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Stamp Duty Calculator

Find out how much stamp duty you’ll pay on your house purchase in Australia with Savvy’s smart stamp duty calculator

Written by , updated on August 7th, 2023

It’s important to know the stamp duty costs when you buy your home, as this tax can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. Although stamp duty varies from state to state, Savvy’s stamp duty calculator will tell you exactly how much you’ll be liable for regardless of where you live.

Stamp duty calculator explained

How do I use the stamp duty calculator?

Start off by clicking on the state in which you live at the top of the stamp duty calculator. Next, enter the value of the property you intend to buy and work your way through the other answers you’re required to provide, which vary from state to state (and from region to region in Victoria).

The stamp duty costs you’re required to pay also vary depending on whether you’re buying a new home, an established home or vacant land, and whether the home is intended for you to live in or purchased as an investment property. In general, the stamp duty on investment property tends to be higher in some states, although this does vary.

There are many stamp duty concessions available depending on whether you’re a first homebuyer or a pensioner and also subject to the value of the property being purchased, and in some states, your income.

This stamp duty cost calculator will take all these different variables into account and will tell you exactly how much stamp duty you’re up for. Since the stamp duty on buying a house varies so much from state to state, it’s always worth checking with your state government for the latest information.

How can I reduce the cost of stamp duty?

There are some ways you can either avoid or minimise the stamp duty you have to pay. The most common of these are if you’re a first homebuyer – see below for details of all the grants and schemes available if you are buying your own home for the first time.

To qualify for first home owner assistance, there are certain criteria that apply nationally. They are:

you have to be at least 18 years old
you have to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
you must be an individual, not a company or trust
you must never have owned or co-owned a residential property in Australia previously
you must move into your new home within 12 months of purchase, and must live in it for at least 6 months (or 12 months in some states)

The conditions and features of first homebuyer schemes relating to stamp duty concessions or exemptions differ between states. These are:

ACT: Full stamp duty costs concession for eligible applicants (ie. who earn under $160,000 p.a. with no children, incrementally increasing if you do have children)
NSW: Stamp duty exemption for homes up to $650,000 and concessions for homes valued from $650,000 to $800,000, and vacant land valued between $350,000 and $450,000
NT: No stamp duty concessions available for first homebuyers.
QLD: Stamp duty concessions are available for first homebuyers of properties valued up to $550,000.
SA: No stamp duty concessions are currently available for first homebuyers.
TAS: 50% discount on property transfer duty for properties of $400,000 or less.
VIC: Exemption from stamp duty costs on properties valued up to $600,000, and for properties over this value up to $750,000 there's a sliding scale of concessional duty applied.
WA: Stamp duty exemption for first home buyers of a property up to $430,000, and concessions available for properties valued up to $530,000.

In addition, eligible pensioners are entitled to generous discounts on stamp duty in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania. For example, in the ACT, the Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme provides downsizing pensioners with a reduction in stamp duty, paying no stamp duty at all for a property priced up to $490,000, and concessions available for a property up to $642,000 in value.

Rules and regulations for paying stamp duty do change regularly, so it’s always worth checking with your state government for the latest up-to-date information.

When do I have to pay stamp duty?

The timing of when you have to pay stamp duty on houses also varies from state to state. These are the time limits for paying stamp duty (known as property transfer duty in Tasmania):

NSW, VIC and TAS: within three months of settlement
WA: within two months of settlement
NT: within 60 days of settlement
ACT: within 28 days of settlement
QLD: within 30 days of settlement
SA: on the day of settlement

The payment of stamp duty on houses is usually undertaken by the conveyancer or lawyer who is responsible for ensuring that legal title transfer takes place.

Do I have to pay stamp duty if I build a new home?

Generally speaking, stamp duty is paid on the price of the land, not the individual value of the property built on it. Therefore, if you buy a vacant block and then build a home on it, you only pay stamp duty on the cost of the land, which can save you thousands of dollars compared to paying stamp duty on the price of the property once the house has been built on it.

