First Home Buyer Stamp Duty in NSW
In New South Wales an eligible first home buyer pays no transfer (stamp) duty at all up to $800,000, then a reducing concession applies between $800,000 and $1.0 million, above which full duty is charged. The concession is the same whether you buy a brand-new or an established home, so in NSW your price — not the property type — is what decides the bill.
Estimated first-home duty at different prices
These are planning estimates for an eligible NSW first home buyer, using the current thresholds. Treat them as a ballpark — the exact figure depends on your circumstances and the property type, so always confirm with Revenue NSW.
| Purchase price | New build | Established | No concession |
|---|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | $0 | $0 | $24,000 |
| $750,000 | $0 | $0 | $30,000 |
| $800,000 | $0 | $0 | $32,000 |
| $900,000 | $20,000 | $20,000 | $36,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| $1,100,000 | $44,000 | $44,000 | $44,000 |
“No concession” shows the approximate duty a non-first-home buyer would pay at the same price, so you can see what the first-home concession is worth to you.
The NSW First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme
The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS) is the concession that removes or reduces duty. To qualify you must be buying your first home, be an individual (not a company or trust) aged 18 or over, move in within 12 months and live there for a continuous 12-month period, and at least one buyer must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Below $800,000 the exemption is complete — you pay nothing. Between $800,000 and $1.0 million the duty phases back in on a sliding scale, so a home just over the threshold still attracts only a small fraction of the full amount. Once you pass $1.0 million the standard NSW duty schedule applies with no first-home discount.
Why the $800k threshold matters so much
Stamp duty is usually the largest single buying cost, and in NSW crossing $800,000 turns a $0 bill into a rapidly rising one. If you are close to the line, a modest change in price — or negotiating below $800,000 — can be worth tens of thousands in avoided duty, which is deposit you no longer need to save.
Because the FHBAS applies equally to new and established homes, NSW buyers don't get the same 'buy new to skip duty' lever that Queensland or South Australia offer. That makes the price threshold, your deposit pathway, and the First Home Super Saver the main levers to pull here.
Grants stack on top of the duty concession
Separately, the First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) pays $10,000 on eligible new builds up to set value caps — that's cash back, on top of the duty concession above.
In planning terms, a duty concession lowers what you need at settlement, while a grant adds cash back afterwards. Model both to see your true total cash position — the calculator handles the duty side and shows total cash needed for NSW.
This is general information, not financial or tax advice. Stamp-duty rules change with each state budget — figures are current as of July 2026. Always confirm the exact concession, grant and eligibility with Revenue NSW before you buy.
I'm a geologist-turned-builder who got frustrated with financial calculators that hand-wave how Australian tax actually works.
Every projection on MyNextDollar runs on current ATO mechanics for FY2026-27 — Stage-3 brackets, super contribution caps and HELP thresholds.
The calculation engine is covered by 88 unit tests and 10,000 fuzz scenarios, so what you see is exactly what the rules produce — not a rough estimate.