These are estimates based on standard New South Wales rates. Actual duty may vary. Use the full calculator → for all states and additional options.
Sydney median house price sits around $1.1M — stamp duty on that is approximately $47,565 for owner-occupiers.
| Property Value | Owner-Occupier | First Home Buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $8,745 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $500,000 | $17,235 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $700,000 | $26,235 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $800,000 | $30,735 | $0 (FHB exempt) |
| $900,000 | $35,235 | $8,809 (partial concession) |
| $1,000,000 | $39,735 | $39,735 (no concession) |
| $1,500,000 | $65,555 | $65,555 |
NSW First Home Buyer Exemption
Eligible first home buyers pay zero stamp duty on properties valued up to $800,000. For properties between $800,001 and $999,999, a partial (tapered) concession applies. Properties $1,000,000 and above receive no concession.
You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, have never owned property before, and intend to live in the property for at least 6 continuous months within 12 months of settlement.
Full exemption up to $800,000 · Tapered to $1,000,000NSW charges transfer duty on a sliding scale. Foreign buyers pay an additional 8% surcharge on top of these rates. For the official current rates, see Revenue NSW.
| Property Value | Marginal Rate | Max Duty at Band |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $16,000 | 1.25% | $200 |
| $16,001 – $35,000 | 1.50% | $485 |
| $35,001 – $93,000 | 1.75% | $1,500 |
| $93,001 – $351,000 | 3.50% | $10,530 |
| $351,001 – $1,168,000 | 4.50% | $47,295 |
| Over $1,168,000 | 5.50% | — |
New South Wales has the most politically contested transfer-duty regime in Australia. The previous Coalition government legislated a phased opt-in annual property tax in 2022 — the First Home Buyer Choice scheme — which let eligible first home buyers swap an upfront stamp-duty bill for a recurring tax ($400 + 0.3% of the unimproved land value per year). The incoming Labor government wound the choice scheme back in mid-2023 and replaced it with the current arrangement: full exemption up to $800,000, tapered concession to $1,000,000, no concession above that.
The result is the most generous FHB threshold on the eastern seaboard, but a sharp cliff at $1,000,000 — buy at $999,999 and pay a partial concession; buy at $1,000,000 and pay the full owner-occupier duty of about $39,735. That has visibly bunched the FHB market in the $900,000–$999,999 band on Domain and CoreLogic listings data.
NSW also runs the steepest foreign-buyer surcharge in Australia — 8% on top of standard duty (raised from 8% to 9% for some periods historically) — and a separate premium duty rate of 5.5% on the slice of the price above $1,168,000. The combination makes Sydney prestige property transactionally one of the most expensive in the world: a $5M Sydney home costs roughly $256,000 in transfer duty for a local owner-occupier, and over $650,000 once the foreign surcharge applies.
The Sydney median house price hovered around $1,180,000 through early 2026 per CoreLogic's Home Value Index. Take a $1,180,000 purchase by an Australian-resident owner-occupier:
For the same property bought by a first home buyer, the FHB concession is zero (above $1M) so the bill is unchanged at $47,955. If the buyer were a foreign person, an additional 8% surcharge of $94,400 applies, taking the total to $142,355.
The marginal effect of the $1,168,000 premium threshold is small in this example ($660), but it compounds quickly above the threshold — each additional $100,000 of property value above $1.168M attracts $5,500 of duty versus $4,500 in the lower bracket. On a $3M home, the premium bracket adds about $18,300 over what the linear 4.5% rate would charge.
Foreign Purchaser Duty. Australian citizens, permanent residents and NZ Special Category Visa holders are not "foreign persons". Anyone else, including dual-citizen holders not ordinarily resident in Australia, pays an extra 8% surcharge on residential land. The surcharge is applied to the dutiable value and the foreign purchaser pays an annual 4% land tax surcharge on top of standard land tax. The combined burden can exceed 12–15% of the property value on a five-year hold.
Off-the-plan deferral. NSW lets eligible owner-occupier off-the-plan buyers defer payment for up to 12 months from the contract date — but the duty is still calculated on the contract price, not the at-completion value. Investor off-the-plan buyers don't get the deferral but can sometimes negotiate vendor payment as part of the contract. For developer stock that takes more than 12 months to complete, the deferral can substantially help cash flow at settlement.
FHB Choice scheme (closed but grandfathered). Buyers who opted into the annual property tax during the 2023 First Home Buyer Choice window are still paying that tax on the same property — the obligation runs with the title, not with the buyer's decision year-to-year. If you bought between January and June 2023 and chose the annual tax, you keep it; if you later sell, the new owner pays standard stamp duty. The scheme is closed to new entrants since 1 July 2023.
