ACT Stamp Duty (Conveyance Duty) Calculator 2026-27
ACT conveyance duty on a property purchase, with the concessions you qualify for, the foreign buyer surcharge, and the cash you need at settlement once the deposit and legal fees are counted.
the ACT Revenue Office charges conveyance duty on a sliding scale of the dutiable value — the price or the market value, whichever is higher.
| Property price | $800,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Conveyance duty | $22,158.00 |
| Legal fees | $2,000.00 |
How the act stamp duty calculator works
the ACT Revenue Office charges conveyance duty on a sliding scale of the dutiable value — the price or the market value, whichever is higher. The Home Buyer Concession Scheme removes duty entirely for buyers under the income threshold, whatever the property price. A foreign buyer pays a 4% surcharge on residential property. The effective rate is the duty you actually pay as a share of the price, which is always lower than the top marginal band.
Formula: Duty = the ACT scale applied to the dutiable value · payable = duty − concessions + surcharge · cash at settlement = deposit + payable + legal fees
How ACT conveyance (stamp) duty is calculated
Two scales, not one
The ACT charges conveyance duty on the dutiable value of a property — the greater of the price you pay and its unencumbered market value. Unlike most states, since 1 July 2021 the ACT runs two base scales for non-commercial (residential and rural) property: a concessional one for eligible owner-occupier transactions, and a higher one for everyone else. Duty is charged per $100 or part thereof, so the dutiable value is effectively rounded up to the next $100.
The flat rate above $1,455,000
Above a dutiable value of $1,455,000 both progressive scales stop. A flat rate of $4.54 per $100 then applies to the whole transaction value, not just the amount over the threshold — and the owner-occupier concession disappears, so both buyer types pay the same.
| Property value | Eligible owner-occupier | Investor / non-owner-occupier |
|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $5,008 | $8,000 |
| $600,000 | $12,728 | $15,720 |
| $800,000 | $22,158 | $25,150 |
| $1,000,000 | $33,958 | $36,950 |
| $1,500,000 | $68,100 | $68,100 |
| $2,000,000 | $90,800 | $90,800 |
Eligible first home buyers pay nothing at every one of those price points — see the Home Buyer Concession Scheme below.
When you actually pay
The ACT uses a barrier-free conveyancing model: you do not pay at exchange. After settlement, once the transfer is registered with Access Canberra, the ACT Revenue Office emails you and your representative a Notice of Assessment, and duty is due 14 days after that. Interest applies to late payment.
First home buyers First home buyersACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) — no duty for eligible buyers
No price cap, no income test
The Home Buyer Concession Scheme is the ACT's replacement for a first home buyer grant. From 1 July 2026 the ACT Budget removed both the property value cap and the household income threshold from the scheme. Eligible buyers now pay no conveyance duty at all on an ACT home or block of vacant residential land, whatever it costs — the first Australian jurisdiction to go that far. In 2025-26 the same scheme was capped at a dutiable value of $1,020,000 with an income test attached.
Eligibility requirements
The remaining conditions are unchanged. Every buyer must be an individual aged 18 or over. Neither you nor your domestic partner may have held an interest in any property in the five years before the transaction (limited exceptions apply) — so you do not have to be a literal first-time buyer, just out of the market for five years. At least one buyer must live in the home as their principal place of residence for at least 12 continuous months, starting within one year of settlement.
What it is worth
| Purchase price | Owner-occupier duty | First home buyer under HBCS |
|---|---|---|
| $600,000 | $12,728 | $0 — saves $12,728 |
| $800,000 | $22,158 | $0 — saves $22,158 |
| $1,000,000 | $33,958 | $0 — saves $33,958 |
| $1,500,000 | $68,100 | $0 — saves $68,100 |
There is no ACT First Home Owner Grant
The ACT First Home Owner Grant ceased for transactions commencing on or after 1 July 2019, when the Home Buyer Concession Scheme replaced it. There is no cash grant in the ACT — all of the assistance now comes as duty relief. Do not budget for one.
Off-the-plan unit exemption
Separately, eligible owner-occupiers buying an off-the-plan unit-titled home (an apartment or townhouse) pay no conveyance duty. The property value cap on that exemption was also removed from 1 July 2026. As with the HBCS, at least one buyer must live in the home for a continuous year, starting within 12 months of completion.
