How Is Stamp Duty Calculated in Australia? Step-by-Step for Every State

Stamp duty is usually the biggest cost of buying a home after the deposit, yet most buyers only see the final number from their conveyancer. The calculation itself is simple once you know the three things it depends on: where the property is, how much it is worth, and who is buying it. This guide walks through the method step by step, with a worked example for every state and territory at November 2026 rates.

The short answer

Stamp duty = fixed amount for your price band + (price − band threshold) ÷ 100 × rate per $100, then minus any concession, plus any foreign buyer surcharge.

Each state publishes a table of price bands. You find the band your price falls into, take the fixed amount for that band, and add the band’s rate for every $100 above the band’s starting point. Most states round up any part of $100 to a full $100.

Step 1: Work out the dutiable value

Duty is charged on the dutiable value: the price in the contract or the property’s unencumbered market value, whichever is higher. That stops buyers lowering duty by paying a family member less than the property is worth. If you buy only a share of a property, duty is charged on the value of that share.

Step 2: Find your band in your state’s table

Here is part of the New South Wales table for 2026–27:

A $650,000 home falls in the second row.

Step 3: Do the sum

1. Amount over the threshold: $650,000 − $387,000 = $263,000.
2. Number of $100 lots: 263,000 ÷ 100 = 2,630.
3. Rate × lots: 2,630 × $4.50 = $11,835.
4. Add the fixed amount: $11,602 + $11,835 = $23,437.

Step 4: Apply concessions and surcharges

• Owner-occupier rates: Victoria (up to $550,000), Queensland, Western Australia (up to $200,000) and the ACT charge less if you will live in the property.
• First home buyer schemes: can cut the duty to $0. In NSW a first home buyer pays nothing on this $650,000 home.
• Foreign buyer surcharges: 7% to 9% of the value in six states, on top of normal duty.

Stamp duty on a $650,000 home in every state

Established home bought to live in, November 2026 rates:

How first home buyer concessions are calculated

New South Wales: a straight-line taper

Under section 78A of the Duties Act 1997, a first home buyer of a home worth between $800,000 and $1,000,000 pays:

Duty = normal duty − ($1,000,000 − value) ÷ $200,000 × duty on an $800,000 home

Duty on an $800,000 home is $30,187. At $900,000 the normal duty is $34,687, so a first home buyer pays $34,687 − ($100,000 ÷ $200,000 × $30,187) = $19,594.

Victoria: a sliding scale

Between $600,000 and $750,000, duty = normal duty × (value − $600,000) ÷ $150,000. On $650,000 that is $34,070 × 50,000 ÷ 150,000 = $11,357.

Queensland: a fixed deduction

Duty is first worked out at the home concession rate, then a first home concession amount is subtracted: $17,350 for homes under $710,000, falling by $1,735 for each $10,000 band until it reaches nil at $800,000. A new home is fully exempt at any price.

Western Australia: a concessional rate

From 7 May 2026, first home owners pay $16.15 per $100 over $600,000 for homes up to $800,000. On $650,000 that is 500 × $16.15 = $8,075.

How the foreign buyer surcharge is calculated

The surcharge is a flat percentage of the dutiable value of the share bought by a foreign person, added to normal duty. A foreign buyer of a $650,000 home in NSW pays $23,437 + 9% × $650,000 = $23,437 + $58,500 = $81,937. Rates are 9% in NSW, 8% in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, and 7% in Western Australia and South Australia. The ACT and NT do not charge a stamp duty surcharge.

Common mistakes when estimating stamp duty

• Using last year’s rates. NSW indexes its bands every 1 July, and concessions change often (Western Australia in May 2026, the ACT and Tasmania on 1 July 2026).
• Forgetting the market value rule. A discounted family sale is still taxed on market value.
• Assuming every first home is exempt. South Australia gives no relief for established homes, and Tasmania’s exemption has ended.
• Ignoring “part of $100”. Most states round each part of $100 up, which can add a few dollars.
• Leaving out other fees. Transfer registration and mortgage registration fees are separate from stamp duty.

Check your numbers in seconds

Our stamp duty calculator applies every rule above for all eight states and territories, shows the concession you save, and compares the same purchase across Australia. To see how much you take home each pay while you save your deposit, try the pay calculator.