Spouse / de facto transfers. Property transferred between spouses or de facto partners as principal place of residence is generally exempt from duty (Section 104B of the Duties Act 1997). Separations are also exempt where the transfer is made under a court order or binding financial agreement. This is a meaningful concession for couples restructuring asset ownership after the FHB window or for asset-protection purposes.
Vacant land & new-build limits. The FHB exemption applies to vacant land up to $350,000 and to new-build homes up to $800,000. For vacant land between $350,001 and $450,000, a tapered concession applies. Land purchased above $450,000 with the intent to build attracts full duty, even if the buyer will end up owner-occupying.
Duty is computed using the 2025–26 NSW transfer-duty schedule under the Duties Act 1997 (NSW): 1.25% on the first $16,000, then progressively up to 5.5% on the slice above $1,168,000 (the "premium" rate). Foreign-purchaser surcharge of 8% applies in addition for non-resident buyers. FHB concession applies for properties up to $1,000,000 with a tapered band between $800,001 and $999,999 under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme.
Sources: Revenue NSW — Transfer duty; Revenue NSW — First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme; Revenue NSW — Surcharge purchaser duty; Duties Act 1997 (NSW); CoreLogic Home Value Index for the Sydney median.
Reviewed: 18 May 2026 · Updated for: 2025–26 NSW transfer duty schedule and FHB assistance thresholds · Editor: AussieCalc Editorial Team
How much is stamp duty on a $500,000 property in NSW? ▾
Stamp duty on a $500,000 property in New South Wales is $17,235 for an owner-occupier. A first home buyer pays $0 because the property is under the $800,000 exemption threshold.
How much is stamp duty on a $1,000,000 property in NSW? ▾
Stamp duty on a $1,000,000 property in NSW is $39,735. First home buyers receive no concession on properties at or above $1,000,000.
What is the NSW first home buyer stamp duty exemption in 2026? ▾
In 2026, eligible first home buyers in NSW pay zero stamp duty on properties valued up to $800,000. A partial concession applies for properties between $800,001 and $999,999. The concession tapers to zero at $1,000,000.
Can I pay NSW stamp duty in instalments? ▾
No. NSW stamp duty (transfer duty) must generally be paid as a lump sum — within 3 months of the contract date for existing properties, or 3 months after completion for off-the-plan purchases. It cannot be added to your home loan.
Does NSW have a land tax alternative to stamp duty? ▾
The First Home Buyer Choice scheme (annual property tax option) closed to new entrants on 30 June 2023. Buyers who opted in between January and June 2023 are grandfathered and continue to pay the annual tax ($400 + 0.3% of unimproved land value). The current FHB scheme is the standard duty exemption up to $800,000 with a tapered concession to $1,000,000 — no annual property tax for new buyers.
What is the NSW premium duty rate and when does it apply? ▾
NSW applies a 5.5% "premium" rate on the slice of the property value above $1,168,000, on top of the standard scale below that threshold. So a $2,000,000 home pays standard duty up to $1,168,000 plus 5.5% on the $832,000 slice above — an extra $45,760 over what a linear rate would produce. The threshold is indexed and reviewed periodically by Revenue NSW.
How much extra do foreign buyers pay in NSW? ▾
Foreign persons buying residential property in NSW pay an 8% surcharge purchaser duty on top of standard transfer duty. They also pay a 4% surcharge land tax annually while they own the property. "Foreign person" excludes Australian citizens, permanent residents and NZ Special Category Visa holders, but includes dual-citizen non-ordinary-residents and entities controlled by foreign persons.
When is NSW stamp duty due? ▾
Duty is generally due within three months of the contract date for existing residential property, payable to Revenue NSW. For off-the-plan owner-occupier purchases, eligible buyers can defer payment for up to 12 months from the contract date, but the duty is still calculated on the contract price. Late payment attracts interest and a possible penalty.
Are transfers between spouses subject to NSW stamp duty? ▾
Generally no. Transfers between spouses or de facto partners involving the principal place of residence are exempt under Section 104B of the Duties Act 1997. Transfers under court orders or binding financial agreements following separation are also exempt. Transfers of investment property between spouses may still attract duty unless structured as a relationship-breakdown transfer.
Does the FHB exemption apply to new builds and vacant land? ▾
Yes. New-build homes valued up to $800,000 get the full exemption, tapering to $1,000,000. Vacant land up to $350,000 gets full exemption with tapering to $450,000. If you buy land above $450,000 and build on it later, the land purchase attracts standard duty even if you'll owner-occupy the eventual home.