Stamp duty (also known as transfer duty) refers to the tax charged by each of the state and territory governments on certain transactions and documents. You are required to pay stamp duty when you purchase a house to cover the cost of transferring the legal title in your name.
The amount of stamp duty you pay depends on the property’s value and the state or territory in which you are buying. Stamp duty rates may also vary for different types of properties, such as vacant land, independent units, or property bought off the plan.
Generally, the duty payable is a percentage of the greater of the market value of the property or the amount you paid for it. In most cases, stamp duty charges amount to 4-5% of a property’s value. It means you could be paying as much as $37,500 in stamp duty when purchasing a house worth $750,000.
How much stamp duty will I pay in each Australian state or territory?
Paying stamp duty can significantly add to your expenses when buying a home. Working out the amount you need to pay can help you plan your purchase better.
Here’s a state-by-state guide to help you calculate your stamp duty costs.
1. Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Stamp duty is also known as conveyance duty in the ACT. The website of the ACT Revenue Office provides a handy calculator for homebuyers to figure out the stamp duty charges on their purchase.
The present duty rates in the territory are set out in the following table.
| Dutiable Amount | Rate of Duty |
| 0 – $200,000 | $0.68 for every $100 or part of $100 of the dutiable amount |
| $200,001 – $300,000 | $1,360 plus $2.20 for every $100 or part of $100 of the dutiable amount over $200,000 |
| $300,001 – $500,000 | $3,560 plus $3.40 for every $100 or part of $100 of the dutiable amount over $300,000 |
| $500,000 – $750,000 | $10,360 plus $4.32 for every $100 or part of $100 of the dutiable amount over $500,000 |
| $750,000 – $1,000,000 | $21,160 plus $5.90 for every $100 or part of $100 of the dutiable amount that is more than $750 000 |
| $1,000,000 – $1,455,000 | $35,910 plus $6.40 for every $100 or part of $100 of the dutiable amount over $1,000,000 |
| $1,455,001 or more | A flat rate of $4.54 per $100 applied to the total dutiable amount |
Source: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/di/2021-171/
2. NSW
The following duty rates are applicable on purchase on residential property in NSW from 1 February 2022:
| Property Value | Transfer Duty Rate |
| 0 – $14,000 | $1.25 for every $100 (the minimum is $10) |
| $14,000 – $31,000 | $175 plus $1.50 for every $100 over $14,000 |
| $31,000 – $83,000 | $430 plus $1.75 for every $100 over $31,000 |
| $83,000 – $313,000 | $1,340 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $83,000 |
| $313,000 – $1,043,000 | $9,390 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $313,000 |
| $1,043,000 or more | $42,240 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1,043,000 |
Source: https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/taxes-duties-levies-royalties/transfer-duty
These rates are subject to change as the threshold amounts for transfer duty are adjusted to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in NSW. You can visit the Revenue NSW website for more details.
3. Northern Territory
We have not included a table for stamp duty rates in the Northern Territory as the calculation is quite complicated. To make things simpler, the Northern Territory Government information and services website provides an online calculator to help you determine the amount of stamp duty payable on your transaction.
4. Queensland
Current transfer duty rates for owner-occupiers in Queensland are set out in the following table:
| Dutiable Value | Transfer Duty Rate |
| 0 – $5,000 | Nil |
| $5,000 – $75,000 | $1.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $5,000 |
| $75,000 – $540,000 | $1,050 plus $3.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $75,000 |
| $540,000 – $1,000,000 | $17,325 plus $4.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $540,000 |
| $1,000,000 or more | $38,025 plus $5.75 for every $100 or part of $100 over $1,000,000 |
5. South Australia
The following table sets out the applicable duty rates in SA.
| Dutiable Value | Transfer Duty Rate |
| 0 – $12,000 | $1.00 for every $100 or part of $100 |
| $12,000 – $30,000 | $120 plus $2.00 for every $100 or part of $100 over $12,000 |
| $30,000 – $50,000 | $480 plus $3.00 for every $100 or part of $100 over $30,000 |
| $50,000 – $100,000 | $1,080 plus $3.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $50,000 |
| $100,000 – $200,000 | $2,830 plus $4.00 for every $100 or part of $100 over $100,000 |
| $200,000 – $250,000 | $6,830 plus $4.25 for every $100 or part of $100 over $200,000 |
| $250,000 – $300,000 | $8,955 plus $4.75 for every $100 or part of $100 over $250,000 |
| $300,000 – $500,000 | $11,330 plus $5.00 for every $100 or part of $100 over $300,000 |
| $500,000 or more | $21,330 plus $5.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $500,000 |
Source: https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/stampduty/rate-of-stamp-duty
6. Tasmania
The stamp duty rates in Tasmania are set out in the table below:
| Dutiable Value | Transfer Duty Rate |
| 0 – $3,000 | $50 |
| $3,001 – $25,000 | $50 plus $1.75 for every $100 or part of $100
over $3,000 |
| $25,001 – $75,000 | $435 plus $2.25 for every $100 or part of $100
over $25,000 |
| $75,001 – $200,000 | $1,560 plus $3.50 for every $100 or part of
$100 over $75,000 |
| $200,001 – $375,000 | $5,935 plus $4.00 for every $100 or part of
$100 over $200,000 |
| $375,001 – $725,000 | $12,935 plus $4.25 for every $100 or part of
$100 over $375,000 |
| $725,001 or more | $27,810 plus $4.50 for every $100 or part of
$100 over $725,000 |
Source: https://www.sro.tas.gov.au/property-transfer-duties/rates-of-duty
7. Victoria
The following transfer duty rates are applicable to contracts entered on or after 1 July 2021 in Victoria.
