These are estimates based on standard Australian Capital Territory rates. Actual duty may vary. Use the full calculator → for all states and additional options.
Canberra median house price sits around $850,000 — conveyance duty on that is approximately $37,232 for owner-occupiers.
| Property Value | Owner-Occupier | First Home Buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $8,720 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $700,000 | $17,360 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $850,000 | $26,120 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $1,020,000 | $33,572 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $1,100,000 | $37,751 | $37,751 (above threshold) |
| $1,500,000 | $62,100 | $62,100 |
ACT First Home Buyer Concession
The ACT has Australia's most generous first home buyer concession. Eligible buyers pay zero conveyance duty on properties valued up to $1,020,000 — a threshold no other state or territory matches. There is no partial concession; the exemption applies in full below $1,020,000 and not at all above it.
You must have lived in the ACT for at least 12 months immediately before purchase, have not owned residential property in Australia in the past 2 years, and intend to live in the property as your principal place of residence.
Full exemption up to $1,020,000 (full or nothing)The ACT calls this tax "conveyance duty." It uses a 7-band progressive scale. The ACT is phasing out conveyance duty over time and replacing it with a broad-based land tax — but the transition is gradual. For the official current rates, see ACT Revenue Office.
| Property Value | Marginal Rate | Max Duty at Band |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $200,000 | 0.60% | $1,200 |
| $200,001 – $300,000 | 2.20% | $3,400 |
| $300,001 – $500,000 | 2.66% | $8,720 |
| $500,001 – $750,000 | 4.32% | $19,520 |
| $750,001 – $1,000,000 | 5.40% | $33,020 |
| $1,000,001 – $1,455,000 | 5.73% | $59,112 |
| Over $1,455,000 | 6.64% | — |
The Australian Capital Territory is the only Australian jurisdiction actively phasing out stamp duty. The 2012 ACT Tax Reform Plan committed to a 20-year transition replacing conveyance duty with a broad-based annual general rates / land tax. Each year, the conveyance-duty rates step down while general rates step up — a deliberate, slow reform path that's been continued through changes of government.
The result, in 2025–26, is a duty schedule that's unusually flat and gentle at low prices: 0.6% on the first $200,000, climbing only to 6.64% on the slice above $1,455,000. At a typical $700,000 owner-occupier purchase, ACT duty is about $17,360 — measurably below NSW's $26,235 on the same value. The flip side is higher annual general rates: ACT homeowners pay a meaningful holding tax every year that NSW and VIC homeowners do not.
The ACT also runs the most generous nominal FHB exemption threshold in Australia at $1,020,000 — slightly above the Canberra median house price. The trade-off is a strict 12-month prior ACT residency requirement for FHB eligibility, designed to prevent interstate investors using the FHB concession as a tax-arbitrage scheme.
The Canberra median house price was approximately $960,000 in early 2026 (CoreLogic) — high in absolute terms thanks to a structurally high household-income base from the public sector. At $960,000 for an owner-occupier:
For the same $960,000 paid by an eligible ACT FHB (must have lived in the ACT for 12+ months immediately prior), the FHB exemption applies in full — duty is $0. The full $33,390 is saved.
Above the $1,020,000 FHB cap, the concession drops off entirely — there is no taper. A FHB buying at $1,020,001 pays the full ACT duty of approximately $36,920. This cliff is sharper than NSW or VIC and produces the same bunching effect on Canberra listing data just below the threshold.
No foreign-buyer surcharge. The ACT is one of only two jurisdictions (along with the Northern Territory) that does not impose a foreign-buyer stamp-duty surcharge on residential property. Foreign buyers pay the same conveyance duty as Australian buyers. This is a meaningful tax-arbitrage angle for non-resident investors looking at Canberra apartments — though FIRB approval and federal application fees still apply.
No stamp duty on LMI premiums. Unlike most states, the ACT does not impose stamp duty on Lenders Mortgage Insurance premiums. On a typical 90% LVR loan with $15,000 of LMI, this saves about $1,500 versus an equivalent NSW or VIC purchase.
Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme. Eligible age pensioners and veterans' pensioners can claim a duty concession of up to $36,000 (effectively full exemption on most metro Canberra units and townhouses) when downsizing their principal residence. The concession is means-tested and has prescribed property-value limits.
