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Queensland stamp duty calculator
If you’re buying a property in Queensland, you will need to pay stamp duty. This tax can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Luckily, some buyers are eligible to receive a discount, significantly reducing their stamp duty costs.
Stamp duty is the government tax levied on property purchases in each state and territory and is known as transfer duty in Queensland. It's payable on all transfers of property within the state, but there are discounts available for those buying a home to live in, as opposed to buying an investment property, and a further discount for people buying their first home.
Stamp duty calculator
Use our stamp duty calculator to estimate your costs by filling in the fields and making sure you select QLD as your state/territory.
Note that this is just an estimate and may not reflect your actual costs.
How to use the QLD stamp duty calculator
Enter your property value (or an estimate).
Pick QLD as your state/territory.
Select Live-in (if you're buying a home), Investment (for an investment property) or Vacant land (if building on a vacant lot).
If you've never owned a home before select Yes for First Home Buyer (you may get a stamp duty discount).
How much is stamp duty in Queensland?
Transfer duty in Queensland is calculated based on the greater value of either the amount you offer to pay for the property or the amount the property is valued at.
The amount you pay will also depend on whether you are buying a home to live in or whether you are buying an investment property. You may also be eligible for a concession if you are buying a home to live in, as well as a further discount if you're buying your first home.
There is also an additional 7% charge for residential properties acquired by foreign persons, including companies and trusts.
General rates of transfer duty in Queensland, for those buying an investment property:
Property value
Transfer duty payable
Up to $5,000
N/A
Between $5,000 and $75,000
$1.50 for every $100 over $5,000
Between $75,000 and $540,000
$1,050 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $75,000
Between $540,000 and $1,000,000
$17,325 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $540,000
More than $1,000,000
$38,025 plus $5.75 for every $100 over $1,000,000
Transfer duty payable by owner-occupiers (inclusive of the home buyer concession):
Property value
Transfer duty payable
Up to $350,000
$1 for every $100
Between $350,001 and $540,000
$3,500 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $350,000
Between $540,001 and $1,000,000
$10,150 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $540,000
More than $1,000,000
$30,850 plus $5.75 for every $100 over $1,000,000
Stamp duty concessions for buyers
There are three concessions for Queensland homebuyers:
The home concession is available even if you are not a first home buyer. The above transfer duty rates for owner-occupiers are inclusive of the concession.
You will pay a reduced rate for the first $350,000 of your home's value. You are then charged at the normal duty rate for any amount above that.
Let's say you buy your second home for $400,000. That means you pay duty on $350,000 at a discounted rate of $1 for every $100 or part of $100, and pay the normal amount on the remaining $50,000.
First home concession
First home buyers in Queensland who purchase a property valued at less than $550,000 are eligible for the first home concession, which could save them up to $15,925.
To qualify, buyers must:
Be over 18;
Move into the property within one year of settlement, and not sell it prior to moving in;
Not have held any interest in another residence, in Australia or overseas, and have never claimed the first home vacant land concession in Queensland.
If the property has existing tenants living in it, they must move out when their lease expires, or within six months of settlement, whichever is earlier, for the buyer to be eligible for the concession.
The first home concession applies to buyers who are buying an established property, or land on which to build a home, which they intend to occupy.
Unlike in many other states or territories, if you are buying with a partner and one of you has previously owned a property, but the other has not, that person can still claim their first home concession on their share of the property.
The discount operates on a sliding scale, based on the value of the property, as detailed in the below table:
Jade signs an agreement to buy a house in Queensland, which will be her first home. She's agreed to pay $465,000 and plans to move in as soon as possible. She's eligible for both the home concession rate and the additional first home concession. She would ordinarily need to pay $7,525 in stamp duty, but with her discount of $8,750, she won't need to pay any stamp duty on her purchase.
First home vacant land concession
This concession applies for Queenslanders buying vacant land on which to build their first home. The first home vacant land concession applies if you are buying vacant land valued at $399,999 or lower.
The concession is applied on a sliding scale, with no stamp duty charged if the land's value is under $250,000. If the land's value is $400,000 or above there is no concession and you have to pay the full stamp duty amount.
Stamp duty documents need to be lodged within 30 days of a transaction. But most lenders require a borrower to pay stamp duty at settlement. Your conveyancer will help you with the documents.
Yes. Even if you didn't pay a cent for the property, the state charges stamp duty based on the market value of the property. This is a fair estimate of what the property would sell for on the market.
You should talk to a conveyancer if you need help with a property transaction between family members.
No, only buyers who plan to live in the property can receive a concession. Investors are required to pay the full amount of transfer duty.
Yes. If you inherit a property when someone dies, or transfer property as part of a divorce settlement, you can apply for a transfer duty exemption.
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.
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