Buyer’s guide · Queensland
Stamp duty in Queensland: what every buyer needs to know
Stamp duty is often the biggest cost after the deposit. Here’s how Queensland transfer duty is worked out, the concessions for homes and first homes, and the rules that can claw them back.
In Queensland, stamp duty is officially called transfer duty. It’s a tax the buyer pays on most property purchases, and on a typical home it runs to tens of thousands of dollars.
The good news is that Queensland has generous concessions, especially for first home buyers. Since 1 May 2025, eligible first home buyers pay no duty at all on a new home or vacant land, whatever the price. This guide explains the rates, the concessions and the conditions you have to keep to.
Key takeaways
- Duty is worked out from the contract date, not settlement, so the rules in force when you sign are the ones that apply.
- If you’ll live in the home, the home concession gives you a lower rate on the first $540,000.
- First home buyers pay no duty on an established home up to $700,000, with a reduced concession up to $800,000.
- First home buyers pay no duty on a new home or vacant land, with no price cap, for contracts from 1 May 2025.
- You must move in within 1 year (2 years to build on vacant land) and keep to the rules, or you may have to repay the concession.
On this page
How transfer duty works in Queensland
Transfer duty is charged on the dutiable value of the property, which is usually the price you pay or, if it’s higher, the market value. The buyer pays it.
Your liability usually arises on the contract date, not at settlement. The Queensland Revenue Office (QRO) says you must lodge within 30 days of that date if you’re lodging yourself. Most buyers have their lawyer lodge it online as a registered self assessor, and the lawyer will tell you when the duty has to be paid. Budget for it from the day you sign.
General rates
If no concession applies, for example when you’re buying an investment property, the general rates are:
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| Up to $5,000 | Nil |
| $5,000 to $75,000 | $1.50 for each $100 over $5,000 |
| $75,000 to $540,000 | $1,050 plus $3.50 for each $100 over $75,000 |
| $540,000 to $1,000,000 | $17,325 plus $4.50 for each $100 over $540,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $38,025 plus $5.75 for each $100 over $1,000,000 |
The rates apply to each $100 or part of $100. QRO’s transfer duty estimator is the easiest way to check a figure.
The home concession
If you’re buying a home to live in, you may qualify for the home concession. You don’t have to be a first home buyer. It applies a lower rate to the first $540,000 of the price:
| Dutiable value | Duty at the home concession rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $350,000 | $1.00 for each $100 |
| $350,000 to $540,000 | $3,500 plus $3.50 for each $100 over $350,000 |
| $540,000 to $1,000,000 | $10,150 plus $4.50 for each $100 over $540,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $30,850 plus $5.75 for each $100 over $1,000,000 |
On a $750,000 home, the home concession saves you $7,175 compared with the general rates. To keep it, you generally need to move in within 1 year of settlement and must not rent out or sell the home before you move in.
First home buyer concessions
First home buyers get the biggest savings. Which concession applies depends on what you’re buying.
| What you buy | Duty for an eligible first home buyer |
|---|---|
| Established home up to $700,000 | No duty (contracts from 9 June 2024) |
| Established home from $700,000 to under $800,000 | Reduced duty, with the concession phasing out |
| Established home of $800,000 or more | No first home concession, but the home concession may apply |
| New home, any price | No duty (contracts from 1 May 2025) |
| Vacant land to build your first home, any price | No duty (contracts from 1 May 2025) |
New homes and vacant land
The first home (new home) concession covers a home that hasn’t been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence, including off-the-plan purchases, and some substantially renovated homes bought from a developer. It doesn’t cover knocking down an existing home and building a new one.
For vacant land, you must build your first home on the land and move in within 2 years of settlement. That time can’t be extended, so build delays matter. Duty still applies to any part of the land that isn’t used for your home.
Who’s eligible
- You must buy as an individual, be at least 18 and pay market value.
- You must never have held an interest in a residence anywhere in the world, with limited exceptions.
- You must move in within 1 year of settlement (2 years for vacant land) and live there.
- For contracts from 1 August 2026, you must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a specified foreign retiree.
New homes under $750,000 may also qualify for the First Home Owner Grant of up to $30,000.
What you’d pay on a $750,000 home
Here’s how the concessions change the duty on a $750,000 purchase, using QRO’s concession rates:
| Buyer | Duty payable |
|---|---|
| Investor (general rates) | $26,775 |
| Owner-occupier (home concession) | $19,600 |
| First home buyer, established home | $10,925 |
| First home buyer, new home | $0 |
These figures are for an Australian buyer. A foreign buyer of residential land also pays additional foreign acquirer duty of 8%.
Keeping your concession
Most clawbacks happen after settlement, when buyers don’t realise the conditions still apply. Watch out for these:
- not moving in within 1 year of settlement, or 2 years to build on vacant land
- renting out or selling the home before you move in
- selling the home, or renting out all of it, within 1 year of moving in
- existing tenants or previous owners not leaving within 6 months of settlement
- demolishing the existing home before you live in it.
If you don’t meet the requirements, you must tell QRO. You’ll then have to pay back some or all of the concession. Renting out part of the home after you move in, such as a spare room, is generally allowed if you keep living there.
Before you sign
- Check which concession you’re likely to qualify for, and run the numbers through QRO’s estimator.
- If you’re buying new, make sure the home has never been lived in or sold as a residence.
- If you’re buying land, check that your builder can realistically finish within 2 years.
- Plan your move-in date, and don’t sign a lease of the property before you’ve moved in.
- Ask us to confirm your eligibility before you sign.
Our step-by-step guide to buying in Queensland shows where duty fits in the process, and our guides to finance conditions and seller disclosure cover the contract itself. Buying in Victoria too? See our guide to stamp duty in Victoria.
Frequently asked questions
When do I pay stamp duty in Queensland?
The liability usually arises on the contract date. Your lawyer will lodge the transfer with QRO and tell you when the duty must be paid. Have the funds ready well before settlement.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Queensland?
Not on a new home or vacant land for contracts from 1 May 2025, whatever the price. For an established home, there’s no duty up to $700,000 and reduced duty up to $800,000.
Can I rent out the home and still keep the concession?
Not before you move in, and not all of it within 1 year of moving in. Renting a room while you live there is generally allowed.
I own a home overseas. Can I get the first home concession?
Usually not. You must never have held an interest in a residence anywhere in the world, subject to limited exceptions.
What if my build takes more than 2 years?
The 2-year time for the first home vacant land concession can’t be extended. If you don’t move in within 2 years, you must tell QRO and may have to repay the concession.
Buying in Queensland?
Talk to our property team
Property & Conveyancing
Our team can confirm which duty concession you qualify for before you sign, lodge your duty with QRO and handle your purchase through to settlement, wherever you are in Queensland.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. It reflects Queensland law at the date of publication. Please contact us for advice about your circumstances.
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