If you are buying property in New South Wales, transfer duty (the tax most people still call stamp duty) is usually one of the biggest upfront costs after your deposit. Revenue NSW charges it on a sliding scale based on the property's dutiable value, and the rates and thresholds are nudged up each year with inflation. This page sets out the current NSW scale in plain English, who pays it, and the concessions that can reduce or wipe it out for first home buyers.
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Estimate only. Government registration and transfer fees are approximate and change regularly — confirm with your state revenue office and lender.
Also called
Transfer duty
First home buyer
$0 up to $800k
Foreign surcharge
9%
Revenue office
Revenue NSW
In NSW, transfer duty is calculated on the "dutiable value" of the property — generally the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher. The duty is worked out on a tiered scale: each band of value is taxed at its own rate, so the more the property is worth, the higher the marginal rate on the top slice. You do not pay the top rate on the whole price — only on the part that falls in each band. There is a minimum duty of $20. For most homes you can simply read off the band, take the fixed base amount, and add the per-$100 rate on the value above that band's starting threshold. Higher-value residential property attracts an extra "premium" rate above the premium threshold ($3,721,000 in 2025-26). Duty is normally payable within three months of signing the contract (exchange), though for off-the-plan home purchases eligible buyers can defer payment for up to 12 months. The thresholds and base amounts are indexed to the Sydney CPI and adjusted on 1 July each year, so always check the current-year figures before settlement.
| Property value | Transfer duty |
|---|---|
| $0 to $17,000 | $1.25 for every $100 (or part) of the dutiable value (minimum duty $20) |
| $17,001 to $37,000 | $212 plus $1.50 for every $100 over $17,000 |
| $37,001 to $99,000 | $512 plus $1.75 for every $100 over $37,000 |
| $99,001 to $372,000 | $1,597 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $99,000 |
| $372,001 to $1,240,000 | $11,152 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $372,000 |
| $1,240,001 to $3,721,000 | $50,212 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1,240,000 |
| Over $3,721,000 (premium duty) | $186,667 plus $7.00 for every $100 over $3,721,000 |
Premium duty: residential land valued above the premium threshold ($3,721,000 in 2025-26) is taxed at $7.00 per $100 on the excess — a higher top rate than the standard scale. Annual indexation: the general and premium duty thresholds and fixed base amounts (but not the per-$100 marginal rates) are adjusted to Sydney CPI on 1 July each year, so figures change financial year to financial year. Off-the-plan concession: eligible buyers of off-the-plan residential property they intend to live in can defer paying duty for up to 12 months from exchange. Duty is generally due within three months of exchanging contracts. Foreign buyers pay surcharge purchaser duty on top of normal duty (see below).
The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS) can remove or reduce transfer duty for eligible first home buyers in NSW. For new or existing homes, you pay no duty at all if the property's value is $800,000 or less, and a reduced (concessional) rate if it is over $800,000 but under $1,000,000 — the saving tapers as the price rises, reaching zero help at $1,000,000. For vacant land you intend to build your first home on, duty is fully waived up to $350,000 and concessional between $350,000 and $450,000. To qualify you must be an individual (not a company or trust) aged 18 or over, at least one buyer must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and you and your spouse/partner must never have owned residential property in Australia or previously claimed the scheme. For homes, you must move in within 12 months of settlement and live there continuously for at least 12 months. The FHBAS is separate from the First Home Owner Grant — you may be able to claim both.
Who qualifies: Must be an individual aged 18 or over (not a company or trust, limited exceptions). At least one purchaser must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. You and your spouse/partner must never have owned or co-owned residential property in Australia and must never have previously received an FHBAS exemption or concession. Property must be in NSW and within the value caps. For homes: move in within 12 months of settlement and live there as your principal place of residence for at least 12 continuous months. Generally the whole interest in the property must be acquired (shared-equity exceptions apply).
| Purchase | Owner-occupier | First home buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $650,000 established home | $23,662 | $0 |
| $800,000 established home | $30,412 | $0 |
| $1,000,000 established home | $39,412 | $39,412 |
| $1,300,000 established home | $53,512 | $53,512 |
Figures from the calculator above, on FY2025-26 rates. The owner-occupier column assumes a non-first-home buyer.
Separate from duty concessions, the First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant pays a one-off $10,000 to eligible first home buyers who buy or build a brand-new home (not an established/second-hand one). Price caps apply: the purchase price of a newly built home must not exceed $600,000, or for a house-and-land package (building a new home on land) the total combined value must not exceed $750,000. Eligibility mirrors the duty scheme: each applicant must be 18 or over, at least one must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you must not have previously owned a home in Australia before 1 July 2000 (or received this grant), and you must move in within 12 months of settlement/completion and live there for at least 12 continuous months. You usually apply through your bank or lender when arranging finance, or directly to Revenue NSW.
Surcharge purchaser duty — a flat 9% of the dutiable value, payable by foreign persons (foreign individuals, corporations and trusts) acquiring residential-related property in NSW. It increased from 8% to 9% for transactions on or after 1 January 2025. It is paid in addition to ordinary transfer duty, not instead of it. International tax treaties may exempt nationals of certain countries from the surcharge; check current Revenue NSW guidance for your situation.
Likely indexation on 1 July 2026 (FY2026-27), but new figures not yet published as at 20 June 2026. Revenue NSW adjusts the general transfer duty and premium duty thresholds and base ("adjustable") amounts every financial year in line with the Sydney consumer price index, with a new notice published before 1 July each year (the "How to calculate transfer duty" page states the thresholds and rates "are adjusted each year for inflation"). This means the dollar thresholds and fixed base amounts in the scale above are expected to rise modestly from 1 July 2026, while the marginal rates per $100 stay the same. As at 20 June 2026 the FY2026-27 notice had not been located/published, so the new figures cannot be stated. The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme caps ($800k/$1m and $350k/$450k) are not CPI-indexed and were unchanged at the time of writing. The off-the-plan / new-build transfer duty deferral and the FHOG are also unchanged. The NSW 2025-26 Budget contained no transfer-duty or first-home-buyer rate/threshold changes; the FY2026-27 NSW Budget had not been handed down as at 20 June 2026. Action: re-check the Revenue NSW transfer duty page on/after 1 July 2026 and update the indexed thresholds and base amounts.
General information only — an estimate, not financial, tax, credit or legal advice. Figures current as at FY2025-26, reviewed June 2026. Always confirm your exact figure with Revenue NSW before you sign or budget.
Sources: How to calculate transfer duty | Revenue NSW; Transfer duty | Revenue NSW; What is transfer duty (stamp duty) | Revenue NSW; First Home Buyers Assistance scheme | Revenue NSW; First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant | Revenue NSW; Surcharge purchaser duty | Revenue NSW. Accessed June 2026.