Stamp duty in WA

If you're buying a property in Western Australia, you'll probably need to pay stamp duty. The WA government charges stamp duty as a tax on the sale of certain assets. This includes property. Stamp duty in WA can cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. But there are some exemptions and concessions for first home buyers.

Find out how much stamp duty you'll pay using the calculator below.

What are the stamp duty rates in Western Australia?

You can find the rates of duty in the table below.

General rates of duty paid in WA. For more information, visit the WA Department of Finance website.

How much stamp duty do foreign property buyers pay?

If you are a foreign buyer purchasing property in Western Australia, you will need to pay an additional 7% in stamp duty.

If you are purchasing property with someone else and only 1 of you is a foreign citizen, the additional foreign duty will only apply to 50% of the purchase price.

However, the WA government will refund foreign transfer duty if a foreign buyer purchases land for residential development where 10 or more residential dwellings will be constructed.

Frequently asked questions about stamp duty in WA

• Who pays stamp duty?

  In WA, the purchaser of the property or the transferee is liable to pay stamp duty when the sale or transfer takes place.

• When is stamp duty paid?

  You must lodge your documents for assessment of stamp duty within two months of the liability arising when the property is purchased or transferred. After lodging the documents, stamp duty must be paid within one month.

• Am I exempt from paying stamp duty?

  First home buyers are exempt from having to pay a duty on any home purchase up to $430,000. Concessions are available on homes valued between $430,001 and $530,000. The home purchased must be used as a primary place of residence. The concession is $19.19 per $100 or part thereof above $430,000. Vacant land purchases are exempt from stamp duty for values up to $300,000. Concessions are available for land valued between $300,001 and $400,000.
  The concessional rate for vacant land is $13.01 per $100 or part thereof above $300,000.
  Exemptions are available for the transfer of family farms. Transfers between spouses or de facto partners of two years are also exempt.

• Can I apply for a refund if the sale transfer is cancelled?

  If your transaction is cancelled, you must apply for a refund of stamp duty within five years of the original assessment or 12 months after the day on which the agreement was cancelled.

• What other costs are involved in buying a property?

  They can include a range of expenses including legal fees, building inspection costs and bank fees. Review our guide.

• How do I pay stamp duty?

  Payment can be made to the WA Office of State Revenue via credit card, BPAY, post or in person using cash or cheque.

Written by

Rebecca Pike

Senior writer

Rebecca Pike is Finder's senior writer for money. She joined Finder after almost four years writing for business publications in the mortgage and finance industry, including three years as editor of Mortgage Professional Australia. She regularly appears as a money expert on programs like Sunrise and Today, as well as across radio and newspapers. She also holds ASIC-recognised certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products. See full bio

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Co-written by

Sarah Megginson

Head of editorial

As an authority on all things personal finance, Sarah Megginson is passionate about helping you save money and make money. She is an editor and money expert with 20 years’ experience and an extensive background in property and finance journalism. Sarah holds ASIC RG146-compliant Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, and she's a regular media commentator, appearing weekly on TV (Sunrise, Channel 7 news, Nine news), radio (KIIS FM, Triple M, 3AW, 2GB, 6PR) and in digital and print media. See full bio

Sarah's expertise

Sarah has written 192 Finder guides across topics including:

• Home loans
• Personal finance
• Budgeting and money-saving tips
• Managing the cost of living