First Home Buyer Stamp Duty in Queensland
Queensland splits sharply on property type. Since 1 May 2025 an eligible first home buyer pays no transfer duty on a new home or vacant land — with no price cap at all. Established homes get a separate concession: no duty up to $700,000, phasing out to $800,000, then full duty above.
Estimated first-home duty at different prices
These are planning estimates for an eligible QLD 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 Queensland Revenue Office.
| Purchase price | New build | Established | No concession |
|---|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | $0 | $0 | $18,000 |
| $700,000 | $0 | $0 | $21,000 |
| $750,000 | $0 | $12,000 | $22,500 |
| $800,000 | $0 | $24,000 | $24,000 |
| $900,000 | $0 | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $0 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
“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.
New builds: no duty, no cap
This is the standout in the country. If you buy or build a brand-new home, or buy vacant land to build on, as an eligible first home buyer, Queensland charges zero transfer duty regardless of price. A first home buyer purchasing a new $1.2 million home pays nothing in duty — where the same buyer would pay tens of thousands on an established home at that price.
To qualify you must be a genuine first home buyer, move in within one year, and hold the home as your residence for a continuous 12 months. The 'new' definition covers homes not previously occupied or sold as a place of residence, house-and-land packages, and off-the-plan.
Established homes: exempt to $700k
For an existing home the first-home concession removes duty up to $700,000, then reduces on a sliding scale to $800,000, above which full transfer duty applies. So an established purchase is far more sensitive to price than a new build, where the concession is unlimited.
The practical takeaway: if you're flexible on new versus established, model both in Queensland. Between roughly $700,000 and beyond, choosing a new build can eliminate a duty bill that an established home of the same price would carry.
Grants stack on top of the duty concession
The Queensland First Home Owner Grant adds $30,000 for eligible new homes (for transactions in the current window) up to a $750,000 value cap — cash on top of the duty exemption.
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 QLD.
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 Queensland Revenue Office 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.