Stamp duty in Australia by state: NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA compared (2026)

Stamp duty — officially called transfer duty in most states — is one of the largest upfront costs of buying property in Australia, and the amount you pay can swing by tens of thousands of dollars depending on which side of a state border you’re on. Two identical $750,000 homes can attract a stamp duty bill of $13,000 in one state and $41,000 in another. Here’s how each mainland state calculates the charge in 2026, where the discounts hide, and why you should never budget for a purchase without running the numbers first.

What stamp duty actually is

Stamp duty is a state government tax on the transfer of property. It’s paid by the buyer, usually within 30 days of settlement, and the funds go to the state where the property is located — not the federal government. Every state sets its own rates and thresholds, which is why the same purchase price produces wildly different bills depending on the postcode.

The duty is calculated on the higher of the purchase price or the market value of the property, and it applies to houses, apartments, vacant land, and in some cases off-the-plan purchases with a different valuation date.

NSW: the biggest bills, but the broadest first-home relief

New South Wales uses a tiered marginal rate system — you pay a set amount on each bracket of the property value, similar to how income tax works. This means the effective rate — the percentage of the total price you actually pay — starts low and climbs as the property value increases, but you never pay the top marginal rate on the entire purchase.

For a standard residential purchase (owner-occupier or investor) in 2026, the tiers are:

• On the first $16,000 of property value: $1.25 per $100, minimum $10
• $16,001 to $35,000: $200 plus $1.50 per $100 over $16,000
• $35,001 to $93,000: $485 plus $1.75 per $100 over $35,000
• $93,001 to $351,000: $1,500 plus $3.50 per $100 over $93,000
• $351,001 to $1,168,000: $10,530 plus $4.50 per $100 over $351,000
• Over $1,168,000: $47,295 plus $5.50 per $100 over $1,168,000

On a $650,000 property in NSW, the maths works out to roughly $24,000. On a $1,000,000 property, about $40,000. And on a $1,500,000 home, the bill pushes past $65,000.

The saving grace for first home buyers is the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, which exempts the full duty on new and existing homes up to $800,000 and tapers the concession through to $1,000,000. Buy between $800,001 and $1,000,000 and you pay a partial rate — the concession shrinks as the price rises. Above $1,000,000, you pay full duty regardless.

Unlike some other states, NSW does not limit its FHB exemption to new homes only — existing properties qualify too, which is unusual and particularly valuable in a market where most first home buyers are purchasing established stock.

A key nuance in NSW: the premium duty surcharge of 7% applies to residential property transactions over $3,000,000, replacing the standard tiered formula entirely above that threshold. This makes NSW the steepest state for luxury and high-end Sydney purchases — a $4,000,000 property attracts roughly $280,000 in stamp duty alone.

NSW also imposes a foreign purchaser surcharge of 8% on top of the standard duty for non-resident buyers, bringing the effective rate to approximately 12% for a foreign buyer purchasing at the median Sydney price point. This surcharge is applied in addition to the base transfer duty, not instead of it.

VIC: high effective rates, narrow FHB window

Victoria’s transfer duty is the most expensive per dollar of property value across the middle and upper bands. The tiers are set so that the effective rate climbs quickly once you pass $600,000.

For a $650,000 purchase in Victoria, expect to pay approximately $34,000 in duty — nearly $10,000 more than NSW for the same property. For $750,000, it rises to about $41,000, and at $1,000,000 the bill is roughly $55,000.

The first home buyer duty exemption in Victoria is narrower: full exemption on properties up to $600,000, with a concession tapering through to $750,000. That means a first home buyer purchasing a $620,000 property still pays some duty, and anything above $750,000 gets no relief. In Melbourne’s market, where the median unit price alone sits around $600,000, this leaves many first home buyers with at least a partial duty bill.

Victoria also imposes an additional foreign purchaser duty surcharge of 8% on top of the standard rate for foreign buyers, making it the most expensive state for non-resident purchasers by a significant margin. If you’re buying as a foreign person or temporary resident, the combined duty rate can exceed 13% of the property value.

QLD: the cheapest stamp duty overall

Queensland consistently charges the lowest transfer duty of the five mainland states on properties up to roughly $1,500,000. The tiered rates climb more slowly than in NSW or VIC, and the effective rate per dollar stays lower across the entire mid-range band that covers most residential purchases.

