Guide · Buying

Transfer duty in NSW: 2026/27 rates and first home buyers

NSW transfer duty is a sliding scale from $1.25 to $5.50 per $100 above $1.29 million. 2026/27 rates, premium duty, payment deadline and first home buyers.

Checked on against the official sources at the bottom of the page.

In short

In New South Wales the buyer pays transfer duty (called stamp duty in everyday speech) on a sliding scale of rates. For the 2026/27 financial year the scale starts at $1.25 per $100 and reaches $5.50 per $100 on the part of the value above $1,290,000. Duty is generally due within 3 months of signing the contract, and before settlement if settlement comes first. First home buyers pay no duty on a home of $800,000 or less. This is a New South Wales rule: the other states and territories use different scales.

Who pays and on what value

The purchaser, not the seller, pays transfer duty (Revenue NSW). Duty is calculated on the dutiable value. For a purchase this is generally the higher of the price agreed and the market value of the property. Revenue NSW says the year’s rates are fixed by the contract date, or by the date of transfer if there is no contract.

The 2026/27 rates

These are the general rates published by Revenue NSW for 2026/2027 (page last updated 6 October 2026).

Dutiable valueDuty
$0 to $18,000$1.25 per $100 (minimum $20)
$18,001 to $38,000$225 plus $1.50 for every $100 over $18,000
$38,001 to $103,000$525 plus $1.75 for every $100 over $38,000
$103,001 to $387,000$1,662 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $103,000
$387,001 to $1,290,000$11,602 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $387,000
Over $1,290,000$52,237 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1,290,000

Premium property duty

For residential property above $3,870,000, premium duty applies: $194,137 plus $7.00 for every $100 over $3,870,000. For land over 2 hectares, the premium rate applies only to the first 2 hectares and the rest is charged at the general rates (Revenue NSW).

When to pay

Revenue NSW states that duty must be paid within 3 months of the earliest of the contract date, the agreed transfer date where there is no contract, or the date of the deed. If settlement happens before the 3 months end, duty must be paid on or before the settlement date. For an off-the-plan purchase that you intend to live in, payment may be deferred for up to 12 months. In practice your conveyancer or solicitor usually arranges payment at settlement.

Ask for the assessment before you exchange

The figure that matters is the dutiable value on your contract, not an online estimate. Ask your conveyancer or solicitor for a written duty assessment before you exchange contracts, so that you know the cash needed at settlement and whether any exemption or concession is built into it. If the contract also covers a building contract or chattels, ask how the value has been split.

First home buyers

The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme applies by the date the contracts were exchanged. For contracts exchanged on or after 1 July 2023:

  • New or existing home: no duty up to and including $800,000; a concessional rate above $800,000 and below $1,000,000.
  • Vacant land: no duty up to and including $350,000; a concessional rate above $350,000 and below $450,000.

You, or another eligible first home buyer, must move in within 12 months after settlement and live there as your principal place of residence for at least 12 continuous months. For contracts from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2023 the continuous period was 6 months. The page does not give the concessional rate formula or the full list of eligibility conditions: ask Revenue NSW or your conveyancer to confirm them for your case.

Foreign buyers

A foreign person buying residential land in New South Wales also pays surcharge purchaser duty of 9% of the dutiable value, on top of transfer duty, in proportion to the share acquired by foreign persons (Revenue NSW). See foreign purchaser surcharge duty for the eight states side by side. Separately, foreign persons must apply for federal approval before buying residential real estate in Australia.

What it costs

These are calculations using the 2026/27 rates above, not quotes:

  • $800,000 home: $11,602 + ($4.50 × 4,130) = $30,187. A first home buyer who qualifies pays $0.
  • $1,000,000 home: $11,602 + ($4.50 × 6,130) = $39,187.

Duty is only one cost: conveyancing, inspections and registration fees come on top. To compare states, use the stamp duty calculator and the New South Wales page. Other states: see the first home buyer concessions compared.

Which professional to consult

A conveyancer or solicitor assesses the duty on your contract, lodges it and pays it at settlement, and can tell you whether an exemption or concession applies. See conveyancers. A mortgage broker can include duty in your funding plan: see mortgage brokers.

Frequently asked questions

Does the seller pay any transfer duty?

No. Revenue NSW states that the purchaser pays transfer duty; the seller does not.

Which year’s rates apply if I sign in June and settle in July?

The rates for the year of the contract date apply, or the transfer date if there is no contract (Revenue NSW).

Can I defer payment until after settlement?

Not in general: duty must be paid by the earlier of 3 months or settlement. Off-the-plan buyers who intend to live in the home may be able to defer for up to 12 months.

Is the first home exemption available for a $850,000 home?

Not as a full exemption. Above $800,000 only a concessional rate is available, up to the limit of $1,000,000 (for contracts on or after 1 July 2023).

Are these rates the same in Victoria or Queensland?

No. Each state sets its own scale; see the guides for Victoria and Queensland.

More guides on buying

Sources

All guides · Payotte Australia