Standard duty
NSW thresholds are indexed every 1 July. For contracts from 1 July 2026, a price between $387,000 and $1,290,000 pays $11,602 plus $4.50 for every $100 above $387,000:
$800,000 − $387,000 = $413,000 → 4,130 × $4.50 = $18,585 → $11,602 + $18,585 = $30,187. That’s about 3.8% of the price. The rate is the same whether you live in the home or rent it out.
First home buyer: $0
Under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty on a new or existing home up to $800,000 — including exactly $800,000. Above that, a concessional rate applies up to $1 million, so a few thousand dollars over the limit costs a lot more than you might expect:
| Price | Standard duty | First home buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | $21,187 | $0 |
| $700,000 | $25,687 | $0 |
| $800,000 | $30,187 | $0 |
| $850,000 | $32,437 | $9,797 |
| $900,000 | $34,687 | $19,594 |
| $950,000 | $36,937 | $29,390 |
| $1,000,000 | $39,187 | $39,187 |
| $1,200,000 | $48,187 | $48,187 |
The concession above $800,000 rises in a straight line from $0 to the full duty at $1 million, so every $10,000 over $800,000 adds about $1,959 of duty.
Eligibility in short
- You (and your spouse or partner) have never owned residential property in Australia.
- At least one buyer is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, aged 18 or over.
- You move in within 12 months and live there for at least 6 continuous months.
Other costs to budget
Add transfer and mortgage registration fees (a few hundred dollars), conveyancing ($1,000–$2,500) and inspections. If your deposit is under 20%, lenders mortgage insurance may also apply — the NSW duty saving often decides whether you can avoid it.
When and how it’s paid
In NSW, transfer duty is due within 3 months of the contract date (or on settlement for off-the-plan purchases, within 12 months). Your conveyancer usually lodges and pays it through Revenue NSW’s online system before settlement. You need the money in cleared funds — lenders do not normally add duty to the loan unless you have extra equity.
Since 1 July 2026 thresholds are indexed to Sydney CPI each year, so the same price can attract slightly different duty from one financial year to the next. The contract date decides which year’s scale applies. If you are buying with a partner, both of you must meet the first home buyer conditions — one partner owning property before rules out the exemption.
First home buyer thresholds 2026-27 (checked 5 November 2026)
| State | No duty up to | Concession up to |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $800,000 | $1,000,000 |
| VIC | $600,000 | $750,000 |
| QLD (established) | $700,000 | $800,000 |
| QLD / SA (new home) | No cap | — |
| WA | $600,000 | $800,000 |
| ACT | No cap (from 1 July 2026) | — |
| TAS, NT | No general relief | — |
FAQ
How much is stamp duty on $800,000 in NSW?
$30,187 for contracts from 1 July 2026.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty on $800,000 in NSW?
No. Eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty up to and including $800,000.
What about $900,000 for a first home buyer in NSW?
About $19,594 under the concession, instead of $34,687.
Sources (checked 5 November 2026): Revenue NSW transfer duty thresholds from 1 July 2026 (indexed; reported in KWM “2026-27 state and territory budgets”, June 2026) and FHBAS; SRO Victoria general and PPR rates and first home buyer exemption; Queensland Revenue Office transfer duty, home concession and first home concession tables (contracts from 9 June 2024; new homes from 1 May 2025); RevenueWA “First home owner rate of duty” fact sheet (7 May 2026) and general rates; RevenueSA rate of stamp duty; SRO Tasmania rates; ACT Taxation Administration (Amounts Payable—Duty) Determination 2026 (DI2026-155) and ACT Revenue Office Budget 2026-27 updates; Territory Revenue Office conveyance duty formula.