VIC Stamp Duty Calculator 2025-26
About to make an offer? Know the government costs before you sign.
Calculate land transfer duty on property purchases in Victoria. Includes first home buyer exemptions (up to $600,000), concessions to $750,000, and 8% foreign buyer surcharge.
VIC land transfer duty — higher than most states. FHB exempt under $600k, concession $600k–$750k.
Select the question that matches where you are right now.
Your result reflects the financial position of the property scenario you entered — based on current rates, market rules, and standard calculation methods used across the Australian property industry.
Use this as a planning figure. Compare different property prices, deposit sizes, or loan terms to see how each changes the outcome. Adjust inputs in Standard or Advanced mode for more detail.
Not a bank approval, valuation, or guarantee. Lenders apply their own policies, credit checks, and property assessments beyond what any calculator can model.
Calculations use current published rates and standard formulas. All processing runs in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
Property calculations are most sensitive to the interest rate, loan amount, and time horizon. Small changes to these inputs produce the largest shifts in your result.
A 0.5% rate change on a $500k loan shifts annual interest by ~$2,500. Use Standard mode to compare fixed vs variable rate scenarios.
Extending the loan term reduces repayments but increases total interest. Interest-only periods change cash flow but not total cost. Model both in Advanced mode.
The ratio of your loan to the property value affects LMI, rate pricing, and lender appetite. Crossing the 80% LVR threshold changes the cost structure significantly.
To improve your property outcome, focus on the inputs with the highest leverage — these typically produce more impact per dollar than broad changes.
A larger deposit reduces LVR, eliminates LMI at 80%, and may unlock better rate pricing. Even $10k–$20k extra deposit can shift the cost picture.
Credit card limits and personal loans reduce borrowing capacity dollar-for-dollar. Closing unused cards before applying is one of the fastest levers.
Rate, policy, and LVR treatment vary between lenders. A mortgage broker can identify the best fit for your specific profile and property type.
Property decisions involve multiple linked calculations. Use the related calculators to model the full picture before committing.
Confirm how much a lender would approve based on your income, debts, and expenses.
Borrowing capacity →Factor in transfer duty and other upfront costs so your total cash requirement is accurate.
Stamp duty calculator →See the monthly, fortnightly, and weekly repayment at different rates and terms.
Mortgage repayment →How Victorian land transfer duty is calculated
VIC duty rates — among Australia's highest
Victoria applies some of the highest land transfer duty rates in Australia. The 2025-26 rates for standard residential purchases: 1.4% for properties $0–$25,000; 2.4% for $25,001–$130,000; 5% for $130,001–$440,000; 6% for $440,001–$550,000; 6.5% for $550,001–$960,000; 5.5% for $960,001–$2,000,000.
| Property value | Approx standard duty | First home buyer duty |
|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | ~$20,070 | $0 (exempt ≤$600k) |
| $600,000 | ~$31,070 | $0 (exempt threshold) |
| $700,000 | ~$37,070 | ~$6,370 (50% concession ≤$750k) |
| $800,000 | ~$43,070 | Full standard duty |
| $1,000,000 | ~$55,000 | Full standard duty |
| $1,500,000 | ~$82,500 | Full standard duty |
VIC first home buyer stamp duty exemptions
First home buyer exemption
VIC first home buyers purchasing properties valued up to $600,000 pay zero land transfer duty. For properties $600,001–$750,000, a 50% concession applies. Above $750,000, standard duty applies.
First Home Owner Grant
VIC first home buyers purchasing a new home or building valued up to $750,000 may be eligible for a $10,000 FHOG. This is separate from the stamp duty exemption/concession.
Off-the-plan stamp duty concessions in VIC
Off-the-plan concession
Buyers of off-the-plan properties in VIC pay duty only on the value of the contract minus the construction/refurbishment costs yet to be completed. This can significantly reduce the dutiable value.
Owner-occupier off-the-plan
Owner-occupiers purchasing off-the-plan receive an additional concession: duty is calculated on the land value component only, which is typically 30–50% of the total purchase price for apartments. A $700,000 apartment with $300,000 land value would attract duty only on $300,000.
VIC foreign buyer additional duty
8% surcharge
Foreign persons purchasing residential property in VIC pay an additional 8% duty on the purchase price. On an $800,000 property, this adds $64,000 in additional duty on top of the standard $43,070 = total upfront cost of approximately $107,000.
