NSW Stamp Duty 2026-27: Calculate Your Transfer Duty (First Home Buyers Pay $0 up to $800k)

NSW has the highest stamp duty in Australia for most buyers, but first home purchasers can pay nothing — a full exemption applies on homes up to $800,000. For everyone else, the six-tier marginal system means a $650,000 apartment attracts roughly $24,000 in transfer duty. Get your exact figure instantly using the stamp duty calculator.

How NSW transfer duty is calculated in 2026-27

NSW applies a tiered marginal-rate system — you pay a different rate on each portion of the property’s dutiable value. These thresholds are CPI-indexed each July, so the 2026-27 brackets differ slightly from the previous year. The rates are:

• $0 to $18,000: 1.25% of the dutiable value.
• $18,001 to $38,000: $225 plus 1.5% of the amount exceeding $18,000.
• $38,001 to $103,000: $525 plus 1.75% of the amount exceeding $38,000.
• $103,001 to $387,000: $1,662 plus 3.5% of the amount exceeding $103,000.
• $387,001 to $1,290,000: $11,602 plus 4.5% of the amount exceeding $387,000.
• $1,290,001 to $3,870,000: $52,237 plus 5.5% of the amount exceeding $1,290,000.
• Over $3,870,000 (residential premium rate): $194,137 plus 7% of the amount exceeding $3,870,000.

Worked example: $650,000 apartment. The duty falls into the $387,001–$1,290,000 bracket. You pay $11,602 plus 4.5% of the amount over $387,000. The excess is $263,000 × 4.5% = $11,835. Total duty: $23,437 — roughly $24,000. Run this through the calculator to see how even a $10,000 price difference shifts the effective rate.

Worked example: $1,100,000 house. This sits in the same bracket. The excess over $387,000 is $713,000 × 4.5% = $32,085. Add the base $11,602, and total duty is $43,687 — approximately $44,000. The calculator handles all six tiers automatically, so you don’t need to break the price into bands manually.

First home buyer concessions (FHBAS)

NSW’s First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS) is the most generous in Australia for existing homes. If you’re an eligible first home buyer:

• Full exemption: available on new or existing homes valued up to $800,000. You pay zero transfer duty.
• Partial concession: applies on homes between $800,000 and $1,000,000. The concession phases out as the price approaches the upper threshold — the closer to $1 million, the smaller the discount.
• Vacant land: full exemption up to $350,000, with a partial concession phasing out above that.

This is a structural advantage over Queensland and Victoria. Queensland’s full concession is limited to new builds, while Victoria’s full exemption caps at $600,000. NSW’s $800,000 threshold means a Sydney first home buyer purchasing an existing apartment typically pays nothing in stamp duty — a saving of around $24,000 on a $650,000 property.

The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) provides an additional $10,000 for new homes priced at $600,000 or below. This grant is cash, not a duty offset, and can be used alongside the FHBAS. Use the calculator to model both the exemption and the grant — it accounts for your specific purchase price and property type.

NSW first home buyer choice: stamp duty exemption or annual property tax

Since 16 January 2023, eligible first home buyers in NSW have had a structural choice: pay stamp duty upfront (with the FHBAS exemption or concession) or opt for an annual property tax instead. This applies to homes valued up to $1,500,000.

The annual property tax is calculated as 0.4% of the unimproved land value plus a fixed $1,500 per year. For some buyers — particularly those planning to sell or upgrade within a few years — the annual option can be significantly cheaper than paying tens of thousands in upfront duty. For buyers intending to hold long-term, the upfront exemption may be the better deal.

The calculator models both scenarios. Enter your purchase price and land value, and it shows your upfront duty versus the cumulative annual property tax over your expected holding period. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision — the calculator lets you test different time horizons to see which path saves you more.

Foreign purchaser surcharge: 9%

NSW imposes a 9% foreign purchaser surcharge on top of the standard transfer duty — the highest rate in Australia. On a $650,000 purchase, the surcharge alone is $58,500, bringing the total duty to approximately $82,500. Here’s how NSW compares to other states:

• Victoria: 8% surcharge.
• Queensland: 8% AFAD surcharge.
• Western Australia: 7% surcharge.
• South Australia: 7% surcharge.
• ACT: no foreign surcharge.
• Northern Territory: no foreign surcharge.

The surcharge applies to foreign persons, foreign companies, and trustees of foreign trusts. It is not reduced by any first home buyer concessions — if you’re a foreign purchaser, you pay the full base duty plus the 9% surcharge regardless of the property’s price. Use the calculator with the foreign buyer toggle to see your total liability.

Off-the-plan and other concessions

Beyond first home buyer relief, NSW offers several other concessions:

• Off-the-plan deferral: purchasers of off-the-plan properties can defer duty for up to 12 months from the date of the contract, easing cash flow during construction.
• Pensioner concessions: eligible pensioners may qualify for a duty reduction on certain property purchases.
• Family farm transfers: concessional duty rates apply to transfers of farming land between family members under specific conditions.

These concessions have strict eligibility criteria. The calculator can factor in the off-the-plan deferral, but for pensioner and family farm concessions, you’ll need to verify eligibility directly with Revenue NSW.

Use the stamp duty calculator for your exact NSW figure

NSW’s duty calculation is complex: six marginal tiers, a tapered FHBAS concession between $800,000 and $1,000,000, a 9% foreign surcharge, an annual property tax alternative, and off-the-plan deferrals. Manual calculations are error-prone — a $5,000 price difference can shift you into a different effective rate.

The stamp duty calculator handles all of this. Select NSW, enter your purchase price, indicate whether you’re a first home buyer or foreign purchaser, and you’ll get an exact breakdown in seconds. For first home buyers, it also models the annual property tax alternative so you can compare upfront versus ongoing costs.

What changes in NSW from 2025-26 to 2026-27

The rate structure remains unchanged — NSW did not introduce new duty brackets or alter the percentage rates. The thresholds within each bracket have been CPI-indexed as they are every July, meaning the dollar boundaries shifted slightly upward. The first home buyer choice (annual property tax) continues unchanged, as does the FHBAS and FHOG. No major structural reform has been announced by Revenue NSW for the 2026-27 financial year.

Related guides

• Stamp Duty States Compared 2026: see how NSW stacks up against every other state at multiple price points.
• First Home Buyer Grants 2026: a full breakdown of grants, concessions, and eligibility across Australia.

Data sources and as-at date

All rates, thresholds, and concession details are sourced from Revenue NSW and reflect the CPI-indexed brackets for the 2026-27 financial year. Data current as at: July 2026.

Use the calculator, then talk to a broker

Stamp duty is one piece of your purchase — your loan structure, eligibility for concessions, and overall borrowing capacity matter just as much. Once you’ve run your numbers through the calculator, an Arrivau licensed mortgage broker can assess your situation and provide guidance within one business day.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Duty rates, thresholds, and concession eligibility criteria are subject to change. You should verify your specific circumstances with Revenue NSW or a qualified solicitor before making any property purchase decision.