Stamp Duty Calculator — NSW, VIC & QLD 2026–27
Transfer (stamp) duty in NSW, Victoria and Queensland on the 2026–27 scales with first-home-buyer exemptions and phase-outs, the Queensland home concession, foreign purchaser surcharge and total government and legal costs.
| General-rate duty | — |
|---|---|
| Concession / exemption applied | — |
| Foreign purchaser surcharge | — |
| Duty as % of price | — |
| Other purchase costs | — |
| Total government & legal costs | — |
| Same purchase in the other two states | — |
In short
Stamp duty on a $950,000 home is about $36,938 in NSW, $52,070 in Victoria and $35,775 in Queensland at the general 2026–27 scales; first-home buyers pay nothing up to $800,000 in NSW (phasing in to $1 million), $600,000 in Victoria (to $750,000) and $700,000 for established homes in Queensland (to $800,000, with new homes fully exempt), owner-occupiers in Queensland pay 1% on the first $350,000, and foreign buyers add a 9% (NSW) or 8% (VIC, QLD) surcharge.
Who this is for: Home buyers and investors in NSW, Victoria and Queensland budgeting transfer duty, first-home buyers checking exemptions, and foreign purchasers facing the surcharge.
How stamp duty is calculated in NSW, Victoria and Queensland
Transfer duty is a state tax on the purchase price (or market value if higher), charged on a sliding scale of bands: NSW runs from 1.25% on the first $18,000 to 5.5% above $1.29 million and a 7% premium rate above $3.87 million (bands indexed each 1 July); Victoria from 1.4% to 6% above $130,000, a flat 5.5% between $960,000 and $2 million and 6.5% above; Queensland from 1.5% to 5.75% above $1 million. On a $950,000 home that is roughly $37,000 in NSW, $52,000 in Victoria and $31,000 in Queensland before concessions.
Concessions are where the states differ most. NSW exempts first-home buyers up to $800,000 and phases the duty in to $1 million (land $350,000–$450,000). Victoria exempts first homes to $600,000 and phases in to $750,000, and gives all owner-occupiers a smaller concession to $550,000. Queensland charges every owner-occupier only 1% on the first $350,000 (the home concession), exempts first-home buyers of established homes to $700,000 (phasing out at $800,000) and, since 1 May 2025, charges first-home buyers of new homes nothing at all. Foreign purchasers add a surcharge of 9% (NSW) or 8% (VIC, QLD) of the full price.
See also: Borrowing Power Calculator — How Much Can I Borrow?, Home Loan Repayment Calculator — Australia, LMI Calculator — Lenders Mortgage Insurance Australia, First Home Super Saver Calculator.
Assumptions
- NSW 2026–27 bands (indexed 1 July 2026), VIC and QLD general scales; duty on the price, assumed to be market value.
- First-home concessions: NSW FHBAS $800k/$1m (land $350k/$450k); VIC $600k/$750k; QLD new homes exempt, established $700k/$800k with the 1% home concession for all owner-occupiers.
- Foreign surcharge 9% NSW, 8% VIC and QLD on the full price; transfer fee and legal costs as entered.
- Off-the-plan, pensioner, VIC PPR and other states’ concessions are not modelled.
Worked example
General duty: $225 + $300 + $1,137.50 + $9,940 + $25,335 = $36,938. The price is between the $800,000 exemption and the $1,000,000 cap, so the concession phases out: duty × (950,000 − 800,000) ÷ 200,000 = $27,703, saving $9,234. The same purchase would cost a Victorian first-home buyer the full $52,070 (above the $750,000 limit) and a Queensland first-home buyer $28,600 — above the $800,000 first-home limit, so only the home concession (1% on the first $350,000) applies.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays stamp duty — buyer or seller?
The buyer, at or before settlement; the seller pays nothing (sellers pay capital gains tax if it applies).
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty?
Not up to $800,000 in NSW, $600,000 in Victoria or $700,000 (established) in Queensland, with phasing-out concessions above; Queensland first-home buyers of new homes pay none at any price.
Can stamp duty be added to the mortgage?
Lenders will only lend against the property value, so duty must come from your deposit unless your LVR has room; it cannot be paid in instalments (NSW's annual property tax option for first-home buyers ended in 2023).
Is duty charged on the price or the valuation?
On whichever is higher — the contract price or the market value — so a below-market family transfer is assessed on value.
What is the foreign purchaser surcharge?
An extra 9% (NSW) or 8% (VIC, QLD) of the price for buyers who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, including most temporary visa holders.
Are the NSW bands indexed every year?
Yes — thresholds (including the premium threshold) rise with CPI each 1 July; the first-home thresholds are fixed by legislation.
When is stamp duty paid?
At settlement in most states; NSW allows up to three months from exchange (or at settlement if earlier). Off-the-plan purchases in NSW can defer up to 12 months.
Is GST charged on stamp duty?
No — duty is a tax, not a supply; GST applies only to new residential property prices, which duty is then charged on.
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