Stamp Duty Concessions & First Home Owner Grants (FHOG)

To help first home buyers, state governments offer two main forms of financial assistance:

1. Stamp Duty Concessions: They waive or reduce the tax you have to pay.
2. The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG): A lump-sum cash payment given directly to you.

The Golden Rule: New vs. Established Homes

State governments use these grants to stimulate the construction industry. Therefore:

• The Cash Grant (FHOG) is almost exclusively reserved for people buying or building a brand new home (or a substantially renovated one). If you are buying an existing, older home, you generally will not receive a cash grant.
• Stamp Duty Concessions often apply to both new and established homes, but the price caps are usually much more generous if you buy new.

State-by-State Rules (Updated for 2026)

Because property taxes are collected by the states, your benefits depend entirely on where you live. Here is a general overview of the 2026 landscape:

• NSW & Victoria: Strong stamp duty exemptions for established homes (up to $800,000 in NSW and $600,000 in VIC), with a standard $10,000 cash grant if you build new.
• Queensland: QLD recently adjusted its cash grant back to $15,000 for new builds (down from a temporary $30,000 boost). However, from May 2025, they introduced a full stamp duty exemption on new builds with no price cap, alongside existing concessions for established homes under $800,000.
• ACT (The Trailblazer): The ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia to have abolished stamp duty entirely for all eligible first home buyers, regardless of the property price or the buyer's income (effective July 2026). They do not offer a cash grant.
• Northern Territory: The NT takes the opposite approach. They offer no stamp duty concessions, but they provide a massive $50,000 cash grant for buying or building a new home.
• WA, SA & TAS: These states offer cash grants for new builds (ranging from $10,000 to $20,000), coupled with various stamp duty reductions that often heavily favour new construction.

Can You Use the Grant as Your Deposit?

Yes and No.

Banks will usually accept the FHOG as part of your total deposit funds, which helps lower your LVR (and your LMI). However, banks also require you to show Genuine Savings (usually 5% of the purchase price saved by you over 3-6 months). You cannot usually buy a house using only the government grant as your deposit.

Interactive: The Government Grant & Duty Calculator

Select your state and property details below to see exactly how much cash you could receive, and how much stamp duty you could save.

General Advice Warning: The information provided here is for general educational purposes only. It does not take into account your personal financial objectives, situation, or needs. Before making any financial decisions, please consider the appropriateness of the information and consult with a licensed financial adviser.