First Home Buyers
Queensland stamp duty explained for home buyers
8 min read · By Daniel Lagden · 20 June 2026
The short version
- Transfer duty (stamp duty) is a state tax on property purchases, calculated on the price or value.
- For established first homes, eligible Queensland buyers pay no duty up to $700,000, with a sliding concession up to $799,999.99.
- For eligible contracts entered into on or after 1 May 2025, new homes and residential vacant land can qualify for a full concession reducing duty to nil, with no value cap on the residential portion.
- From 1 August 2026, Queensland says buyers will need to be Australian citizens, permanent residents or specified foreign retirees to access home concessions.
- Transfer duty and the First Home Owner Grant are separate, you may qualify for one, both or neither.
Transfer duty, most people still call it stamp duty, is a tax the Queensland Government charges when property changes hands. It's calculated on the purchase price or the property's value, whichever the rules point to, and it's usually one of the largest single costs at settlement after your deposit.
The good news for first home buyers: Queensland offers some of the more generous concessions in the country, and for many first-timers the duty bill comes down dramatically, sometimes to zero.
How transfer duty is calculated
Duty is tiered: the higher the price, the higher the rate applied to the portions above each threshold. On its own (without concessions), the bill on a typical Gold Coast home runs into the tens of thousands. That's why eligibility for a concession makes such a big difference to how much cash you need at settlement.
First home buyer concessions
Queensland provides concessions designed to reduce or remove transfer duty for eligible first home buyers, with the treatment depending on whether you're buying:
- An established home: eligible first home buyers pay no duty up to $700,000, with a sliding concession from $700,000.01 to $799,999.99. Over $800,000 the first home concession drops away, though the standard home concession may still reduce duty for owner-occupiers.
- A brand-new home or a substantially renovated new home: for eligible contracts entered into on or after 1 May 2025, the first home (new home) concession can reduce duty to nil on the residential portion, with no value cap.
- Vacant land to build your first home on: for eligible contracts entered into on or after 1 May 2025, the first home vacant land concession can also reduce duty to nil on residential vacant land, with no value cap. If part of the land is non-residential, duty can still apply to that portion.
Watch the contract date closely. Queensland Revenue Office says buyers entering into transactions from 1 August 2026 will need to be Australian citizens, permanent residents or specified foreign retirees to access home concessions. If residency or visa status is part of your file, check the live QRO guidance before you sign.
You must usually live in it
Occupancy still matters. For first home and first home (new home) concessions, you generally need to move in within 1 year. For vacant land, you generally need to build and move in within 2 years. Sell it, lease the whole property too early, or otherwise miss the occupancy rules and Queensland Revenue Office can reassess the duty.
Duty vs the First Home Owner Grant
People often blur these together. They're separate. The transfer duty concession reduces a tax you'd otherwise pay. The First Home Owner Grant is a cash payment for eligible buyers building or buying a brand-new home. You might qualify for one, both, or neither depending on the property and your circumstances.
Run the numbers
Frequently asked questions
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Queensland?
It depends on the property type and contract date. As at July 2026, eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty on established homes up to $700,000, with a sliding concession up to $799,999.99. For eligible contracts entered into on or after 1 May 2025, new homes and residential vacant land can qualify for a full concession that reduces duty to nil. Confirm the live rules with Queensland Revenue Office before going unconditional.
Can stamp duty be added to my home loan?
Duty itself is paid at settlement, but if you have enough equity or deposit, the practical effect is that your overall cash-to-complete includes it. Some buyers structure their deposit and loan so they're not caught short on duty. We model the full cash-to-complete so there are no surprises.
When do I have to pay transfer duty?
Transfer duty is generally payable around settlement, within the timeframe set by Queensland's rules. Your conveyancer or solicitor will typically manage the payment as part of the settlement process.
