first home buyers

Everything you can claim as a first home buyer — and what you'll actually need.

Every federal and state scheme in one place. Plain English. No jargon. Plus a live calculator that shows exactly what the first home buyer concession saves you on stamp duty.

Calculate my saving →Find my state

Last reviewed: 25/06/2026. Figures change often — we re-check around every federal and state budget.

how it stacks

Three layers, stacked.

First home buyers can combine up to three things — a stamp duty concession, the First Home Owner Grant, and a federal scheme. The combination is where the real money is.

01

Stamp duty relief

Every state offers a first home buyer concession or exemption on transfer duty. Thresholds, cliffs and tapers vary — that's where structure matters.

02

First Home Owner Grant

Cash grants from the state. In most states this is new homes only, and the amount varies from $0 (ACT) to $50,000 (NT).

03

Federal schemes

5% Deposit Scheme (no LMI), Help to Buy (shared equity), Family Home Guarantee, and First Home Super Saver — available everywhere.

pick your state

What you can claim, by state.

One headline number per state. Click through for the full detail — grant amount, stamp duty thresholds, and the time-sensitive flags worth knowing about.

everywhere5% deposit, no LMI · Help to Buy shared equity · Family Home Guarantee · First Home Super Saver.

the detail

State by state — the numbers and the fine print.

New South Wales

NSW

first home owner grant

$10,000 — new homes only

Newly built, off-the-plan or substantially renovated. New-home value cap applies (~$600k built / $750k house-and-land — confirm at build).

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

Full exemption up to $800,000. Sliding concession $800,001–$1,000,000.

First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS). Applies to new and established homes. Smooth taper between $800k and $1m — no cliff. Must move in within 12 months and live there 12 continuous months.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $1,500,000 · Rest of state: $800,000

Talk it through →

"NSW $780k established home → around $70k less upfront with the 5% Deposit Scheme and the duty exemption."

Victoria

VIC

first home owner grant

$10,000 — new homes only, value up to $750,000

Owner-occupier first home buyer; must move in within 12 months.

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

Full exemption up to $600,000. Concession $600,001–$750,000.

Applies to new and established homes. Hard cliff at $750,001 — buy at $750,001 and full duty kicks back in. Plan around the cliff.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $950,000 · Rest of state: $650,000

Talk it through →

Queensland

QLD

⚠️Grant drops to $15,000 for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. Contract date counts, not settlement.

first home owner grant

$30,000 (→ $15,000 for contracts from 1/07/2026)

New homes valued under $750,000. Contracts signed 20/11/2023 – 30/06/2026 inclusive get the $30k. After that, $15k.

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

New home or vacant land to build: nil duty, no value cap.

From 1 May 2025, first home buyers of a new home or vacant land to build pay zero transfer duty regardless of value. Established homes use the standard first home concession.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $1,000,000 · Rest of state: $700,000

Talk it through →

"QLD $680k new build → roughly $75k+ less upfront when you stack the grant, the duty nil, and 5% deposit."

Western Australia

WA

⚠️Duty and FHOG thresholds increase ~28 July 2026 (FHOG cap to $800k south of 26th parallel; duty nil to $600k, concession to $800k).

first home owner grant

$10,000 — new homes only

Cap $750k south of 26th parallel (→ $800k ~Jul 2026); $1,000,000 north of 26th parallel.

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

Nil to $600,000. Concession to $800,000. (Vacant land: nil to $450k, concession to $550k.)

First Home Owner Rate of Duty. Threshold increases announced 7/05/2026, expected commencement ~28/07/2026 pending legislation. Keystart is a separate WA low-deposit pathway.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $850,000 · Rest of state: $600,000

Talk it through →

South Australia

SA

first home owner grant

$15,000 — new homes, no property value cap

Cap removed. Owner-occupier first home buyer.

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

Abolished entirely for first home buyers buying or building a new home. No value cap.

Applies to house, unit, townhouse, off-the-plan, house-and-land, or vacant land to build. Contracts on or after 6 June 2024. Combined benefit on a ~$750k new home can exceed $50,000. HomeStart Finance is a separate SA low-deposit pathway.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $900,000 · Rest of state: $500,000

Talk it through →

Tasmania

TAS

⚠️FHOG drops to $20,000 from 1/07/2026. Established-home duty exemption currently scheduled to close 30/06/2026 — confirm if extended.

first home owner grant

$30,000 (→ $20,000 from 1/07/2026)

New homes only. Eligible transactions 1/07/2025 – 30/06/2026 get the $30k.

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

100% exemption for established homes up to $750,000 (currently to 30/06/2026).

Must settle by 30 June 2026 under the current window. Confirm whether extended before quoting figures.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $700,000 · Rest of state: $550,000

Talk it through →

Australian Capital Territory

ACT

⚠️From 1/07/2026 the ACT abolishes stamp duty for all first home buyers (2026–27 ACT Budget) — confirm value caps at build.

first home owner grant

None — FHOG abolished in the ACT (2019)

Not applicable.

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

Full exemption up to $1,020,000. Concession to $1,455,000. Income-tested.

Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS). Income test ~$250k+ household, scaling with dependent children — confirm 2026 thresholds. From 1/07/2026 the income test and caps change with the move to abolition for all FHB.

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $1,000,000

Talk it through →

Northern Territory

NT

⚠️5% Deposit Scheme NT cap splits 1/07/2026: Darwin $750k / rest of NT $600k.

first home owner grant

$50,000 — HomeGrown Territory Grant, new homes, no value cap

First home buyers buying or building a new home. Confirm end date (sources vary between 30/09/2026 and 30/09/2027).

Official source ↗

stamp duty (transfer duty)

No general first home buyer stamp-duty exemption (unique in Australia).

The House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE) can exempt duty on eligible single-contract house-and-land packages from registered builders (1/07/2022 – 30/06/2027).

Official source ↗

5% deposit scheme price caps

Capital city & regional centres: $600,000

Talk it through →

federal layer

Available everywhere.

Federal schemes run by Housing Australia and the ATO. They sit on top of whatever your state offers — the stack is where the real saving comes from.

First Home Guarantee

5% Deposit Scheme

Buy with a 5% deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance — the government guarantees the rest. From 1 October 2025: no income test, no cap on places. Property price caps apply by postcode.

Official source ↗

Single parents and eligible guardians

Family Home Guarantee

For single parents or eligible single legal guardians of dependent children. As little as a 2% deposit, no LMI. Same price caps as the 5% Deposit Scheme.

Official source ↗

Federal shared equity

Help to Buy

Government takes an equity share (up to 40% on new, 30% on existing) so you need less deposit and a smaller loan. 2% deposit, income caps $100k single / $160k couple or single parent. 10,000 places per year.

Official source ↗

Save your deposit inside super

First Home Super Saver

Make voluntary super contributions and withdraw them for a first home. Up to $15,000 per year, $50,000 lifetime per person ($100,000 combined for a couple). Concessionally taxed inside super.

Official source ↗

coming next

The deposit calculator — coming soon.

Punch in your state, the type of home and the price. We'll show you the real deposit, the stamp duty after your concession, the grant you'd get, and the total cash you actually need at the table.

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General information only. Not financial or credit advice. Figures are estimates and don't account for your circumstances — they change frequently and must be re-checked against the official source. Speak with an Alcove adviser before acting. Last reviewed: 25/06/2026.