VIC land transfer duty rate table 2025-26
| Property value bracket | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0–$25,000 | 1.4% |
| $25,001–$130,000 | 2.4% |
| $130,001–$440,000 | 5.0% |
| $440,001–$550,000 | 6.0% |
| $550,001–$960,000 | 6.5% |
| $960,001–$2,000,000 | 5.5% |
| Above $2,000,000 | 6.5% |
How and when to pay Victorian land transfer duty
30-day deadline from settlement
Victorian land transfer duty (LTD) must be paid within 30 days of settlement, not from the contract date. The State Revenue Office (SRO) administers payment through the Duties Online (DUTIES) portal. Late payment attracts interest at the SRO market rate plus a penalty tax of up to 25% of the duty owed.
Conveyancer or solicitor lodgement
In practice, your conveyancer or solicitor lodges the assessment via Duties Online before settlement and includes the duty payment in the settlement statement. Self-assessment is technically available but rarely used for residential purchases.
Title cannot transfer without payment
Land Use Victoria (Titles Office) will not register the transfer of title until SRO confirms duty has been paid. This means your legal ownership of the property is contingent on duty being settled — practical control of the property only follows the registration of the transfer.
Total Victorian property purchase costs beyond land transfer duty
Government fees
Land Use Victoria title transfer fee is approximately $1,367 in 2025-26 (scaled by property value, capped at higher tiers). Mortgage registration is around $123. A separate title search adds about $15 per certificate.
Legal & professional
Conveyancing fees in Melbourne and regional Victoria range from $1,000 to $3,500. Building and pest inspections add $400-$700 combined. Owners corporation (strata) searches add $250–$400 for apartments and townhouses.
Lender costs
Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is the largest hidden cost when borrowing more than 80% LVR — typically 1.5–4% of the loan amount. On a $750,000 purchase with 90% LVR, LMI is approximately $15,000–$18,000. The LVR Calculator shows whether a larger deposit avoids LMI.
Worked example — $750k Melbourne house
Standard buyer: $40,070 land transfer duty + $1,367 title transfer + $123 mortgage registration + $2,800 conveyancing + $600 inspections = approximately $44,960 in non-deposit settlement cash.
Victorian land transfer duty worked examples 2025-26
| Purchase price | Standard buyer | First home buyer (PPR) | Foreign person (incl. 8% surcharge) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $25,070 | $0 (exempt) | $65,070 |
| $600,000 | $31,070 | $0 (exempt) | $79,070 |
| $675,000 | $35,570 | $17,785 (50% concession) | $89,570 |
| $750,000 | $40,070 | $40,070 (no relief) | $100,070 |
| $1,000,000 | $55,000 | $55,000 | $135,000 |
| $1,500,000 | $82,500 | $82,500 | $202,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $110,000 | $110,000 | $270,000 |
| $3,000,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $415,000 |
Victoria's land transfer duty has an unusual rate structure: the 6.5% top marginal rate kicks in at $550,001 but drops back to 5.5% between $960,001 and $2,000,000, then returns to 6.5% above $2M. This makes the $550k–$960k range disproportionately expensive in VIC compared to NSW.
How Victorian land transfer duty compares to NSW, QLD, and other states
VIC is the most expensive state at mid-range prices
For a typical $750,000 owner-occupier purchase, Victorian duty (~$40,070) is around 38% higher than NSW (~$29,085) and over double Queensland (~$19,600 with FHB concession). This is largely because VIC's 6.5% rate band reaches further down the price scale than other states.
| State | Duty on $750k | FHB threshold (full) | FHB concession ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | $40,070 | $600,000 | $750,000 |
| NSW | $29,085 | $800,000 | $1,000,000 |
| QLD | $19,600 | $700,000 | $800,000 |
| WA | $26,790 | $450,000 | $600,000 |
| SA | $35,080 | no exemption | n/a |
| ACT | $22,720 | income-tested | n/a |
For interstate buyers comparing options, see our NSW stamp duty calculator. Note that ACT is gradually phasing out stamp duty in favour of higher land tax over 20 years.
VIC off-the-plan concession — how the contract-price discount works
Duty on remaining construction value
Victoria's off-the-plan concession is more generous than other states. Duty is calculated only on the value of the land plus any construction completed at the contract date — not the full sale price. For a $700,000 apartment where construction is 30% complete at contract date, duty is calculated on roughly $310,000 of value rather than $700,000.