On a $500,000 property, Queensland duty is approximately $8,750. Compare that to about $18,000 in NSW and $21,000 in VIC for the same value, and the difference is stark. On $750,000, you’re looking at roughly $13,000 in QLD versus $28,500 in NSW and $41,000 in VIC.

Queensland’s first home concession waives duty entirely on homes up to $700,000 (for contracts dated from July 2024 onward), which is a higher cap than Victoria’s $600,000 threshold. A partial concession applies between $700,001 and $800,000. And like NSW, the concession covers both new and established homes.

One thing to note: if you’re buying an investment property or a holiday home in QLD, you won’t qualify for the first home concession but you’ll still benefit from the lower base rates compared to the southern states.

WA: competitive rates and a larger 2026 first-home window

Western Australia’s transfer duty sits between QLD and NSW on most price points and offers a first home buyer exemption that’s generous in percentage terms but narrow in its price cap.

On a $500,000 property, expect about $18,000 in duty. On $750,000, roughly $28,500 — similar to NSW at that price point.

For eligible transactions entered into from 7 May 2026, WA’s housing package provides no duty on new or established homes up to $600,000 and a concessional rate from $600,001 to $800,000. At the upper limit the announced rate is $16.15 per $100 above $600,000. RevenueWA has been implementing the legislation and system changes, so buyers whose contracts fall around the commencement period should confirm the live assessment or reassessment position directly with RevenueWA.

SA: the quiet middle ground

South Australia’s stamp duty rates occupy a middle lane — generally higher than Queensland and Western Australia, but lower than New South Wales and Victoria for most purchase prices.

On a $500,000 property, SA duty is around $21,300. On $750,000, approximately $32,500. At $1,000,000, roughly $44,000.

South Australia also offers a first home buyer relief but on a narrower band than NSW or QLD. The relief structure has shifted several times in recent years, and thresholds should be checked at the time of purchase via the RevenueSA website or a current calculator.

What about off-the-plan purchases?

Buying off-the-plan can change the stamp duty picture significantly in most states, because the duty is calculated on the value of the land plus the construction costs incurred to date — not the finished property value. If you buy early enough in the construction cycle, when only the slab or framework has been completed, the dutiable value can be substantially lower than the contract price.

NSW offers an off-the-plan concession that defers duty for 12 months from the date of the contract and applies a reduced dutiable value based on the stage of construction. Victoria offers a similar concession but with different criteria and a narrower window. Queensland’s off-the-plan concession reduces the dutiable value by the cost of construction that hasn’t been completed at the contract date. All three states have specific eligibility criteria, and the rules differ meaningfully — this is one area where the calculator really earns its keep, because the interaction between contract date, construction stage and state-specific legislation produces results that are nearly impossible to estimate by hand.

Use the stamp duty calculator to get your exact number

The examples above are rough estimates for comparison only. Each state calculates stamp duty on a tiered marginal system, and the exact figure depends on the precise purchase price, your buyer status (first home, investor, foreign purchaser), whether the property is established or off-the-plan, and whether any concessions or exemptions apply.

A difference of $10,000 in purchase price can shift the duty by several hundred dollars because of how the marginal brackets interact. Add in a first home concession or an off-the-plan valuation adjustment, and the final figure looks nothing like the headline rate.

Use our stamp duty calculator to plug in your property value, state, and buyer status and see the real number in seconds — no mental arithmetic required. The interactive tool handles all five state rate tiers, first home buyer concessions, off-the-plan valuation adjustments, and foreign purchaser surcharges automatically, so you get a single accurate figure rather than trying to reconcile five different tiered formulas by hand.

Related guides: See our breakdowns on mortgage repayments on a $650k loan, how much you can borrow in 2026, and first home buyer grants by state for the full picture of buying costs.

Disclaimer: The stamp duty rates and thresholds listed above reflect publicly available information as of July 2026 and are provided for general informational purposes only. They are estimates, not financial or legal advice. State revenue offices update thresholds and rates periodically; the actual duty on your purchase depends on your specific circumstances, contract date, buyer status, and property details. Always verify the current rate with the relevant state revenue office (Revenue NSW, State Revenue Office Victoria, Queensland Revenue Office, RevenueWA, RevenueSA) or a qualified conveyancer or solicitor before making a purchase decision. This article does not constitute tax advice. For tax implications — including capital gains treatment of stamp duty, foreign purchaser surcharges, and deductibility — consult a registered tax agent.