Key takeaways
- Stamp duty is one of the biggest additional costs you'll have to pay when buying property in Australia.
- It's a form of tax charged by the state government and only applies when you buy property, not sell.
- First home buyers in most states and territories qualify for one-off exemptions or discounts.
Stamp duty calculator
To use this calculator select your state or territory, enter the value of your property (the full value, not your loan amount), choose the type of purchase (home to live in, investment or land) and select yes or no if you're a first home buyer or not.
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What is stamp duty?
Stamp duty in Australia is a state/territory level tax levied on large transactions such as property purchases, cars or other assets. Historically, stamp duty was levied on the signing of various legal documents, hence the word stamp. Stamp duty is sometimes referred to as transfer duty.
Stamp duty rates by state/territory
Your stamp duty cost varies depending on where you live. Governments update these costs every few years, depending on state budgets and tax policy.
Click your state or territory below to find out about stamp duty costs where you live.
How do I pay my stamp duty?
Many buyers pay stamp duty at settlement. Depending on your state or territory, it may be due on settlement day, and in other states you have around 30 days from settlement to organise the payment.
Your lawyer or conveyancer can help you with the logistics of paying stamp duty and will advise you of deadlines. Your conveyancer can also help you organise your paperwork when applying for a concession or exemption.
Can I borrow stamp duty with my loan?
Typically your stamp duty is an upfront cost, not rolled into your home loan. However, if you're not using your full borrowing power to buy the property, you may be able to use your loan to pay stamp duty. This is known as having your stamp duty capitalised into the principal of the loan.
It will depend on your borrowing power and the size of your deposit. But because you're borrowing money to pay for the duty, you'll be paying interest on that amount for 30 years.
Keep in mind that this may increase your loan to value (LVR) ratio, which could require you to pay a higher Lenders Mortgage Insurance premium, if your loan is above 80% of the property's overall value.
Divorce and stamp duty
Stamp duty isn't payable if one of you is transferring the title to a home or land to another. However, you can only save on stamp duty if the transfer is done so you can obey a court order. The court must be able to know what assets are owned by each of the parties. This includes all of your assets like land, bank accounts and superannuation. It may be necessary to hire an expert to value an asset.
It's important to know that parenting is seen as a very important contribution. If the marriage has been a long one, it is often seen as equal to financial contributions. Usually, the court gives the party whose financial future is not as good as the other some extra part of the property owned by the parties.
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Everything you need to know about stamp duty in Tasmania and how it’s calculated.
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Queensland stamp duty calculator
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NSW stamp duty calculator & guide
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If i am being bought out of a business (business is set up as 2 trusts and it a family trust) will i need to pay stamp duty when exiting? The person buying me out is already part ownership with me and is just buying my half?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder.com.au. Please note that we are a leading financial comparison site and general information service and we’re more than delighted to offer general advice to answer your question
Generally, when selling, closing or changing a business, the tax implication will vary. The tax that you may be charged is GST or capital gains tax on some of the business assets you sell, like land, buildings and intangible assets like patents, licences or goodwill. So you’d be best to check your state or territory government if they have any special requirements and work with your tax adviser/accountant to address the taxation issues of an exit strategy to minimise risks.
Cheers,
May
will I have to pay stamp duty. I am intending to buy a property worth between $4000,000 and $5000,000 to live in. I have just become widow and I will be down sizing. I am a pensioner and I am 80 years old.
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for contacting finder.com.au. We are a comparison website and general information service, we’re more than happy to offer general advice.
If you currently receive Government benefits, or is a pensioner, or a health card holder, you may be eligible for a concession or exemption. Check your local Office of State Revenue to find out if any apply to you.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Danielle
If I purchase my first home in QLD and get stamp duty rebate but only live in the property for 6 months rather than 12 also keep it as an investment property, do I have to pay back stamp duty in full or just a portion or is it case by case?
Hi GDJ!
Thanks for the comment.
Usually, it is case by case basis as some rules may need to be considered. It is recommended to contact your local tax revenue office about your concern. Call 1300 300 734 (or +61 7 3227 6044 from outside Australia) during office hours.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
I bought an apartment with my GF , and I want to know what is the easy way to get the Sole ownership of the property. We are not married or de-facto and I don’t want to include myself in a situation where if we do go different ways then it will cost me my apartment.
Is there an way where I can just look for refinancing without paying an extra cost towards Stamp duty
Hi Viv,
Thanks for your question.
The first thing you need to do is talk to your GF and ensure that she’s okay with your plan.
If that’s okay, then you may proceed to changing property ownership. This process can be a little daunting. So, aside from reading our guide, you may also speak to a financial expert for advice.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Danielle
Our family Trust which expires in 2 months owns a property in Victoria. Do we have to pay stamp duty to transfer the property to a new family Trust?
Hi Gail,
Welcome to http://www.finder.com.au – We are a financial comparison website and general information service designed to help consumers make better decisions. Please note that we are not affiliated with any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer a general advice
Generally, stamp duty is also payable when a property is transferred from one person to another (even to a family member on a Trust). You’d be best to visit your local state revenue office to get the possible amount of the stamp duty payable.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Danielle