Stamp duty in NSW at a glance
NSW calls it transfer duty. Revenue NSW indexes the bracket thresholds to inflation every 1 July, so the duty on the same price can change slightly each financial year; the calculator picks the right year from your contract date. There are no lower owner-occupier rates in NSW: the main relief is the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, which removes duty on a first home up to $800,000 and reduces it up to $1,000,000. Premium property duty of 7% applies to the part of a residential value above the premium threshold, and foreign purchasers pay a 9% surcharge purchaser duty on top.
The scheme's thresholds have not been indexed since July 2023. The exact formula Revenue NSW uses between $800,000 and $1,000,000 could not be confirmed against the legislation, so the phase-out is shown as an estimate (a straight line to full duty) and marked unverified; check the concessional figure with Revenue NSW's first home buyer calculator.
How duty is worked out
Duty is charged on the dutiable value: usually the price, or the market value if that is higher (for example a transfer between family members). Each state publishes a sliding scale of brackets. Within a bracket, you pay a fixed amount for the value up to the bracket's lower limit, plus a percentage of the amount above it. Several states charge "per $100 or part of $100", which rounds the excess up to the next $100. The calculator shows the bracket it used and the arithmetic, so you can check it against the revenue office's own figures.
Concessions then reduce the duty: full exemptions up to a price limit, phase-outs that taper the saving to nil, lower rates for owner-occupiers, or a fixed reduction. Each has conditions, usually about living in the property and not having owned one before; the calculator asks them as yes/no questions.
New South Wales transfer duty rates
Rates in force from 2026-07-01, for residential property. A $20 minimum applies. Premium property duty (7%) applies to residential land over the premium threshold.
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,000 | $1.25 for each $100 |
| $18,001 – $38,000 | $225 plus $1.5 for each $100 over $18,000 |
| $38,001 – $103,000 | $525 plus $1.75 for each $100 over $38,000 |
| $103,001 – $387,000 | $1,662 plus $3.5 for each $100 over $103,000 |
| $387,001 – $1,290,000 | $11,602 plus $4.5 for each $100 over $387,000 |
| $1,290,001 – $3,870,000 | $52,237 plus $5.5 for each $100 over $1,290,000 |
| Over $3,870,000 | $194,137 plus $7 for each $100 over $3,870,000 |
Non-residential rates
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,000 | $1.25 for each $100 |
| $18,001 – $38,000 | $225 plus $1.5 for each $100 over $18,000 |
| $38,001 – $103,000 | $525 plus $1.75 for each $100 over $38,000 |
| $103,001 – $387,000 | $1,662 plus $3.5 for each $100 over $103,000 |
| $387,001 – $1,290,000 | $11,602 plus $4.5 for each $100 over $387,000 |
| Over $1,290,000 | $52,237 plus $5.5 for each $100 over $1,290,000 |
First home buyers in NSW
First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (home) (unverified)
No duty on a first home up to $800,000; a concessional rate up to $1,000,000; full duty from $1,000,000. The thresholds are not indexed. The phase-out is modelled as a straight line from nil at $800,000 to full duty at $1,000,000, which could not be confirmed against the legislation.
- At least one buyer is an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Every buyer is 18 or over
- No buyer (or their partner) has owned residential property in Australia before
- You'll move in within 12 months and live there for at least 12 continuous months
Worked examples for an established home, from this calculator:
| Price | Duty at general rates | First home buyer pays | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| $720,000 | $26,587.00 | $0.00 | $26,587.00 |
| $900,000 | $34,687.00 | $19,593.00 | $15,094.00 |
| $1,100,000 | $43,687.00 | $43,687.00 | $0.00 |
First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (vacant land) (unverified)
No duty on vacant land for a first home up to $350,000; a concessional rate up to $450,000. Modelled as a straight-line phase-out, which could not be confirmed against the legislation.
- At least one buyer is an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Every buyer is 18 or over
- No buyer (or their partner) has owned residential property in Australia before
- You'll build a home on the land and live in it for at least 12 continuous months
Worked examples for vacant land, from this calculator:
| Price | Duty at general rates | First home buyer pays | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| $320,000 | $9,257.00 | $0.00 | $9,257.00 |
| $400,000 | $12,187.00 | $7,218.00 | $4,969.00 |
| $500,000 | $16,687.00 | $16,687.00 | $0.00 |
First home owner grant: $10,000. First Home Owner Grant (New Homes): $10,000 for a new home up to $600,000, or $750,000 for land and building combined. (unverified) The grant is paid separately and does not reduce duty.
Foreign purchasers
Surcharge purchaser duty: 9% of the dutiable value, on top of general duty, for established homes, new homes, residential land. A foreign person: an individual who is not an Australian citizen or a permanent resident ordinarily resident in Australia (temporary and bridging visa holders are generally foreign), or a foreign corporation or foreign trust.
Registration fees
- Transfer registration fee (NSW LRS): $182.73 (2026-27). Including GST and the Torrens Assurance Fund levy.
- Mortgage registration fee (NSW LRS): $182.73 (2026-27).
When duty is due
Within 3 months of the contract date (Revenue NSW), usually paid at settlement. Your conveyancer or solicitor usually lodges and pays it at settlement from your funds.
Checking the figures
These rules were last checked on 2026-10-29 against Revenue NSW. Before you sign, confirm the duty with the official calculator. 5 items could not be confirmed on an official page and are marked unverified:
- First home buyer concessional-duty formula for homes ($800,000-$1,000,000) and vacant land ($350,000-$450,000): not read on an official page (Duties Act on legislation.nsw.gov.au returned 403). Linear-taper estimate is from secondary calculators (e.g. huntergalloway.com.au, austax.tools) and inference.
- Rounding rule ('per $100 or part' vs exact): Revenue NSW pages do not state it; the Act could not be read.
- First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant amount $10,000 and caps $600,000 / $750,000: from WebSearch snippets of revenue.nsw.gov.au, page not fetched.
- 2025/26 NSW LRS transfer and mortgage fees: not collected.
- When duty is due is described from general knowledge of each office's rules and was not re-checked for this calculator.
Rate changes
- 2023-07-01: First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme thresholds raised to $800,000 exempt / $1,000,000 concession for homes; minimum residence period 12 months (was 6).
- 2025-01-01: Surcharge purchaser duty raised from 8% to 9%.
- 2025-07-01: Thresholds indexed: brackets $17,000/$37,000/$99,000/$372,000/$1,240,000; premium threshold $3,721,000 (base $186,667).
- 2026-06-29: Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 assented: new surcharge purchaser duty exemptions/refunds (developers, build-to-rent, retirement villages). Rate unchanged.
- 2026-07-01: Thresholds indexed: brackets $18,000/$38,000/$103,000/$387,000/$1,290,000; premium threshold $3,870,000 (base $194,137). Next indexation expected 1 July 2027.