Stamp duty is one of the biggest costs you'll pay when buying property in Australia. Stamp duty is a form of tax charged by the state government, and it applies when you buy a property, but not when you sell. Our stamp duty calculator can help you work out how much stamp duty you'll pay when buying a home or investment property.
Luckily, first home buyers in most states and territories can qualify for one-off discounts or concessions, depending on the type of property you buy and the purchase price.
Stamp duty calculator
To use this calculator select your state or territory, enter the value of your property (the full value, not your loan amount), choose the type of purchase (home to live in, investment or land) and select yes or no if you're a first home buyer or not.
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Stamp duty exemptions and concessions by state/territory
Your stamp duty cost varies depending on where you live. Governments update these costs every few years, depending on state budgets and tax policy.
Click your state or territory below to find out about stamp duty exemptions.
Your stamp duty is determined by several factors beyond where you live. These are:
- The cost of the property. The more you pay for your property the higher your stamp duty cost will be.
- Whether you're a first home buyer. If you've never owned a property before then you may quality for a concession (discount) on your stamp duty or even a full exemption. Pensioners and seniors may also qualify for a discount or exemption.
- The type of home you buy. The amount of stamp duty that you will be charged may depend on the type of property you purchase, with concessions or exemptions for buying new or off-the-plan properties.
What is stamp duty?
Stamp duty in Australia is a state/territory level tax levied on large transactions such as property purchases, cars or other assets. Historically, stamp duty was levied on the signing of various legal documents, hence the word stamp. Stamp duty is sometimes referred to as transfer duty.
How do I pay my stamp duty?
Many buyers pay stamp duty at settlement. Depending on your state or territory, it may be due on settlement day, and in other states you have around 30 days from settlement to organise the payment.
Your lawyer or conveyancer can help you with the logistics of paying stamp duty and will advise you of deadlines. Your conveyancer can also help you organise your paperwork when applying for a concession or exemption.
Can I borrow stamp duty with my loan?
Depending on your borrowing power and the size of your deposit, you may be able to have the amount of stamp duty added to your loan. This is known as having your stamp duty capitalised into the principal of the loan.
This means you are borrowing the money to pay stamp duty, so you'll pay interest on that amount for 30 years.
Keep in mind that this may increase your loan to value (LVR) ratio, which could require you to pay a higher Lenders Mortgage Insurance premium, if your loan is above 80% of the property's overall value.
Stamp duty in unique cases
Do I have to pay stamp duty on vacant land?
All transfers of land come with these costs, which you see by using the stamp duty calculator above. The exception to this is through the various concessions and exemptions available from each state, particularly for first home buyers.
Do I have to pay stamp duty on off-the-plan property?
Yes, stamp duty is still payable on off-the-plan property, but keep in mind there are concessions and exemptions available in different states.
Do I have to pay stamp duty on a loan I am refinancing?
In most cases you will have to pay stamp duty again even if you are refinancing. However, there are situations in which you can avoid paying stamp duty. For example, if the names of the borrowers are the same and the amount of the loan is the same, there might be a chance you could avoid paying stamp duty. In some cases, you might also have to refinance with the same lender to avoid this cost.
If you're borrowing more when refinancing (say, a home loan top up) you may have to pay stamp duty on any amount above the original loan.
Note that in some situations you may have to pay the fees but you can then apply for a refund from the lender. Thus, it pays to make sure you do your research before deciding to refinance because any savings you incur from a lower rate might be completely obliterated if you have to pay stamp duty again. In this case, refinancing may simply not be worth the hassle.
Divorce and stamp duty
Stamp duty isn’t payable if one of you is transferring the title to a home or land to another. However, you can only save on stamp duty if the transfer is done so you can obey a court order. The court must be able to know what assets are owned by each of the parties. This includes all of your assets like land, bank accounts and superannuation. It may be necessary to hire an expert to value an asset.
It’s important to know that parenting is seen as a very important contribution. If the marriage has been a long one, it is often seen as equal to financial contributions. Usually, the court gives the party whose financial future is not as good as the other some extra part of the property owned by the parties.
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Ask a question
Hi Richard, we are buying a property in QLD(Buying a land and building a house). But, we are nor permanent residents.
Will we be eligible for a stamp duty concession or first home buyers grant
Hi Sachin,
You need to be a citizen or permanent resident to claim the first homeowners grant in QLD.
But you do not have to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident to claim a stamp duty concession using the First Home Concession. But you may have to pay an additional foreign acquirer duty.
You can learn more here.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Richard
Hi there, Vic based here. My partner is going through a separation. We are looking buy out her husband and add me to the mortgage (Im a first time buyer). Would there be stamp duty payable?
Hi Kiran,
Yes, stamp duty will apply when a property changes ownership. As a first-home buyer, you may be entitled to a stamp duty discount or exemption, but because you’re essentially “co-buying” the property with an existing property owner, this may cancel out your eligibility for the waiver. The rules around this vary between states and territories, so it would be worth contacting the Office of State Revenue in your state or territory for more information relevant to your situation.
You can read our guide on how to change property titles as a reference too.
I hope this helps!
Cheers,
Sarah
does adding a spouse’s name to a property title incur stamp duty in the ACT. There is no mortgage and we’ve been married for 12 years, living in the property all that time
Hi Annie,
Stamp duty or otherwise known as conveyance duty in ACT isn’t payable if you’re adding your spouse’s name to a residential property (conditions may apply).
Before adding a name to a property title, obtaining professional legal advice from a property lawyer or a licensed conveyancer is advisable.
I hope this helps!
Cheers,
Richard
My daughter signed for us 16yrs ago I paid the mortgage ever since can we get the deeds
Hi Robert,
You should contact your lender and ask about getting the deeds to your property.
Thanks!
Richard
Buying a house in Adelaide, can the stamp duty be paid in installments or do you have to pay the full amount?
Hi Carol,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
In real estate, stamp duty is paid by the purchaser and must be paid within 30 days of the property settlement.
The RevenueSA online is an internet-based system that allows an easy, flexible, and more efficient way for you to do business with RevenueSA. It provides you with the ability to perform the following functions in the comfort of your own office in relation to stamp duty, job accelerator grant and Commonwealth reporting.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any other enquiries.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni