First Home Buyer Assistance by State Australia — 2025-26 Matrix

First home buyer (FHB) assistance in Australia is a patchwork of state-level stamp duty concessions, state grants, federal guarantees, and shared equity schemes. The combined value of these benefits often exceeds $30,000 — sometimes $50,000+ — and the exact mix depends entirely on which state or territory you buy in.

This article aggregates the 2025-26 FHB assistance landscape across all 8 Australian jurisdictions, plus the federal layer (Home Guarantee Scheme). Data is sourced from each state revenue office and Housing Australia; verify with the linked official source before relying on any figure for a transaction.

What is first home buyer assistance?

First home buyer assistance in Australia is a patchwork of state-level stamp duty concessions, state grants, federal guarantees and shared-equity schemes available to first home buyers. The combined value of these benefits often exceeds $30,000 — sometimes $50,000 or more — and the exact mix depends entirely on which state or territory you buy in.

On top of the state schemes, Housing Australia administers the federal Home Guarantee Scheme, whose sub-schemes let eligible buyers purchase with a deposit as low as 2–5% and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance.

Quick reference — stamp duty exemption + concession + grant

Federal layer — Home Guarantee Scheme

Independently of state schemes, Housing Australia administers the federal Home Guarantee Scheme. Three sub-schemes are relevant to FHBs:

Combined with state assistance, the federal guarantee can take a buyer with as little as $25,000 deposit on a $500,000 property to a fully-funded purchase with no LMI, no state stamp duty, and a state grant on top — total assistance often exceeds $40,000 in cash + cost savings.

Source: Housing Australia — Home Guarantee Scheme.

Per-state detail

New South Wales — First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS)

NSW operates a permanent FHB scheme covering both new and established dwellings:

• Full exemption: property value up to $800,000
• Concession: sliding scale to $1,000,000 — the closer you are to $1M, the less the concession
• First Home Owner Grant (FHOG): $10,000 for newly constructed homes only (not for established)
• Eligibility: must occupy as PPR within 12 months for at least 6 continuous months

Source: Revenue NSW — First home buyer assistance.

Victoria — FHB Duty Exemption + FHOG

• Full exemption: new dwellings or off-the-plan up to $600,000
• Concession: sliding scale to $750,000
• Off-the-plan concession: separate calculation reduces the dutiable value
• FHOG: $10,000 for newly constructed homes
• PPR requirement: must occupy as principal place of residence within 12 months

Source: SRO Victoria — First home buyer duty exemption.

Queensland — Home Concession + First Home Concession + FHOG

QLD has both a general home concession (lower rates for owner-occupiers, no FHB requirement) and an additional first home concession:

• First home concession (full): properties up to $700,000
• First home concession (partial): properties up to $800,000
• First Home Owner Grant: $30,000 (consisting of a base $15,000 + a $15,000 regional bonus where applicable — verify regional eligibility)
• Eligibility: must move in within 1 year, occupy for 6 continuous months

Source: QRO — First home concession and Queensland First Home Owner Grant.

Western Australia — FHO Rate of Duty + FHOG (updated 21 March 2025)

WA materially expanded its FHO scheme effective 21 March 2025:

• Full exemption (homes): up to $500,000 (both metro and regional)
• Partial concession (metro): $500,001 – $700,000 at $13.63 per $100 above $500,000
• Partial concession (regional): $500,001 – $750,000 at $11.89 per $100 above $500,000
• Vacant land FHO: full exemption to $350,000, partial to $450,000
• First Home Owner Grant: $10,000 for new homes only

Source: WA Department of Treasury and Finance — First home owner rate of duty.

South Australia — Limited FHB stamp duty assistance

South Australia’s standard residential FHB stamp duty concession has been materially restricted in recent years. The current main residential pathway is now an off-the-plan apartment concession (up to $700,000 partial). The FHOG of $15,000 remains for new homes.

This makes SA the second-least-generous state for FHB stamp duty assistance after NT.

Source: RevenueSA — First home owner grant.

Tasmania — FHB stamp duty exemption to $750,000

Tasmania’s scheme is among the most generous on a value-for-money basis:

• Full stamp duty exemption: properties up to $750,000
• 50%-discount FHB scheme: also available (verify combination rules with SRO Tas)
• First Home Owner Grant: $10,000 for new homes only

Source: SRO Tasmania — First home buyer exemption.

Australian Capital Territory — Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS)

ACT replaces the state grant with a means-tested duty concession:

• Full exemption: properties up to $1,020,000 (increased from $1,000,000 for 2025-26)
• Partial concession: above $1,020,000, capped at $35,238
• No separate state FHOG — the HBCS substitutes
• Means-tested income cap: verify current thresholds with ACT Revenue Office

Source: ACT Revenue Office — Home Buyer Concession Scheme.

