What help is available for first home buyers in Australia?

There are three federal measures — the First Home Guarantee (buy with a 5% deposit and no LMI), the First Home Super Saver (save your deposit inside super), and Help to Buy (a shared-equity scheme). On top of these, every state and territory runs its own First Home Owner Grant and stamp-duty concessions. Most first-home buyers can stack several of these together.

Can I use more than one first-home scheme at once?

Usually yes. The federal and state measures are designed to layer — for example you might use the First Home Guarantee for a low-deposit loan, draw your deposit from the First Home Super Saver, claim your state’s First Home Owner Grant on a new home, and pay reduced or no stamp duty under a state concession. Eligibility for each is assessed separately.

Do first home buyers pay stamp duty?

Often a reduced amount or nothing at all. Most states fully exempt eligible first homes below a threshold and phase out a concession above it — NSW, for instance, exempts eligible first homes up to $800,000. Our stamp duty calculator applies the right concession for your state, price and property type.

Are the figures on this page financial advice?

No. They are general-information summaries based on indicative, dated thresholds that change frequently. Always confirm the current rules with the relevant state revenue office, Housing Australia and the ATO before acting.

First home buyer hub

Buying your first home in Australia

First-home buyers can tap several schemes at once — federal programs that cut your deposit and tax, and state grants and stamp-duty concessions that cut your upfront costs. This guide explains each one in plain English, then breaks down what your state offers. Once you know your options, model the numbers with our stamp duty calculator and borrowing power calculator.

Federal schemes — available Australia-wide

Three national measures help with the two hardest parts of a first purchase: the deposit and the upfront cost of a loan. They work alongside whatever your state offers.

First Home Guarantee

FHBG

Buy with as little as a 5% deposit and pay no Lenders Mortgage Insurance — the government guarantees the rest.

Deposit as low as 5% (the government guarantees up to 15% of the property value).
No Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), which can save you tens of thousands.
Run through a panel of participating lenders — you still borrow from a normal bank.
Property price caps apply by state and region; income tests apply.
Part of the Home Guarantee Scheme, administered by Housing Australia.

Housing Australia — Home Guarantee Scheme ↗

First Home Super Saver

FHSS

Save for your deposit inside super, where it is taxed concessionally, then withdraw it when you buy.

Make voluntary super contributions, then release them toward your first-home deposit.
Up to $15,000 of eligible contributions per financial year can count.
Up to $50,000 total (plus associated earnings) can be released across all years.
Concessional tax treatment can grow your deposit faster than a regular savings account.
You apply to the ATO for a determination before releasing the funds.

ATO — First Home Super Saver Scheme ↗

Help to Buy

Shared equity

A federal shared-equity scheme: the government takes an equity stake so you need a smaller loan and deposit.

The government contributes up to 30% of the price of an existing home (40% for a new home).
A 2% minimum deposit can be enough for eligible buyers.
You buy a smaller share, so your loan and repayments are lower.
Income caps and property price caps apply; places are limited each year.
You can buy back the government’s share over time.

Housing Australia — Help to Buy ↗

State-by-state — grants & stamp-duty concessions

Each state and territory sets its own First Home Owner Grant and duty concession. Find yours below — the figures are indicative for FY2025-26 and you should confirm the current rules with the linked revenue office.

NSW

New South Wales

Stamp-duty concession: First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme: full transfer-duty exemption up to $800,000, with a concession phasing out to $1,000,000 (owner-occupiers).
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) of $10,000 for new builds up to the grant cap.
Good to know: Concessions are for owner-occupiers who move in within the required period.
Different caps apply to new homes, established homes and vacant land.

Revenue NSW ↗

VIC

Victoria

Stamp-duty concession: First-home duty exemption up to $600,000, with a concession phasing out to $750,000 for your principal place of residence.
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant of $10,000 for new homes ($20,000 in regional Victoria for eligible contracts).
Good to know: The principal-place-of-residence concession is separate from the first-home exemption.
Regional grant amounts and timing differ from metropolitan Melbourne.

State Revenue Office Victoria ↗

QLD

Queensland

Stamp-duty concession: First-home transfer-duty concession: full relief up to $700,000, phasing out to $800,000.
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant for new homes (grant amount set by the current Queensland scheme).
Good to know: A separate home concession applies to owner-occupiers more broadly.
First-home vacant-land concessions are also available below a threshold.

Queensland Revenue Office ↗

Western Australia

Stamp-duty concession: First Home Owner Rate of duty: full exemption up to ~$430,000 (metro), with a concession phasing out to ~$530,000.
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant of $10,000 for building or buying a new home.
Good to know: Higher duty-exemption thresholds apply in regional WA.
The duty rate is tied to eligibility for the First Home Owner Grant.

RevenueWA ↗

South Australia

Stamp-duty concession: Stamp-duty relief for eligible first-home buyers of new homes, subject to current SA thresholds.
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant of up to $15,000 for new homes within the property-value cap.
Good to know: SA has focused recent relief on new homes and off-the-plan apartments.
Property-value caps determine eligibility for both the grant and duty relief.

RevenueSA ↗

TAS

Tasmania

Stamp-duty concession: Duty concession on established first homes up to $750,000 (a substantial reduction on eligible purchases).
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant for new homes (grant amount set by the current Tasmanian scheme).
Good to know: The established-home concession is a notable Tasmanian feature — many states limit relief to new homes.
Pensioner and other concessions may also apply.

State Revenue Office Tasmania ↗

ACT

Australian Capital Territory

Stamp-duty concession: Home Buyer Concession Scheme: nil or near-nil duty for eligible buyers whose household income is within the threshold (~$170,000).
First Home Owner Grant: The ACT has folded grant support into the Home Buyer Concession Scheme rather than a separate cash grant.
Good to know: Eligibility is income-tested rather than price-capped.
You must not have owned property in the previous two years and must live in the home.

ACT Revenue Office ↗

Northern Territory

Stamp-duty concession: House and Land packages and new-home incentives reduce upfront costs for eligible first-home buyers.
First Home Owner Grant: First Home Owner Grant of $10,000 for buying or building a new home.
Good to know: The NT periodically runs additional homebuyer incentives (e.g. for new builds).
Check the Territory Revenue Office for the current mix of grants and concessions.

Territory Revenue Office ↗

Frequently asked questions

What help is available for first home buyers in Australia?: There are three federal measures — the First Home Guarantee (buy with a 5% deposit and no LMI), the First Home Super Saver (save your deposit inside super), and Help to Buy (a shared-equity scheme). On top of these, every state and territory runs its own First Home Owner Grant and stamp-duty concessions. Most first-home buyers can stack several of these together.
Can I use more than one first-home scheme at once?: Usually yes. The federal and state measures are designed to layer — for example you might use the First Home Guarantee for a low-deposit loan, draw your deposit from the First Home Super Saver, claim your state’s First Home Owner Grant on a new home, and pay reduced or no stamp duty under a state concession. Eligibility for each is assessed separately.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty?: Often a reduced amount or nothing at all. Most states fully exempt eligible first homes below a threshold and phase out a concession above it — NSW, for instance, exempts eligible first homes up to $800,000. Our stamp duty calculator applies the right concession for your state, price and property type.
Are the figures on this page financial advice?: No. They are general-information summaries based on indicative, dated thresholds that change frequently. Always confirm the current rules with the relevant state revenue office, Housing Australia and the ATO before acting.

Know your schemes — now run your numbers

Estimate your upfront costs with the stamp duty calculator (it applies your first-home concessions and grants automatically), see what you can borrow with the borrowing power calculator, then build a full, stress-tested plan on the planner.