PPR vs investor eligibility
Owner-occupiers buying as their principal place of residence (PPR) qualify for the full concession. From 1 July 2017, investors and non-PPR purchasers were restricted — they now only receive the concession if the contract value is under specific limits ($550,000 PPR / $750,000 investor in recent versions of the rules).
Stacking with FHB concession
First home buyers buying off-the-plan can stack the off-the-plan concession with the FHB exemption/concession. If the resulting dutiable value falls below $600,000, no duty is owed. This is one of the most generous combinations available in Australian property tax.
Trap: completion before settlement
The concession applies to the value at contract date, not at settlement. If construction completes well before settlement, the apartment's market value at settlement may be much higher than the dutiable value — but the discount calculation is locked in by the contract date.
VIC land transfer duty on inherited property, gifts, and family transfers
Inherited property
Transfers under a deceased estate to a beneficiary named in a will attract nominal duty only ($110 plus standard registration fees), regardless of the property's market value. Where there is no will, the same nominal duty applies to transfers under intestacy rules.
Marriage and de-facto breakdown
Transfers between spouses or former spouses pursuant to a binding financial agreement, court order, or arbitration award under the Family Law Act 1975 are exempt from duty in VIC. This covers both married and de-facto relationships.
Gifts to family
Genuine gifts between living people are NOT duty-exempt. Even when no money changes hands, duty is calculated on market value at the date of the transfer. Parents gifting a home to adult children, or restructuring family ownership, are common triggers.
Spouse transfers during marriage
Adding a spouse to title of the principal place of residence may qualify for an exemption under the Spousal Exemption. Investment property transfers between spouses attract full duty on the transferred share.
Victorian commercial & industrial property tax (CIPT) reform
Major reform from 1 July 2024
Victoria abolished stamp duty on commercial and industrial property purchases for transactions on or after 1 July 2024, replacing it with the Commercial and Industrial Property Tax (CIPT). The first purchaser after this date pays full stamp duty as a final-time transaction; subsequent purchases (and all owners after 10 years) pay 1% of the unimproved land value annually instead of upfront duty.
Transition period
Properties purchased between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2034 enter the CIPT regime 10 years after the date of the first qualifying purchase, regardless of how many times they change hands during that period. After the 10-year mark, the annual CIPT applies to whoever owns the property at that time.
Residential still uses stamp duty
The CIPT reform applies only to commercial and industrial properties — residential property purchases continue to be charged stamp duty under the existing land transfer duty schedule.
VIC land transfer duty reforms and recent threshold changes
1 July 2024 — Commercial & Industrial Property Tax (CIPT)
Victoria replaced stamp duty on commercial/industrial property with the CIPT regime. This is one of the most significant Australian state-tax reforms in 50 years, ending stamp duty on a meaningful chunk of property transactions.
1 January 2024 — Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty rose to 8%
Victoria raised foreign purchaser additional duty (FPAD) from 7% to 8% to align with NSW. This is on top of the standard duty and any annual surcharge land tax.
1 July 2023 — Premium duty rate of 6.5% on purchases over $2 million
VIC introduced a premium 6.5% top rate on the slice above $2 million, but kept the unusual mid-range structure where the rate is 5.5% between $960k and $2M.
Indexation
Like NSW, VIC duty thresholds are NOT automatically indexed. Threshold changes happen only via legislation and budget announcements.
Legal strategies to minimise Victorian land transfer duty
Use the FHB exemption fully
If both partners qualify as first home buyers, put both on title — the exemption applies to a property up to $600,000 regardless of how many eligible buyers are listed.
Use the off-the-plan concession aggressively
Buying off-the-plan early in construction (when little has been built) maximises the concession, especially when stacked with the FHB exemption. Buying a $700k off-the-plan at contract date when only land value is established can attract zero duty for a first home buyer.
Pensioner concession
Eligible pensioners purchasing properties valued up to $750,000 may receive a duty exemption (full up to $330,000, sliding scale to $750,000). This is rare among Australian states and worth checking for retirees moving to Victoria.
Family farm exemption
Transfers of family farms between specific family relationships (parents to children, between siblings) qualify for an exemption from VIC duty. The rules are narrow — the farm must be operated as a primary production business and meet defined ownership conditions.