| Dutiable Value | Transfer Duty Rate |
| 0 – $25,000 | 1.4% of the dutiable value |
| $25,001 – $130,000 | $350 plus 2.4% of the dutiable value over $25,000 |
| $130,001 – $960,000 | $2,870 plus 6% of the dutiable value over $130,000 |
| $960,001 – $2,000,000 | 5.5% of the dutiable value |
| $2,000,001 or more | $110,000 plus 6.5% of the dutiable value over 2,000,000 |
Source: https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/non-principal-place-residence-dutiable-property-current-rates
8. Western Australia
The following duty rates are currently applied to places of residence, vacant land for building a place of residence and mixed use properties.
| Dutiable Value | Transfer Duty Rate |
| 0 – $120,000 | $1.90 for every $100, or part of $100 |
| $120,001 – $150,000 | $2,280 plus $2.85 for every $100 or part of $100 over $120,000 |
| $150,001 – $360,000 | $3,135 plus $3.80 for every $100 or part of $100 over $150,000 |
| $360,001 – $725,000 | $11,115 plus $4.75 for every $100 or part of $100 over $360,000 |
| $725,000 or more | $28,453 plus $5.15 for every $100 or part of $100 over $725,000 |
Source: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-finance/transfer-duty-assessment
When is stamp duty payable?
Different states have different rules regarding when stamp duty becomes payable:
- ACT – You get 14 days from the settlement date of your contract to lodge your transfer instrument for title registration with Access Canberra in Dickson and pay the applicable duty tax.
- NSW – You must pay transfer duty within three months of signing a contract for sale or transfer. If you are buying off-the-plan, you may be able to defer your stamp duty payment for up to 12 months.
- NT – Stamp duty in NT is generally payable within 60 days of entering into the transaction or at settlement, whichever is earlier.
- QLD – Stamp duty in Queensland is payable within 30 days of settlement.
- SA – Transfer duty in SA is payable on the settlement date itself.
- TAS – Stamp duty is payable within three months of title transfer.
- VIC – Stamp duty in the state is payable within 30 days of the property being transferred.
- WA – In WA, you must pay stamp duty within two months of settlement.
Am I eligible for a stamp duty concession?
Depending on the state in which you are buying, you may be eligible for a stamp duty concession or exemption as a first home buyer, pensioner or someone in a specified financial situation.
- ACT – First home buyers are eligible for a stamp duty exemption up to $35,910 under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme subject to income thresholds.
- NSW – The NSW State Government offers first home buyers some stamp duty concessions under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme. You can find more details on the Revenue NSW website.
- NT – Stamp duty concessions for first home buyers are no longer available. Pensioners may be eligible for a concession of up to $10,000 in stamp duty relief.
- QLD – First home buyers are eligible for stamp duty concessions in the state. You can find more details on the Queensland Government website.
- SA – There are no stamp duty concessions for first home buyers in SA currently.
- TAS – First home buyers purchasing an established home valued at $500,000 or lower could avail of a 50% discount on stamp duty in Tasmania. This concession is only available for property purchases between 16 March 2021 and 30 June 2022. You could visit the State Revenue Office of Tasmania website for more details.
- VIC – There is a range of stamp duty exemptions and discounts available to first home buyers in Victoria. You could visit the Victoria State Revenue Office website for more information.
- WA – First home buyers purchasing a property valued at $530,000 or lesser could benefit from stamp duty concessions. No stamp duty is payable if the dutiable value of the house is less than $430,000. A concessional rate applies to homes valued between $430,000 and $530,000. Visit the WA Government website for more details.
Can I add stamp duty to my mortgage?
No, you cannot add stamp duty to your mortgage. Stamp duty is an upfront cost that must be paid from your savings. Lenders don’t typically allow you to add stamp duty charges to your loan balance, but you may be able to use your deposit to cover stamp duty costs. However, if you use a part of your deposit to pay stamp duty, it could push your loan-to-value ratio below 80%, which may incur Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).
If you are planning a property purchase, it’s worth calculating how much approximate stamp duty you’ll need to pay to ensure you have the funds ready in a timely manner.
