. A $600,000 property does not cost twice the stamp duty of a $300,000 property. It costs significantly more than twice.
Timing varies too. In most states, stamp duty is due within 30 to 90 days of the contract date or at settlement, whichever comes first . Your conveyancer handles the payment, but the money comes from you. It cannot be added to your home loan, with one exception: the ACT and NT allow deferred payment in some cases.
The first home buyer concession landscape is a patchwork
Every state offers some form of stamp duty relief for first home buyers, but the details vary enormously. Some states exempt you entirely below a threshold. Others give you a sliding concession. A few have abolished stamp duty on new homes for first home buyers altogether, with no cap on the purchase price. The table below summarises the key thresholds as of early 2026.
State/Territory
Full Exemption Threshold
Concession Range
Applies To
NSW
Up to $800,000
$800,001 - $1,000,000
New and existing homes
VIC
Up to $600,000
$600,001 - $750,000
New and existing homes
QLD
Up to $700,000 (established)
$700,001 - $800,000
Established homes
QLD
No cap (new homes, from 1 May 2025)
N/A
New homes only
SA
No cap (new homes)
N/A
New homes only
WA
Up to $500,000
$500,001 - $700,000 (metro) / $750,000 (regional)
New and existing homes
TAS
Up to $750,000
N/A (cliff edge, not sliding)
New and existing homes (expires 30 June 2026)
ACT
Up to $1,020,000
$1,020,001 - $1,455,000
New and existing homes (income-tested)
NT
No specific duty exemption
$7,000 PPRR rebate available
See PPRR and grants below
Cliff edges can cost you tens of thousands
Some concessions phase out gradually on a sliding scale. Others cut off sharply. Tasmania is the clearest example: you pay $0 duty on a $750,000 home, but full duty on a $750,001 home . That single dollar costs you roughly $27,810 in stamp duty.
NSW and Victoria use a sliding scale, so the transition is smoother. But the principle is the same. If you are buying near a threshold, check where you land. A small reduction in the purchase price could save you thousands.
Off-the-plan can shift when the tax is calculated
Several states offer reduced stamp duty for off-the-plan purchases. The duty is calculated on the land value at the contract date, not the finished value of the apartment . In NSW, the has been extended to 21 October 2026 . Victoria has a similar extension running to the same date . These concessions apply to all buyers, not just first home buyers.