Land tax by state: thresholds, home exemption, surcharges

Thresholds and rates

Figures are the general scale for individual owners. The South Australian and ACT figures are from the 2025-26 Western Australian Treasury overview; both change each year, so check Revenue SA and the ACT Revenue Office for 2026-27.

To compare, the same Treasury overview calculates tax payable on a single parcel (general scale, calendar year 2025 for NSW and Victoria, 2025-26 elsewhere):

New South Wales

Land tax is charged on the land value at the taxing date, 31 December, and the threshold applies to the combined value of all non-exempt land you own. The 2024-2025 State Budget froze the general and premium thresholds for land tax years after 2024. Surcharge land tax for foreign persons is 5% of land value from 2025 (4% in 2023-2024, 2% in 2018-2022), with no tax-free threshold. A foreign person is generally anyone other than an Australian citizen or a permanent resident who has lived in Australia for 200 or more days in a calendar year.

Main residence exemption. One exemption per family and one principal place of residence worldwide. The people living in the property must collectively own at least 25%. Owners must be natural persons (company or special trust land generally does not qualify). Use must be solely residential, continuously since 1 July before the taxing date. From the 2026 land tax year all owners must meet the 25% requirement. You can rent out one room, one suite or one flat and keep the exemption; more may give a partial exemption.

Victoria

Victoria taxes the total site value of land you owned at midnight on 31 December of the preceding year. The 2024-2033 general scale starts at nil under $50,000, then $500, $975 and $1,350 plus 0.3% over $300,000 in the first bands. At $3,000,000 and over it is $31,650 plus 2.65% of the amount over $3,000,000. An absentee owner surcharge of 4% applies on top for absentee individuals, and a separate vacant residential land tax can apply to vacant homes.

Main residence exemption. Land tax is not charged on your home. You can generally claim one principal place of residence at a time; holiday homes do not qualify. Companies, owner corporations and land held in most trusts are excluded. A notice of acquisition lodged by a conveyancer on purchase may nominate the home automatically; otherwise you apply. If part is rented out, only that part may be taxed.

Queensland

Liability is based on land owned at midnight on 30 June. For individuals the scale starts at $600,000; the QRO page does not name the financial year and was last updated on 23 July 2024, so confirm it. Absentee individuals (foreign individuals without a permanent visa who do not usually live in Australia) pay different rates from $350,000, plus a 3% surcharge on value above $350,000. Companies and trusts have different thresholds.

Home exemption. The land must be used wholly or partly as your principal place of residence, on a single parcel with a permanent dwelling. You can only have one, and the exemption applies to one parcel per financial year. Letting part of it is allowed within limits (for example, the let area cannot exceed 50% of the residential floor area and rent cannot exceed market rent).

Western Australia

Land tax is assessed on the aggregated unimproved value of taxable land owned at midnight on 30 June. The scale is nil to $300,000, then $300 to $420,000. The Metropolitan Region Improvement Tax adds a further charge on Perth-area land above $300,000. Rates on the page were last updated on 20 May 2026. The page does not mention a foreign land tax surcharge.

Exemption. Private residence is exempt where the owner uses it as a primary residence, but not if held in a company name or in trust. A partial exemption may apply if not all owners live there or part is used for another purpose. Construction or renovation of a future home may also be exempt.

South Australia

South Australia taxes land above an indexed threshold ($833,001 in 2025-26). The Treasury overview notes that SA indexes most thresholds annually. For the 2026-27 threshold and the home exemption conditions, check Revenue SA.

Tasmania

The scale from 1 July 2025 is nil to $124,999.99, then $50 plus 0.45% above $125,000, and $1,737.50 plus 1.5% above $500,000. The page does not list rates from 1 July 2026. Tax is calculated on the assessed land value and falls on the owner of land classified as general land on 1 July. Land classified as principal residence land is not subject to land tax. A 2% foreign investor surcharge applies to foreign persons who acquired residential land from 1 July 2022 (and to companies or trusts that became foreign from then); it does not apply to principal residence land.

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT charges land tax as a fixed fee plus a rate on the average unimproved value, and does not levy it on commercial property. The Treasury overview shows a fixed fee of $1,693 in 2025-26 and a 0.75% surcharge on residential land owned by foreign non-residents. For the 2026-27 amounts and the home exemption conditions, check the ACT Revenue Office.

Northern Territory

The Treasury overview states that the Northern Territory does not levy land tax. Council rates are separate (see council rates).

Which professional to consult

A conveyancer or an accountant can explain how land tax is assessed on a purchase or sale; you can also use the state revenue office’s own calculator. This guide states the published rules and is not tax advice.