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Guide · Stamp Duty · NSW

NSW transfer duty — the full picture.

NSW has the more complex east-coast schedule — seven brackets, a premium rate above $3M, and the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS) running concessions to $1M. Here's how it all fits together.

Reviewed · Adam King — 30 years in finance, Sunshine Coast

How NSW calculates it

NSW levies transfer duty on a marginal-rate basis, similar to income tax. The dutiable value (contract price or market value, whichever is higher) sits in a bracket; you pay the base duty for that bracket plus the marginal rate on the portion above the bracket's floor. Revenue NSW publishes the schedule and reviews it periodically — the figures below are as at 2026-05.

NSW transfer duty — standard schedule

Dutiable valueDuty
$0 – $14,0001.25% on full value
$14,001 – $32,000$175 + 1.5% over $14,000
$32,001 – $85,000$445 + 1.75% over $32,000
$85,001 – $319,000$1,372 + 3.5% over $85,000
$319,001 – $1,064,000$9,562 + 4.5% over $319,000
$1,064,001 – $3,000,000$43,087 + 5.5% over $1,064,000
Over $3,000,000$149,567 + 7.0% over $3,000,000

Indicative NSW transfer duty as at 2026-05. Source: Revenue NSW. The 7.0% premium bracket above $3M is a NSW-specific feature.

Worked example — $850K purchase, Newcastle

  • Standard duty

    $33,457

    $9,562 + 4.5% × $531,000 ($850K − $319K)

  • FHBAS (existing, $800K–$1M)

    Reduced

    Sliding concession applies — partial duty rather than full exemption

  • FHBAS (existing, ≤$800K)

    $0

    Full exemption — first-home buyers pay no duty up to $800K

  • Foreign buyer surcharge

    9% extra

    Additional 9% on top of standard duty for foreign purchasers (non-resident)

First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS)

The FHBAS is NSW's first-home buyer concession. Buy an eligible home (existing or new) for $800,000 or less and pay no transfer duty at all. Between $800,001 and $1,000,000, a tapered concession applies — you pay duty on a portion of the value, scaled toward the top of the band. For vacant land, the threshold is lower: full exemption to $350K, partial concession to $450K. Eligibility: at least one buyer must be over 18, an Australian citizen or permanent resident, never have owned property anywhere, and intend to live in the home for at least 12 months starting within 12 months of settlement. If you're a first-home buyer with a partner who has owned before, the concession is generally lost on the joint purchase.

Compliance note

First Home Buyer Choice has been phased out.

NSW briefly ran 'First Home Buyer Choice' (an annual property tax alternative to stamp duty) in 2023. That program was wound back. New first-home buyers now use the FHBAS only — full exemption to $800K, partial concession to $1M. Confirm current settings with your solicitor at the time of contract.

Other NSW provisions

  • Premium duty (over $3M): The 7.0% marginal rate on the portion above $3M makes high-end NSW purchases the most heavily-taxed on the east coast.
  • Off-the-plan: Eligible owner-occupier buyers can defer duty for up to 12 months — duty is then payable at the earliest of completion/handover, assignment, or 15 months after the contract date (the standard 3-month pay window plus the 12-month deferral). Useful for buyers waiting on completion.
  • Foreign purchaser surcharge: 9% additional duty for foreign buyers, on top of standard rates.
  • Spousal transfers: Transfers between spouses of the principal residence are generally exempt.
  • Land transfer (no improvements): Standard duty schedule applies; vacant land FHBAS thresholds are $350K / $450K.

When you pay

Duty is payable within 3 months of the contract date or before settlement, whichever is sooner. Your solicitor or conveyancer handles the assessment and payment to Revenue NSW. For most contracts settling within the standard 6-week window, duty is settled a few days before settlement and remitted on the day. Late payment attracts interest from the date duty was due. There's also a notional duty assessment for nominee arrangements and trust transfers — anyone buying through a trust or company should speak to their solicitor before contract.

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General information only — not personal credit advice. Rates and figures shown are indicative and subject to confirmation against current lender pricing and policy.