Additional considerations Duty vs ratesACT tax reform — conveyance duty is being replaced by general rates
A 20-year swap, not a choice
The ACT is the only Australian jurisdiction actively abolishing stamp duty. Its 20-year tax reform program began in 2012 and is scheduled to finish by 2032-33: conveyance duty rates come down a little each year, and the revenue is replaced by higher general rates levied annually on every property's average unimproved value.
This is a territory-wide phase-out, not an opt-in. There is no ACT equivalent of the NSW "First Home Buyer Choice" annual property tax that some buyers elect instead of duty — in the ACT you cannot choose to swap your duty bill for an annual charge. You pay whatever duty the current scale produces, and everyone pays general rates regardless.
Where the program has got to
The 2026-27 ACT Budget delivered what the government describes as the most material conveyance duty reform of the program: first home buyer duty abolished outright, the off-the-plan unit exemption uncapped, expanded pensioner and Disability Duty Concession Scheme relief, and the commercial duty tax-free threshold lifted by $100,000 to $2.1 million. Rates revenue growth above the wage price index is what funds it.
What it means for you
Two practical consequences. First, the duty figure on this page is a moving target — the scale is revisited each ACT Budget, so re-check before you exchange. Second, the annual general rates bill on an ACT property is materially higher than in surrounding NSW, because it is carrying the duty the ACT no longer collects. Factor that into your holding costs, not just your settlement figure. Independent reviews have questioned whether rates growth is on track to fund full abolition by 2032-33.
Foreign buyersForeign buyers in the ACT — no duty surcharge
There is no ACT foreign purchaser duty surcharge
The ACT and the Northern Territory are the only Australian jurisdictions that do not levy a foreign purchaser surcharge on conveyance duty. A foreign buyer of an $800,000 Canberra home pays the same duty as anyone else on the same scale — there is no ACT equivalent of the 8% charged in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, or the 7% in South Australia and Western Australia.
What the ACT charges instead
The ACT took the annual route rather than the upfront one. A foreign person who owns residential land in the ACT pays a foreign ownership land tax surcharge of 0.75% of the property's average unimproved value (AUV) each year, in place since 1 July 2018. It sits on top of ordinary land tax, which itself applies when a property is not your own home. If you are a foreign person and the ACT property is your principal place of residence, the surcharge does not apply.
Who is a foreign person?
Broadly, a non-citizen without permanent residency, plus most foreign corporations and trustees of foreign trusts. Australian citizens living overseas are not foreign persons, and permanent residents are not either. Where one party to a joint purchase is a foreign person, the annual land tax surcharge attaches to that person's interest.
FIRB approval still applies
None of this removes the federal layer. Most foreign persons still need Foreign Investment Review Board approval before buying residential property anywhere in Australia, including the ACT, and Commonwealth application fees and vacancy fees apply separately from anything the ACT charges.
Reference data Rate tableACT conveyance duty rate table 2026-27
ACT conveyance duty on non-commercial (residential and rural) property is charged progressively — each rate applies only to the part of the dutiable value inside that band, per $100 or part thereof. There are two scales.
Eligible owner-occupier transactions
| Dutiable value | Duty payable |
|---|---|
| $0–$260,000 | $0.28 per $100 |
| $260,001–$300,000 | $728 + $2.20 per $100 over $260,000 |
| $300,001–$500,000 | $1,608 + $3.40 per $100 over $300,000 |
| $500,001–$750,000 | $8,408 + $4.32 per $100 over $500,000 |
| $750,001–$1,000,000 | $19,208 + $5.90 per $100 over $750,000 |
| $1,000,001–$1,455,000 | $33,958 + $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000 |
| Above $1,455,000 | Flat $4.54 per $100 of the whole value |
All other buyers (non-owner-occupier)
| Dutiable value | Duty payable |
|---|---|
| $0–$200,000 | $1.20 per $100 |
| $200,001–$300,000 | $2,400 + $2.20 per $100 over $200,000 |
| $300,001–$500,000 | $4,600 + $3.40 per $100 over $300,000 |
| $500,001–$750,000 | $11,400 + $4.32 per $100 over $500,000 |
| $750,001–$1,000,000 | $22,200 + $5.90 per $100 over $750,000 |
| $1,000,001–$1,455,000 | $36,950 + $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000 |
| Above $1,455,000 | Flat $4.54 per $100 of the whole value |
Commercial property is assessed separately: from 1 July 2026 a commercial transaction with a dutiable value of $2,100,000 or less pays no conveyance duty at all.