Northern Territory — HomeGrown Territory Grant ($50,000)

NT does not offer a FHB stamp duty concession but provides the largest FHB cash grant in Australia:

• HomeGrown Territory grant: $50,000 for eligible first home buyers
• No stamp duty concession — full duty payable per the standard NT schedule

The $50,000 grant materially offsets the standard stamp duty cost; for a $525,000 property (the threshold above which NT switches to a flat 4.95%), the standard duty is approximately $26,000 — the grant is roughly double the duty cost.

Source: NT Department of Treasury & Finance — Stamp duty and home owner assistance.

Combined value comparison — $600,000 property purchase by an FHB

(Approximate — verify exact entitlements with each revenue office; new-build assistance generally exceeds established-home assistance everywhere except NSW and TAS.)

Where independent valuation fits in the FHB workflow

Most First Home Buyer purchases happen at or near the relevant state threshold ($600k-$800k in most jurisdictions), where every dollar of dutiable value matters. Three points where an independent valuation can be material to the FHB outcome:

1. Pre-purchase due diligence — for any FHB stretching to the top of their borrowing capacity, an independent pre-purchase property valuation confirms that the contract price reflects market and that the borrower is not overpaying relative to nearby recent sales. For homes at or near the FHB concession threshold, even small over-pricing erodes the duty saving.
2. Mortgage application support — an independent property valuation for mortgage purposes is sometimes commissioned by buyers ahead of the bank’s panel valuation, especially where a marginal valuation could push the LVR over 80% and trigger Lenders Mortgage Insurance. The complete mortgage valuation guide covers when this is worth doing.
3. Marginal stamp-duty concession edge cases — where a contract price sits just above the FHB exemption ceiling (e.g. $805,000 in NSW vs the $800,000 cut-off), an independent stamp duty valuation supporting a slightly lower dutiable value can be the difference between a partial concession and the full exemption. This applies particularly to off-market or family-related FHB acquisitions where market price is not directly observable from contract.

For the broader question of when each state revenue office requires an independent valuation, see Stamp Duty Valuation Australia for the per-jurisdiction triggers.

Methodology

This article aggregates published 2025-26 First Home Buyer assistance data from each state revenue office and Housing Australia. Stamp duty saved figures are computed against the 2025-26 standard rate schedules in our companion article Stamp Duty Rates by State Australia — 2025-26 Comprehensive Data.

Grant amounts are accurate as of the publication date but are subject to change with each annual state and federal budget cycle. Always verify the current entitlement with the official source before relying on any figure.

Frequently asked questions

Which state or territory gives first home buyers the largest cash grant?

The Northern Territory. It doesn’t offer a first home buyer stamp duty concession, but its HomeGrown Territory grant of $50,000 is the largest FHB cash grant in Australia. Queensland is next, with a $30,000 First Home Owner Grant (a $15,000 base plus a $15,000 regional bonus where applicable). Verify current entitlements with each revenue office before relying on any figure.

How much deposit do I need under the federal Home Guarantee Scheme?

It depends on the sub-scheme. The First Home Guarantee and Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee require a 5% deposit, with the government guaranteeing the gap to 20% so no Lenders Mortgage Insurance is payable. The Family Home Guarantee, for single parents with dependents, requires just 2%. Income caps and annual place limits apply to each.

Do I have to live in the home to keep the first home buyer concession?

In most states, yes. New South Wales requires you to occupy the home as your principal place of residence within 12 months, for at least 6 continuous months. Victoria has a similar 12-month occupancy requirement, and Queensland requires you to move in within one year and occupy for 6 continuous months. Confirm the exact rule with the relevant state revenue office.

Can I combine state assistance with the federal Home Guarantee Scheme?

Yes. Combined with state assistance, the federal guarantee can take a buyer with as little as a $25,000 deposit on a $500,000 property to a fully-funded purchase with no LMI, no state stamp duty, and a state grant on top — total assistance often exceeding $40,000 in cash and cost savings. Verify your specific entitlements with each source.

Which states are the least generous for first home buyer stamp duty?

On stamp duty specifically, the Northern Territory offers no first home buyer concession at all — full duty is payable, though its $50,000 grant offsets it. South Australia is next: its standard residential FHB stamp duty concession has been materially restricted, with the main pathway now an off-the-plan apartment concession up to $700,000, making SA the second-least-generous state after the NT.

See also

• Stamp Duty Rates by State Australia — 2025-26 Comprehensive Data — companion stamp duty data
• Land Tax by State Australia — 2025 Thresholds, Rates & Foreign Surcharges — once you own, the recurrent tax
• Foreign Buyer Rules and Surcharges Australia — 2025-26 — opposite end of the buyer spectrum
• Property Valuation for Mortgage — Complete Guide — how the bank’s valuation drives your LVR + LMI cost

Last verified: 27 May 2026. FHB schemes are revised regularly — verify the current entitlement with the linked source. For pre-purchase property valuations supporting your FHB application, request a quote.