NSW Stamp Duty Calculator

No, eligible first-home buyers in NSW don’t pay stamp duty on homes valued up to $800,000 or vacant land up to $350,000. Concessions apply for homes valued $800,001-$999,999 and land valued $350,001-$449,999 under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme.

To be eligible, you must meet these conditions:

• You are an individual
• You are over 18 years of age
• At least one of the buyers is a first-home buyer
• At least one of the buyers is an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• You are buying a new or existing home, or vacant land in NSW
• The property value is within the thresholds above
• You and your spouse or partner have never owned or co-owned residential property in Australia
• You and your spouse or partner have never previously received a duty exemption or concession.

Stamp duty in NSW is calculated on a sliding scale, where higher property values attract higher duty rates. It begins at $1.25 for every $100 for properties up to $17,000 and increases in steps, reaching $50,212 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1.24 million.

Keep in mind that the stamp duty rates are calculated based on the property’s sales price or current market value, whichever is higher.

See the full 2025 stamp duty rates in the table below.

Stamp duty is paid within three months of signing the Contract of Sale. If you buy an off-the-plan property and intend to live in it, you can defer stamp duty payment for up to 12 months.

If you’re a first home buyer in NSW, you might be eligible for stamp duty exemptions or concessions. It’s called the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme. To be eligible for it:

• You’re buying a new or existing home or vacant land in NSW
• The value of the property is within the thresholds stipulated
• You are an individual
• You are over 18 years of age
• You and your spouse or partner have never owned or co-owned residential property in Australia
• You and your spouse or partner have never previously received an exemption or concession for stamp duty.
• At least one of the buyers is a first-home buyer
• At least one of the buyers is an Australian citizen or permanent resident

The stamp duty exemption or concession available for first-home buyers in NSW depends on the property value:

Stamp duty is paid within three months of signing the contract of sale or transfer (if there is no contract).

If stamp duty is not paid on time, there will be no settlement. So it’s better if you pay the transfer duty on or before the date of settlement.

Stamp duty is one of the many upfront costs you need to pay when buying property in NSW. The other costs to consider are:

• Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) if you borrow over 80% of the property value.
• Costs for pre-settlement inspections like pest and building inspections
• Mortgage registration fees
• Loan application fees

Learn more about the upfront and ongoing costs of buying a house.