Stamp duty calculator
Property transfer duty by jurisdiction, with any first-home concession and the price at which relief stops.
Stamp duty payable
Estimate$32,779
3.86% of the price in New South Wales
- Duty before concessions
- $32,779
- First home concession
- $0.00
- Foreign purchaser surcharge
- $0.00
| Property value | $850,000 |
|---|---|
| New South Wales scale | $32,779 |
| Duty payable | $32,779 |
- First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme: no duty to $800,000, phasing out to $1,000,000.
- Duty is assessed on the greater of the price and market value, and on the contract date rather than settlement.
On $850,000 in New South Wales, first home relief phases out between $800,000 and $1,000,000 and stops entirely above it.
Do you qualify
How this is calculated
Duty scales are marginal, not flat
A published rate like 5.5% applies only to value above its bracket floor, on top of a fixed base amount. Multiplying the price by the top rate overstates duty on almost every purchase.
duty = base + rate × (value − bracket floor)First home relief usually ends abruptly
Relief commonly runs to a threshold and then phases out over a narrow band or stops dead. In New South Wales that is $800,000 to $1,000,000; in the ACT it is a single cliff at $1,020,000.
Liability attaches to the contract
Duty is generally assessed on the contract date and on the greater of price and market value, with payment due within about 3 months, so a rule change between exchange and settlement does not alter what is owed.
Worked example: $850,000 property, first home buyer
| Value | $850,000 |
|---|---|
| First home buyer | Yes |
| Exemption to | $800,000 |
|---|---|
| Relief stops at | $1,000,000 |
Duty scales and concessions differ by jurisdiction. Pick a country above for the scale that applies to your purchase.
What this assumes
- Residential property bought by an individual.
- Transfer duty only, excluding registration fees.
- Standard rates with no special concessions.
- Eligibility conditions are met.
Where this commonly goes wrong
- Concession thresholds are cliffs or steep phase-outs, so a small increase in price can cost many times the difference.
- Foreign purchaser surcharges are charged on the full value and can apply to temporary residents and trusts.
- Thresholds are often indexed annually, so a figure quoted before the indexation date can be wrong afterwards.
Questions
How is property transfer duty calculated?
On a marginal scale: a fixed base amount at the bracket floor plus a rate on the value above it. Applying the top rate to the whole price overstates the duty on almost every purchase.
Do first home buyers get relief?
In most Australian states, up to a threshold. New South Wales exempts to $800,000 and phases out by $1,000,000; the ACT is a hard cliff; South Australia charges nothing at any price on a new build.
When is duty payable?
Liability generally attaches when contracts exchange rather than at settlement, and is assessed on the greater of the price and the market value. Payment is usually due within a few months of the contract date.
Related tools
Sources
General estimate based on published ATO rates for the the current period. Not tax advice, and it does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Confirm your position with the ATO or a registered tax agent.
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