FAQFrequently asked Frequently asked questions
Where these figures come from
Every duty figure on this page comes from the ACT Revenue Office, the territory's revenue authority for conveyance duty and land tax. Federal foreign-investment rules come from the Foreign Investment Review Board.
- Conveyance duty rate scales — ACT Revenue Office — Conveyance duty for non-commercial property.
- How duty works and when it is paid — ACT Revenue Office — About conveyance duty.
- Home Buyer Concession Scheme — ACT Revenue Office — About the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
- Home buyer assistance (incl. the abolished First Home Owner Grant) — ACT Revenue Office — Home buyer assistance.
- 1 July 2026 changes — ACT Revenue Office — ACT Budget 2026-27 updates.
- Foreign ownership land tax surcharge — ACT Revenue Office — Foreign ownership surcharge for land tax.
- Foreign investment approval — Foreign Investment Review Board.
Last checked: July 2026, against the 2026-27 ACT Budget measures that commenced on 1 July 2026. ACT conveyance duty scales are revisited at each ACT Budget, usually handed down in June, so re-check before you exchange contracts.
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$700,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $17,048 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying a $700,000 ACT home pays conveyance duty of $17,048. An investor or other non-owner-occupier pays $20,040 on the same price. Eligible first home buyers pay nothing under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
| Property price | $700,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $17,048 |
| Investor duty | $20,040 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 2.44% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $17,048 vs $20,040
- HBCS saving if eligible $17,048
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- Off-the-plan unit (owner-occ) $0 duty — cap removed 1 Jul 2026
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$1,000,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $33,958 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying a $1,000,000 ACT home pays conveyance duty of $33,958. An investor pays $36,950 at the same price.
| Property price | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $33,958 |
| Investor duty | $36,950 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 3.40% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $33,958 vs $36,950
- HBCS saving if eligible $33,958
- Top marginal rate here $6.40 per $100 over $1m
- Above $1,455,000 Flat $4.54 per $100 of whole value
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) $0 duty — no price cap, no income test
From 1 July 2026 the ACT removed both the property price cap and the income threshold from the Home Buyer Concession Scheme. Eligible buyers pay no conveyance duty on an ACT home or vacant residential land, whatever it costs.
| Duty payable | $0 if eligible |
|---|---|
| Property price cap | None — removed 1 Jul 2026 |
| Income test | None — removed 1 Jul 2026 |
| Prior ownership | None in the past 5 years |
| Must live in it? | Yes — 12 months, starting within 1 year |
| Minimum age | 18 or over |
- What it covers ACT homes and vacant residential land
- Domestic partner tested too? Yes — same 5-year rule
- First Home Owner Grant? Abolished in the ACT in 2019
- How to claim Through your solicitor or conveyancer
- Check eligibility revenue.act.gov.au
Foreign buyers in the ACT No conveyance duty surcharge
The ACT is one of only two Australian jurisdictions (with the Northern Territory) that charges no foreign purchaser conveyance duty surcharge. Foreign owners instead pay an annual land tax foreign ownership surcharge of 0.75% of the average unimproved value of ACT residential land.
| Duty surcharge | None |
|---|---|
| On a $700k purchase | $0 extra duty |
| On a $1m purchase | $0 extra duty |
| Annual land tax surcharge | 0.75% of AUV |
| Applies since | 1 July 2018 |
| FIRB approval | Still required |
- NSW / VIC / QLD surcharge Charged on purchase — ACT is not
- Land tax surcharge base Average unimproved value (AUV)
- Live in it yourself? Principal home is exempt
- On top of ordinary land tax? Yes, if the home is not your own
- Check FIRB firb.gov.au
$300,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $1,608 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $300,000 pays $1,608. The owner-occupier scale starts at just $0.28 per $100 up to $260,000.
| Property price | $300,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $1,608 |
| Investor duty | $4,600 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 0.54% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $1,608 vs $4,600
- First $260,000 (owner-occ) $0.28 per $100
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- Total upfront $1,608 duty + ~$2k legal
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$400,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $5,008 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $400,000 pays $5,008; an investor pays $8,000.
| Property price | $400,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $5,008 |
| Investor duty | $8,000 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 1.25% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $5,008 vs $8,000
- Marginal rate here $3.40 per $100 over $300,000
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- