First home owners grants

First home owners grant in NSW

The First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) scheme offers a $10,000 grant for the purchase or construction of new homes. The value of the property of a newly constructed property must be no more than $600,000. If buying land to build a property the combined land and dwelling valued must be no more than $750,000.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible you need to be:

• 18 or older
• Buying your first home
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)

You also need to live in the home for at least 12 months.

Under First Home Buyers Assistance scheme there are also exemptions from transfer duty (stamp duty) on new and existing homes for first home buyers.

First home owners grant in VIC

A $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available to eligible applicants buying or building a new home valued at up to $750,000.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the grant you need to be 18 or older, and a first home buyer who has never received the grant before. You must not have owned property in Australia prior to 1 July 2000.

These apply to your spouse or partner too. Even if they're not claiming the grant.

At least one applicant needs to live in the house for 12 months after settlement.

Stamp duty concessions in Victoria are also available.

First home owners grant in QLD

The Queensland First Home Owners' Grant offers between $15,000 and $30,000 for first-time owners buying or building a new home. The grant is currently $30,000 until 30 June 2026.

The grant is available for properties and land valued at less than $750,000.

If you are renovating an established home you may also qualify for the grant.

There are also stamp duty concessions for Queensland first home buyers.

First home owner grant in the ACT

The ACT government no longer offers a first home owner grant to buyers.

But there are stamp duty concessions available through the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.

First home owner grant in WA

A $10,000 first home owners grant is available if you are buying or building a new home in WA. The home must be your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months within the first year of settlement or date of building completion.

Eligible properties located south of the 26th parallel south latitude must be less than $750,000, while properties north of the 26th parallel south latitude are limited at $1 million.

There are stamp duty concessions for first home buyers in WA.

Who is eligible?

You must be:

• 18 or older
• Buying your first home
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)

First home owner grant in SA

A $15,000 first home owner grant is available for first home buyers in South Australia for the purchase and construction of new homes. There is no value cap on eligible properties.

You cannot get a grant for buying vacant land.

Who is eligible?

You must be:

• 18 or older
• Buying your first home
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)

You will not be eligible if you have previously owned property in Australia.

There are also stamp duty concessions available.

First home owner grant in TAS

Yes, the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available for first home buyers who are buying or building a new home.

Who is eligible?

You must be:

• 18 or older
• Buying your first home
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)

You must live in the property for at least 12 months after settlement. You will not be eligible for a grant if you have previously owned property in Australia.

Are property transfer duty concessions available?

First home buyers purchasing established homes can receive a 100% discount on stamp duty if their property's value is $750,000 or less.

First home owner grants in the NT

The Northern Territory offers three different grants, two for first home buyers and one for existing home owners.

• $50,000 for buying or building a new home.
• $10,000 for buying an established home.
• $30,000 for non-first home buyers building new homes.

There is also a stamp duty exemption for buyers of house and land packages.

Finder survey: What do Australians think is the biggest hurdle to getting a home loan?

Federal first home buyer support

At the federal level there are several policies aimed at helping first home buyers. None of these policies give you a cash grant. But they can make it easier to buy your first home in other ways.

Being federal policies it doesn't matter which state or territory you live in, but there are specific eligibility criteria for each policy.

You can use federal schemes in conjunction with a state or territory policy.

First Home Guarantee Scheme

The First Home Guarantee Scheme allows eligible first home buyers to get a home loan with just a 5% deposit and avoid the extra cost of lenders mortgage insurance (LMI). Lenders usually charge LMI to borrowers with deposits below 20% of their property's value.

Family Home Guarantee

The Family Home Guarantee allows eligible single parents to buy homes with 2% deposits and avoid LMI costs while borrowing the remaining 98%. This doesn't just apply to single parents who are first home buyers. Single parents who have previously owned a home can qualify too.

First Home Super Saver Scheme

Another helpful option for some first home buyers is the First Home Super Saver Scheme. This policy allows eligible buyers to make extra contributions to their super funds and then withdraw them, pay less tax and then use the money to form part of their deposit.

All your questions about the first home owners grant answered

• What is a first home buyers grant?

  First home buyers grants (also known as first home owners grants) are offered by almost every state and territory government. These are cash grants available to buyers who have never purchased a home before. The eligibility criteria and grant amounts vary a lot depending on where you live.

  If you don't qualify for any grants but you are a first home buyer you may qualify for a stamp duty discount or exemption, which can also save you a lot of money.

• What happens if I move out of my home in the first 12 months?

  If you have lived in your home for a continuous period of six months, you may keep the grant, but if you move out before this time, you need to repay the grant.

• Can I apply for the first home owner grant if I'm a temporary resident?

  Unfortunately first home owner benefits aren't available for temporary residents. They also can't be retroactively applied for once permanent residency is obtained.

• My partner and I are buying the property jointly and neither of us has owned a property before. Do we each get a grant?

  No. A single grant is payable per property transaction not per person.

• Does my income affect the grant and is the grant taxed?

  No, the grant is not means tested and you do not have to pay tax on it.

• What sort of home qualifies me for the grant?

  Depending on the state or territory an eligible home may be a new or established Australian house, home unit, flat or other type of self contained fixed dwelling that meets local planning standards. The specific rules vary by state.

• Will I be eligible for the First Home Owner if I buy an on-site home in a caravan park?

  You would qualify for the grant provided the home is fixed (i.e. not moveable), but you would not be eligible if you bought a moveable home such as an unfixed mobile home or a caravan.

• I am buying an existing home. Does that qualify me for the grant or does it have to be a new home?

  This depends on the state, with many now limiting the grant to purchasers of new or substantially renovated homes.

• I'm buying a home in Australia but I already own property outside Australia, does that mean I don't qualify for the grant?

  You can be eligible for the grant provided you have not owned property in Australia before.

• I inherited a property. Can I claim the First Home Owner Grant for that?

  No. You must be a buyer or builder of the property.

More support for first home buyers

Check out our complete first home buyer guide for more support.

If you're researching about the home buying process and need help, here's a list of helpful guides:

• How to save a deposit for a house
• HomeBuilder grant for home builders and renovators
• The complete home buying guide
• Get home loan help from a mortgage broker
• All your first home buyer questions answered
• What is lenders mortgage insurance?
• Download the Finder app to get more control over your finances

Written by

Richard Whitten

Senior Money Editor

Richard Whitten is Finder’s Senior Money Editor, with over eight years of experience in home loans, property, credit cards and personal finance. His insights appear in top media outlets like Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine, and the Herald Sun, and he frequently offers expert commentary on television and radio, helping Australians navigate mortgages and property ownership. Richard started his career in education and textbook publishing in South Korea. He holds multiple industry certifications, including a Certificate IV in Mortgage Broking (RG 206) and Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146), as well as a Bachelor of Education from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Certificate in Communications from Deakin University. See full bio

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Richard has written 683 Finder guides across topics including:

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Rebecca Pike

Editor, Money

Rebecca Pike is Finder’s money editor, with over 7 years of experience in mortgages and personal finance. A frequent TV and radio commentator, she frequently appears on Sunrise and 7News, Today and 9News, as well as Sky News, Channel 10 and across radio and print. Rebecca previously served as Editor of Mortgage Professional Australia. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism as well as ASIC-recognised certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products, which comply with ASIC guidelines. See full bio

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