If you're buying a property in Western Australia, you'll probably need to pay stamp duty. The WA government charges stamp duty as a tax on the sale of certain assets. This includes property. Stamp duty in WA can cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. But there are some exemptions and concessions for first home buyers.
Find out how much stamp duty you'll pay using the calculator below.
What are the stamp duty rates in Western Australia?
You can find the rates of duty in the table below.
General rates of duty paid in WA. For more information, visit the WA Department of Finance website.
Dutiable value range
Duty payable
Up to $120,000
$1.90 per $100 or part thereof
$120,000 to $150,000
$2,280 plus $2.85 per $100 or part thereof above $120,000
$150,001 to $360,000
$3,135 plus $3.80 per $100 or part thereof above $150,000
$360,001 to $725,000
$11,115 plus $4.75 per $100 or part thereof above $360,000
$725,001 and above
$28,453 plus $5.15 per $100 or part thereof above $725,000
How much stamp duty do foreign property buyers pay?
If you are a foreign buyer purchasing property in Western Australia, you will need to pay an additional 7% in stamp duty.
If you are purchasing property with someone else and only 1 of you is a foreign citizen, the additional foreign duty will only apply to 50% of the purchase price.
However, the WA government will refund foreign transfer duty if a foreign buyer purchases land for residential development where 10 or more residential dwellings will be constructed.
Frequently asked questions about stamp duty in WA
In WA, the purchaser of the property or the transferee is liable to pay stamp duty when the sale or transfer takes place.
You must lodge your documents for assessment of stamp duty within two months of the liability arising when the property is purchased or transferred. After lodging the documents, stamp duty must be paid within one month.
First home buyers are exempt from having to pay a duty on any home purchase up to $430,000. Concessions are available on homes valued between $430,001 and $530,000. The home purchased must be used as a primary place of residence. The concession is $19.19 per $100 or part thereof above $430,000. Vacant land purchases are exempt from stamp duty for values up to $300,000. Concessions are available for land valued between $300,001 and $400,000. The concessional rate for vacant land is $13.01 per $100 or part thereof above $300,000. Exemptions are available for the transfer of family farms. Transfers between spouses or de facto partners of two years are also exempt.
If your transaction is cancelled, you must apply for a refund of stamp duty within five years of the original assessment or 12 months after the day on which the agreement was cancelled.
They can include a range of expenses including legal fees, building inspection costs and bank fees. Review our guide.
Payment can be made to the WA Office of State Revenue via credit card, BPAY, post or in person using cash or cheque.
Rebecca Pike is Finder's senior writer for money. She joined Finder after almost four years writing for business publications in the mortgage and finance industry, including three years as editor of Mortgage Professional Australia. She regularly appears as a money expert on programs like Sunrise and Today, as well as across radio and newspapers. She also holds ASIC-recognised certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products.
We’re a review and comparison site so we’re not able to provide any customer service. We suggest you contact the WA Office of State Revenue to enquire about your situation.
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why have i been charged a late lodgement penalty on my stamp duty
Hi Chris,
We’re a review and comparison site so we’re not able to provide any customer service. We suggest you contact the WA Office of State Revenue to enquire about your situation.
Hope this helps!