← Guides / Australia

Australia State Stamp Duty & Land Tax Guide

Australian state stamp duty and land tax. The guide covers: the transfer duty (stamp duty) by the state — the 'transfer duty' (the 'stamp duty') is the 'state tax' on the 'purchase of the real property' (the 'land' and the 'buildings'); the 'transfer duty rates' vary by the 'state' and the 'territory' and are calculated on the 'property value' (the 'dutiable value of the property'); the 'duty rates' are 'progressive' (the 'sliding scale rates' depending on the 'property value') — the 'NSW duty' starts from 0% for the 'homes below the threshold' and goes up to 7% for the 'premium properties above $3 million'; the 'VIC duty' starts from 1.4% for the 'up to $25,000' and goes up to 5.5% for the 'above $960,000' (with the 'premium rate' of 6.5% for the 'above $2 million' and 10% for the 'above $1 million' for the 'options and the units'); the 'QLD duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $5,000' and goes up to 5.75% for the 'above $1 million'; the 'WA duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $80,000' and goes up to 5.15% for the 'above $725,000'; the 'SA duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $12,000' and goes up to 5.5% for the 'above $500,000'; the 'ACT duty' is the 'general rates duty' up to 5.5% for the 'premium properties'; the 'NT duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $525,000' and goes up to 5.5% for the 'above $3 million'; the 'TAS duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $25,000' and goes up to 4.5% for the 'above $500,000'; the foreign buyer surcharge — the 'foreign buyer surcharge' is the 'additional stamp duty' paid by the 'foreign persons' (the 'foreign citizens', the 'foreign companies', and the 'foreign trusts') on the 'purchase of the residential property'; the 'NSW surcharge' is 8% (from the 1 February 2024, the NSW surcharge was increased from 4% to 8%); the 'VIC surcharge' is 8% (the 'VIC foreign purchaser additional duty (the 'FPAD')' — the 'full 8%'); the 'QLD surcharge' is 8% (the 'additional foreign acquirer duty (the 'AFAD')' — the '8% surcharge'); the 'WA surcharge' is 8% (the 'foreign transfer duty surcharge'); the 'SA surcharge' is 7% (the 'foreign ownership surcharge'); the 'TAS surcharge' is 3% (the 'foreign investor duty surcharge'); the 'ACT surcharge' is nil for the 'commercial property' and the '0% to 5.5% for the residential property'; the 'NT' has the 'no foreign buyer surcharge'; the land tax — the 'land tax' is the 'annual state tax' on the 'ownership of the land' (the 'aggregate value of the land' above the 'land tax threshold'); the 'land tax' applies to the 'investment properties' and the 'commercial properties' but NOT to the 'principal place of residence' (the 'PPR exemption'); the 'NSW land tax threshold' is $1,075,000 (the 'general threshold') — the 'rate' is 1.6% on the 'above threshold' (plus 2% on the 'premium rate' above the 'premium threshold'); the 'VIC land tax threshold' is $50,000 (the 'general threshold' — the 'land tax' starts from 0.25% and goes up to 3.65%); the 'QLD land tax threshold' is $600,000 (the 'rate' is 0.1% to 1.5%); the 'WA land tax threshold' is $350,000 (the 'rate' is 0.15% to 2.5%); the 'SA land tax threshold' is $500,000 (the 'rate' is 0.5% to 3.7% for the 'above the premium threshold'); the 'TAS land tax threshold' is $50,000 (the 'rate' is 0.1% to 0.55%); the 'ACT land tax' is the 'residential land tax' on the 'non-owner-occupied properties' (the 'rate' is 0.39% to 0.56%); the 'NT' has the 'no land tax'.

Stamp Duty by State

• NSW: The 'transfer duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $12,000' and goes up to 7% for the 'above $3 million'. The 'first home buyer' may be eligible for the 'exemption' (the 'up to $80,000' threshold) or the 'concessional rate'.
• VIC: The 'transfer duty' starts from 1.4% for the 'up to $25,000' and goes up to 5.5% for the 'above $960,000'. The 'premium rate' of 6.5% applies to the 'above $2 million'.
• QLD: The 'transfer duty' starts from 0% for the 'up to $5,000' and goes up to 5.75% for the 'above $1 million'. The 'first home owner grant' and the 'concessional duty' may apply.

For the foreign buyer surcharges and the property tax rules, see our Property Tax Guide →.

Foreign Buyer Surcharges

• NSW — 8% surcharge: The 'foreign person surcharge' on the 'residential property' is 8% (increased from 4% from 1 February 2024). The 'land tax surcharge' for the 'foreign persons' in the 'NSW' is 4%.
• VIC — 8% FPAD: The 'foreign purchaser additional duty (FPAD)' is 8% on the 'residential property'. The 'VIC land tax surcharge for the absentee owners' is 4%.
• QLD — 8% AFAD: The 'additional foreign acquirer duty (AFAD)' is 8% on the 'residential property'. The 'QLD land tax surcharge for the foreign absentees' is 2%.

For the non-resident taxation and the CGT withholding, see our Non-Resident Taxation Guide →.

Land Tax by State

• NSW: The 'general threshold' is $1,075,000 — the 'rate' is 1.6% on the 'above the threshold' and 2% on the 'premium rate'. The 'principal place of residence' is 'exempt'.
• VIC: The 'general threshold' is $50,000 — the 'rate' is 0.25% to 3.65%. The 'PPR exemption' applies. The 'absentee owner surcharge' is 4%.
• QLD: The 'general threshold' is $600,000 — the 'rate' is 0.1% to 1.5%. The 'absentee surcharge' is 2% above the 'threshold'.
• WA, SA, TAS, ACT: The 'land tax thresholds' and the 'rates' vary — the 'thresholds' range from $50,000 to $500,000 and the 'rates' range from 0.1% to 3.7%.

For the real estate investment and the negative gearing, see our Real Estate Investment Guide →.