In short. On a $750,000 home, NSW transfer duty at general rates is $27,9371. An eligible first home buyer who will live in the property pays nothing on a home valued at $800,000 or less3, a concessional rate above that and under $1,000,0004, and full duty from $1,000,000.
How much is stamp duty in NSW?
Take a two-bedroom unit in Parramatta bought for $750,000. At the general rates for 2026/2027 the duty is $27,937, payable on top of the deposit, the balance of the price and your conveyancer's fee. If the same buyer is buying a first home to live in, and meets the scheme's rules, the duty is nil.
| Price | General rates | Eligible first home buyer |
|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $16,687 | $0 |
| $650,000 | $23,437 | $0 |
| $750,000 | $27,937 | $0 |
| $900,000 | $34,687 | Less than $34,687 |
| $1,200,000 | $48,187 | $48,187 |
Chart data
| Item | Duty at general rates |
|---|---|
| $500,000 | $16,687 |
| $750,000 | $27,937 |
| $1,000,000 | $39,187 |
| $1,500,000 | $63,787 |
What are the 2026-27 brackets?
Revenue NSW adjusts the thresholds each year in line with the Consumer Price Index, so last year's table gives the wrong answer. These are the figures for the 2026/2027 financial year.
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| Up to $18,000 | $1.25 for every $100 (minimum $20) |
| Over $18,000 to $38,000 | $225 plus $1.50 for every $100 over $18,000 |
| Over $38,000 to $103,000 | $525 plus $1.75 for every $100 over $38,000 |
| Over $103,000 to $387,000 | $1,662 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $103,000 |
| Over $387,000 to $1,290,000 | $11,602 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $387,000 |
| Over $1,290,000 to $3,870,000 | $52,237 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1,290,000 |
| Over $3,870,000 | $194,137 plus $7.00 for every $100 over $3,870,000 |
Read a row as a fixed amount plus a rate on the part of the price above that bracket's floor. A $750,000 purchase sits in the bracket above $387,000: $11,602, plus $4.50 for every $100 of the $363,000 above $387,000. Revenue NSW's own examples multiply the exact excess by the rate, without rounding up to the next $100.
Who qualifies as a first home buyer?
The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme gives a full exemption on a new or existing home valued at $800,000 or less3, and a concessional rate above that and under $1,000,0004. From $1,000,000 the concession is gone completely, so a contract just under that figure and one just over it are treated very differently.
You also have to live there. For a home, one of the first home buyers must move in within 12 months after settlement and live there for at least 12 continuous months6.
Revenue NSW does not publish the arithmetic for the concessional band on its scheme page. For a price in that band, use its First Home Buyers Assistance calculator; our calculator shows only the most you could pay.
What if you are buying vacant land?
The limits are lower. A first home buyer pays no duty on vacant land valued at $350,000 or less, and a concessional rate above that and under $450,0005. From $450,000 the land is charged at general rates. On a $500,000 block that is $16,687, even for a first home buyer.
Does living in the home reduce the duty?
Not by itself. Victoria and Queensland have owner-occupier rates, but New South Wales publishes one general schedule1, and it applies whether you live in the property or rent it out. Living there matters for the first home buyer scheme, not for the rate on an ordinary purchase.
What is premium property duty?
Above a dutiable value of $3,870,000, a higher rate applies to residential property: $194,137 plus $7.00 for every $100 over $3,870,0002. It is worth knowing about if you are bidding close to that threshold, because each extra dollar above it is taxed at the higher rate.
What do foreign buyers pay?
A foreign person buying residential property may also pay surcharge purchaser duty, at 9% of the dutiable value, on top of transfer duty9. On a $750,000 purchase that adds $67,500. Qualifying for the first home buyer scheme does not remove it7.
How long is the cooling-off period?
A residential purchase in NSW comes with 5 business days from exchange, ending at 5pm on the fifth business day8. Using it costs money, and there is none at auction. The cooling-off guide sets out what withdrawing costs.