NSW stamp duty for first home buyers in 2026

Published 10 August 2026 · DeMarque Home Loans

For a NSW first home buyer, stamp duty can be the difference between buying this year and next. The good news: under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, many pay none at all.

Here are the rules as checked against Revenue NSW on 4 August 2026.

The thresholds

• Buying a home up to $800,000: no transfer duty at all.
• Between $800,000 and $1 million: a concessional (sliding-scale) rate — the closer to $800,000, the bigger the saving.
• Above $1 million: full duty applies.

Buying vacant land to build on: exempt up to $350,000, with concessions phasing out at $450,000.

To see the exact dollars for a price you have in mind — including the concession maths — use our stamp duty calculator. It covers every state and territory with first-home concessions applied.

What full duty looks like if you miss out

Transfer duty on a Sydney-priced property runs to tens of thousands of dollars, payable at settlement (within three months of exchange). That’s cash on top of your deposit — which is why the $800,000 exemption is genuinely worth planning around if your target price is anywhere near the threshold.

Eligibility, briefly

The scheme requires you (and your co-purchasers) to be first home buyers over 18, at least one an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and you must move in within 12 months and live there for a continuous 12 months. Investors buying first properties don’t qualify. Full criteria sit with Revenue NSW — and rules like these move at budget time, so confirm before you exchange.

Stacking it with the other schemes

The stamp duty exemption combines with the First Home Guarantee’s 5% deposit — an $800,000 purchase with a 5% deposit and zero duty is a very different savings target than the traditional 20%-plus-duty version of the same home.

The whole stack, in order, is in our complete 2026 first home guide, and how much deposit you really need covers the deposit side.

Not sure where your target price leaves you? Run the numbers with us or start with the free health check.