Phased phase-out of conveyance duty. The 20-year reform plan launched in 2012 has incrementally cut conveyance duty rates each year. As of 2025–26, rates are roughly 35–40% below the pre-reform 2012 schedule on most brackets. The reform is on track to deliver substantially lower duty (potentially near zero on owner-occupier purchases) by the early 2030s, replaced by higher annual general rates assessed on unimproved land value.
Leasehold tenure quirk. All ACT residential land is technically held under 99-year Crown leases administered by the ACT government, not freehold. The leasehold structure doesn't affect day-to-day ownership but means transfers technically involve assignment of a Crown lease rather than transfer of freehold title. For practical purposes (banks, conveyancers, valuations) it operates identically to freehold elsewhere.
Duty is calculated under the ACT Duties Act 1999 2025–26 conveyance schedule with progressive brackets from 0.6% to 6.64%. The Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) applies for eligible FHBs with the threshold set at $1,020,000 (binary — no taper). The 12-month prior ACT residency requirement is a strict eligibility condition. The model does not include the Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme, the absence of an LMI duty surcharge, or any future-year reductions arising from the ongoing 20-year tax reform.
Sources: ACT Revenue Office — Duties; ACT — Home Buyer Concession Scheme; ACT — Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme; Duties Act 1999 (ACT); ACT Treasury — 20-year Tax Reform; CoreLogic Home Value Index for the Canberra median.
Reviewed: 18 May 2026 · Updated for: 2025–26 ACT conveyance schedule and current FHB Home Buyer Concession Scheme threshold ($1,020,000) · Editor: AussieCalc Editorial Team
How much is conveyance duty on a $700,000 property in the ACT? ▾
Conveyance duty on a $700,000 ACT property is $17,360. An eligible first home buyer pays $0 — the ACT's exemption threshold is $1,020,000, so this property is well within the limit.
What is the ACT first home buyer duty threshold in 2026? ▾
In 2026, eligible first home buyers in the ACT pay zero conveyance duty on properties valued up to $1,020,000 — the highest threshold of any Australian state or territory. There is no partial concession above this limit.
Why is the ACT stamp duty so much cheaper than other states at lower prices? ▾
The ACT deliberately designed its conveyance duty system with low rates at lower price points (0.6% on the first $200,000) as part of a long-term plan to phase out stamp duty and replace it with a broad-based land tax. At lower values, ACT duty is significantly cheaper than most other states.
Is the ACT replacing stamp duty entirely? ▾
The ACT is gradually phasing out conveyance duty and replacing it with a broad-based annual land tax. This transition has been underway since 2012 and is progressing over a 20-year horizon. Conveyance duty is still payable for most purchases until the transition is complete.
Do I need to live in the ACT to qualify for the first home buyer concession? ▾
Yes. ACT first home buyer concession eligibility requires that you have lived in the ACT for at least 12 months immediately prior to buying the property. This requirement is stricter than most other states and is designed to ensure the concession benefits ACT residents rather than interstate investors.
Does the ACT charge foreign buyers extra stamp duty? ▾
No. The ACT is one of only two Australian jurisdictions (along with the Northern Territory) that does not impose a foreign-buyer stamp-duty surcharge. Foreign buyers pay the same conveyance duty as Australian buyers. FIRB approval and federal application fees still apply.
Does the ACT charge stamp duty on LMI premiums? ▾
No. Unlike most states, the ACT does not impose stamp duty on Lenders Mortgage Insurance premiums. On a typical 90% LVR loan with $15,000 of LMI, this saves roughly $1,500 versus an equivalent NSW or VIC purchase.
Is there a duty concession for pensioners in the ACT? ▾
Yes. The Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme provides up to $36,000 in duty relief (effectively full exemption on most metro Canberra units and townhouses) for eligible age pensioners and veterans' pensioners downsizing their principal residence. The concession is means-tested and has prescribed property-value limits.
Why is ACT property technically leasehold? ▾
All ACT residential land is held under 99-year Crown leases administered by the ACT government, not freehold — a legacy of the original federal capital settlement. The leasehold structure operates identically to freehold for practical purposes (banks, conveyancers, valuations). Transfers technically assign the Crown lease rather than transfer freehold title.
When is ACT conveyance duty due? ▾
Conveyance duty must be paid within 14 days of settlement (or the date the grant takes effect for new Crown lease grants), via the ACT Revenue Office. Conveyancers and solicitors typically settle the duty as part of the PEXA workflow at settlement.