Your home loan options

First home loans

Making your first big step towards buying a home? It's crucial to be across your mortgage options as a first homebuyer.

Variable rate loans

Opting for a variable interest rate on your home loan means it'll fluctuate as the market moves throughout your repayment term.

Fixed rate loans

On the other hand, fixing your rate locks it in for a pre-defined period. This can bring with it greater certainty around your budget.

Home loan refinance

It's important not to set and forget when it comes to your home loan. If you find a more competitive offer, it may be worth refinancing.

Construction loans

If you're looking to build a new house, construction loans are specifically designed to cater to the different needs associated with doing so.

Guarantor loans

A guarantor essentially acts as a safety net for your lender, as they sign onto your loan to agree to pay it off should you become unable to do so.

Investment loans

Purchasing a property as an investment brings with it different specifications from a lender. It's crucial to know what your options are.

Commercial property loans

Businesses big or small may wish to purchase a property for commercial purposes, which are also different from a standard loan.

Interest-only loans

Your home loan may give you an interest-only option, which allows you to exclusively pay interest on your loan for a set period.

Self-employed loans

Just because your finances may be slightly more complicated as a self-employed individual doesn't mean you can't take out a home loan.

Low doc loans

Some lenders may allow you to apply for a home loan with alternative documents, such as tax returns, BAS and ABN registration.

No deposit loans

There are several options for purchasing a property without a cash deposit, such as equity in another property if you or your guarantor own one.

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What further assistance is available for first homebuyers?

First Home Owners Grant (FHOG)

First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS)

First Home Super Saver Scheme

First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS)

First Home Owners Grant (FHOG)

First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS)

First Home Super Saver Scheme

First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS)

More of your frequently asked questions about stamp duty calculations

Do foreign buyers pay more stamp duty?

Yes – there is an additional surcharge for foreign buyers who buy property in Australia. A foreign buyer is defined as someone who is not an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a special category visa holder. The amount or surcharge for foreign buyers does vary from state to state, but is typically around 7% of the property purchase price.

Is land tax the same thing as stamp duty?

No – land tax is levied every year by the state governments, except in the Northern Territory. It’s a recurring tax based on the value of the unimproved land that you own which is not your primary place of residence. Stamp duty is a tax on the purchase of land which you pay once when you buy the property.

Can I include the cost of stamp duty in my home loan?

No – you can’t borrow the cost of stamp duty as part of your mortgage, but you can use any deposit you’ve saved up to pay your stamp duty and increase your loan amount to cover the reduced deposit you’re able to offer.

Do I still have to pay stamp duty when I inherit a property?

No – you don’t have to pay stamp duty if you inherit a property. The only tax you’ll have to take into consideration is Capital Gains Tax, although this only comes into play if you decide to sell the property and may not apply to your property.

How does the cost of the property I buy affect the stamp duty charged?

Stamp duty is applied on a sliding scale, meaning the more you pay for your property, the more the stamp duty will be. All the states and territories have different price thresholds and rates they apply. For example, in WA in 2022, you will be charged $7,790 plus 4.75% for every dollar over $250,000 if you buy a home priced between $250,001 and $500,000.

Can I receive the FHOG if my partner has owned property previously?

No – under the eligibility rules for the FHOG, neither the applicant nor their spouse (including de-facto partners) can have received first home owner assistance previously if the property is being purchased jointly. Also, only one application per household can be made for the FHOG.

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Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.

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© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.

1300 974 066

Sign up to our newsletter

Disclaimer and important things you should know

Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.

We’re partnered with lenders, insurers and other financial institutions who compensate us for business initiated through our website. We earn a commission each time a customer chooses or buys a product advertised on our site, which you can find out more about here, as well as in our credit guide for asset finance. It’s also crucial to read the terms and conditions, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or credit guide of our partners before signing up for your chosen product. However, the compensation we receive doesn’t impact the content written and published on our website, as our writing team exercises full editorial independence.

For more information about us and how we conduct our business, you can read our privacy policy and terms of use.