Stamp Duty Calculator VIC

How land transfer duty is calculated in Victoria

Victoria calls stamp duty land transfer duty. It is imposed under the Duties Act 2000 and administered by the State Revenue Office (SRO). The purchaser pays it, and the amount is calculated on the dutiable value of the property, which the SRO describes as the price paid or the market value, whichever is greater.

The general scale in the table above applies to investment properties, holiday homes and any home with a dutiable value above $550,000. It rises in steps from 1.4% on the first $25,000 to 6% on the portion between $130,000 and $960,000. Victoria then departs from a purely marginal structure. Between $960,000 and $2,000,000 the duty is a flat 5.5% of the entire dutiable value, and above $2,000,000 a premium rate of 6.5% applies to the excess over $2,000,000, on top of a base amount of $110,000. The premium band has applied to contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2021.

Two worked examples illustrate the scale. On an $800,000 purchase at general rates the duty is $2,870 plus 6% of $670,000, which is $43,070. On a $1,000,000 purchase the whole value falls into the flat band, so the duty is 5.5% of $1,000,000, which is $55,000. The general rates published by the SRO apply to contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2021 and were current when checked in September 2026.

The principal place of residence concession in Victoria

Any purchaser who buys a home to live in may qualify for the principal place of residence (PPR) concession, not only first home buyers. The concession applies where the dutiable value is more than $130,000 and not more than $550,000. At least one purchaser must move in within 12 months of settlement and live there as their home for 12 continuous months, although where several people buy together it does not need to be the same purchaser for the whole period.

Under the concession the rate on the portion between $130,000 and $440,000 falls from 6% to 5%. Between $440,000 and $550,000 the duty is $18,370 plus 6% of the excess over $440,000. The SRO states that the saving is 1% of the amount above $130,000 for homes valued up to $440,000, and a fixed $3,100 for homes valued from $440,000 to $550,000. On a $500,000 home, for example, general duty would be $25,070, and the concessional amount is $21,970. Above $550,000 the concession does not apply at all and general rates are payable, so most owner-occupiers buying at current Melbourne prices pay the general rate.

The concession is also available for vacant land bought to build a home, where the land is valued at up to $550,000 and the building contract is excluded from the value. In that case the purchaser must move in by the earlier of 12 months after the occupancy certificate is issued and 36 months after settlement. A purchaser who claims the concession and then does not meet the residence requirement must notify the SRO within 30 days of the change in circumstances.

First home buyer duty exemption and concession in Victoria

An eligible first home buyer in Victoria pays no land transfer duty on a home with a dutiable value up to $600,000, and pays a reduced amount on a home valued from $600,001 to $750,000. Above $750,000 general rates apply in full. The home may be new or established, or it may be vacant land on which the buyer intends to build a first home, in which case only the land value is assessed. The reduced amount rises in a straight line across the concession range, from nil at $600,000 to full general duty at $750,000. On a $700,000 home, for example, general duty of $37,070 is reduced to about $24,713, a saving of about $12,357.

All purchasers must be natural persons aged at least 18, buying at market value and buying the property as their principal place of residence. At least one purchaser must be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident. A purchaser is not eligible if the purchaser, or the purchaser's spouse or partner, has previously received a First Home Owner Grant or a first home buyer duty exemption or concession, owned residential property in Australia before 1 July 2000, or owned and lived in a home in Australia for a continuous period of at least six months on or after 1 July 2000. Victim-survivors of family violence may be able to requalify.

At least one purchaser must move in within 12 months of settlement and live there for 12 continuous months. Current members of the Australian Army, Navy or Air Force who are enrolled to vote in Victoria are exempt from the residence requirement, although reservists and Australian Public Service staff are not. The exemption or concession is claimed on the Digital Duties Form, which the conveyancer or solicitor usually completes. A buyer purchasing a new home valued up to $750,000 may also qualify for the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant, which is explained in the Victorian grants guide.

Off-the-plan duty concession in Victoria, including the temporary expansion

When a property is bought off the plan, Victoria allows construction costs incurred after the contract date to be deducted from the contract price, and duty is charged on the reduced figure. The SRO gives the example of an apartment bought for $620,000 before construction starts, where the vendor advises that $465,000 of the price relates to construction, leaving a dutiable value of $155,000. The vendor calculates the concession using one of two methods set out in SRO Revenue Ruling DA-048v2 and enters the details in the Digital Duties Form.

The standing concession is limited to purchasers who qualify for the PPR concession or the first home buyer exemption or concession, and it applies only where the reduced value is within the thresholds of $550,000 for other home buyers and $750,000 for first home buyers. It is not available to companies or trustees.