Time the contract carefully
VIC threshold changes have been frequent (FPAD increased Jan 2024, premium rate from July 2023, CIPT from July 2024). When a budget signals changes, contract timing within days can have major consequences. Always check the SRO website for the live rate at the date you exchange contracts.
❓ Frequently asked Frequently asked questions about VIC stamp duty
How much is stamp duty on a $600,000 property in VIC?
Standard land transfer duty on a $600,000 VIC property is approximately $31,070 for a general buyer. First home buyers purchasing at exactly $600,000 pay zero duty (the FHB exemption threshold is $600,000).
Does Victoria have higher stamp duty than NSW?
Generally yes. On a $600,000 property: VIC charges approximately $31,070 vs NSW's $22,490 — VIC is about 38% higher. On a $1,000,000 property: VIC charges approximately $55,000 vs NSW's approximately $40,335.
What is the first home buyer stamp duty exemption in VIC?
VIC first home buyers purchasing properties valued up to $600,000 pay zero land transfer duty. Properties $600,001–$750,000 receive a 50% duty concession. Above $750,000, standard duty applies.
Can I get a stamp duty concession on an off-the-plan apartment in VIC?
Yes. Off-the-plan buyers pay duty only on the current value (land and any completed construction), not the full contract price. Owner-occupiers get an additional concession calculated on land value only.
When must I pay VIC land transfer duty after settlement?
Payment is due within 30 days of settlement, lodged through the SRO Duties Online portal. In practice your conveyancer or solicitor will arrange payment from settlement funds, well within the deadline. Late payment attracts interest and a penalty tax of up to 25%.
Did Victoria abolish stamp duty on commercial property?
Yes — but only from 1 July 2024. Commercial and industrial property is moving to the Commercial & Industrial Property Tax (CIPT), a 1% annual tax on unimproved land value that replaces stamp duty 10 years after the first qualifying purchase. Residential property is unchanged.
Is VIC stamp duty tax-deductible?
For owner-occupied property, no — it forms part of the cost base for capital gains tax purposes only. For rental properties, it is not immediately deductible against income but is added to the cost base, reducing eventual capital gain when sold. See our capital gains tax calculator to model the impact.
What is the foreign buyer surcharge in VIC?
Foreign purchasers pay an additional 8% Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty (FPAD) on Victorian residential property, raised from 7% on 1 January 2024. On a $750,000 purchase, this adds $60,000 — bringing total duty to around $100,070. Foreign owners also pay annual surcharge land tax of 4% on residential land they hold.
Does VIC have a pensioner stamp duty concession?
Yes — eligible pensioners purchasing a home valued up to $330,000 pay zero duty, with a sliding-scale concession up to $750,000. The concession requires receipt of an eligible Centrelink pension or DVA equivalent, and the property must be the buyer's principal place of residence.
Can I claim a stamp duty refund if my purchase falls through?
Yes — if the contract is rescinded or terminated without completion, you can apply to the SRO for a refund of duty paid. The application must include the termination notice and proof of payment. Refunds are generally available within 12 months of the rescission.
Do I pay stamp duty when adding my spouse to title?
For your principal place of residence, the Spousal Exemption typically applies — meaning no duty is charged when adding a spouse to title. Investment property transfers between spouses are not exempt and attract duty on the share being transferred.
Can stamp duty be included in my home loan in VIC?
Not directly — duty must be paid from your own funds at settlement. Some buyers structure their deposit to cover both the deposit requirement and stamp duty. The borrowing capacity calculator models the total cash needed at settlement.
Where these figures come from
Property and mortgage figures on this page are drawn from the Reserve Bank of Australia (rate data), APRA (serviceability and lending rules), the ATO (CGT and rental rules), and State Revenue Offices (stamp duty).
- Mortgage & variable-rate data — RBA — Lenders' Interest Rates (F6).
- Lending serviceability buffer (3%) — APRA — Prudential Practice Guide APG 223.
- Capital gains tax & main residence — ATO — Capital gains tax.
- Negative gearing & rental income — ATO — Rental properties.
- Stamp duty (NSW example) — Revenue NSW — Transfer duty.
- First Home Owner Grant schemes — FirstHome.gov.au.
Last checked: April 2026. Rates and thresholds are reviewed against the source of record each November, when annual adjustments for the following tax year are published.