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
What is the interest charged if i want to pay the stamp duty with the home loan. I bought the property at 638000 at nsw and am a first home buyer.
Hi Neelam,
Thanks for reaching out.
I’ve sent you an email to follow up with this enquiry.
Thanks,
Belinda
I own a property in my name. I have been married for 32 years and want to add my spouse’s name to the title (as joint tenant). I want to do this without being liable to stamp duty. Is the only way to do this to have a court ordered “property settlement”?
Hi Roberto,
Thanks for your enquiry.
You can read about how to minimise costs when transferring property ownership within the family and the process of adding your spouse’s name to the deed.
In most cases, you will be eligible from paying stamp duty when adding a partner’s name to the property title, including married couples. To realise this exemption, you will need to contact your State Office of Revenue to obtain an exemption form.
You should also consider speaking to a conveyancer or solicitor. They can help you with issues related to ownership and property law.
I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Belinda
Do pensioners in NSW receive any reduction in Stamp Duty when buying a new home, apart from the $5,000?
Hi Lola,
Thanks for your question.
I’ve sent you an email with some information regarding this enquiry.
Thanks,
Belinda
Hi there, I have my first home financed from Keystart for $425,000 in Jan 2015 and now looking to refinance, so do I have to pay the stamp duty again as the amount is less $ 415,000 then what I got financed from Keystart Loans?
Hi Jag,
Thank you for your question.
We are not qualified property tax specialists so we cannot accurately tell you if you will be obligated to pay additional stamp duty if you refinance. However, there seem to be some instances that you may be able to avoid this if refinancing, so it would be best to speak to the lender you are looking to refinance with or a mortgage broker that can help you understand your financial position and they can leverage their panel of networks to find a lender that’s more inclined to review your application.
Please ensure to read through the relevant product disclosure statement and terms and conditions of the loan to ensure that you got everything covered before you apply.
Regards
Jodie
In Victoria if a husband owns 100% of the investment property, and he transfers 50% of ownership to his wife will stamp duty apply?
IF so is the stamp duty calculated on 50% of the market value on the day of the transfer??
Hi Karen,
thanks for the question.
There’s an exemption on stamp duty when transferring property between a spouse/partner in Victoria.
I hope this helps,
Marc.