A temporary expanded concession applies to contracts entered into on or after 21 October 2024 and before 21 April 2027. It covers off-the-plan apartments, units and townhouses on a lot in a strata subdivision that has common property, such as a shared driveway. Under the temporary concession there is no value threshold, and investors, companies and trusts may claim it as well as owner-occupiers. House and land packages that are not part of such a subdivision do not qualify for the expanded version, although eligible first home buyers and owner-occupiers may still use the standing concession. The expansion was originally due to end in October 2025, was extended in the 2025-26 Victorian Budget, and was extended again to April 2027 in the 2026-27 Budget. Eligibility depends on the contract date, not the settlement date.

Pensioner and concession card holder duty reduction in Victoria

Holders of an approved Commonwealth pensioner or concession card may receive a once-only reduction in duty when buying a home. For contracts signed on or after 1 July 2023, an exemption applies to homes valued at $600,000 or less and a concession applies from $600,001 to $750,000, which matches the value of the first home buyer relief. The purchaser must hold the card at the date of settlement, buy at market value, and intend to live in the home as a principal place of residence. The thresholds apply to the full value of the home, even where the cardholder buys only a share, and at least one cardholder must own an interest of 25% or more.

The same 12 month residence rules apply as for other home concessions, with the extended timeframe for vacant land on which a home is to be built. A cardholder who is also a first home buyer must choose between the pensioner reduction and the first home buyer benefit for a single transaction, and either choice may still be combined with the First Home Owner Grant where the home is new. The SRO publishes a separate pensioner duty calculator, and different rules apply to contracts signed before 1 July 2023.

Foreign purchaser additional duty in Victoria

A foreign purchaser who acquires residential property in Victoria pays foreign purchaser additional duty (FPAD) as well as ordinary land transfer duty. For contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2019 the rate is 8% of the dutiable value. FPAD is calculated on the value before any off-the-plan concession is applied, so the temporary off-the-plan concession reduces only the general duty component.

The treatment of New Zealand citizens changed for settlements from 26 November 2025. A New Zealand citizen is now excluded from FPAD if the Commissioner is satisfied that the person ordinarily resided, or will ordinarily reside, in Australia for a continuous period of at least six months within the period from 12 months before settlement to 12 months after it. Holding a special category visa is no longer the test. The calculator on this page does not include FPAD, so a foreign purchaser should add 8% of the dutiable value to the estimate and confirm the position with the SRO.

When stamp duty is paid in Victoria and how it is lodged

The SRO states that duty must be paid before the transfer can be registered, which is usually at settlement, and that penalty tax and interest may apply if duty is not paid within 30 days of settlement. In practice the conveyancer, solicitor or lender pays the duty through the SRO's Duties Online system. Every transfer requires a Digital Duties Form, even where the transaction is exempt, and the form is where the purchaser's claims for the first home buyer, PPR, pensioner or off-the-plan concessions are recorded.

Most Victorian settlements take place electronically through an Electronic Lodgement Network Operator. Duties Online calculates the duty and passes the amount into the electronic workspace before settlement, and the duty is transferred to the SRO when settlement occurs. Some transactions are referred to the SRO for a manual assessment, in which case supporting documents are uploaded and the SRO calculates the duty. Where late settlement interest becomes payable, the SRO treats it as part of the dutiable value, and for contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2022 a reassessment must be requested within 30 days of settlement if that interest is $5,000 or more. A purchaser who did not claim an available concession may apply for a reassessment and refund within five years.

How Victorian stamp duty affects the deposit and lenders mortgage insurance

Land transfer duty is payable from the purchaser's own funds at settlement, and lenders generally assess the loan against the purchase price or valuation rather than lending the duty itself. Every dollar spent on duty therefore reduces the amount of savings available for the deposit. On a $750,000 purchase by a buyer who is not a first home buyer, general duty of $40,070 represents more than 5% of the price, which is a substantial part of a typical deposit.

Because the loan to value ratio determines whether lenders mortgage insurance is required, and how much it costs, the duty bill can move a borrower across a threshold such as 80%. A first home buyer who pays no duty on a $600,000 home keeps those savings for the deposit, while a buyer just above $750,000 receives no relief at all. Buyers using the 5% Deposit Scheme may avoid lenders mortgage insurance, but they must still fund the duty separately. BorrowWise is an education site and can connect readers with an accredited broker, who can model the combined effect of duty, deposit and insurance for a particular purchase. The figures in this guide are general information only, as at September 2026, and the SRO calculator remains the authoritative source.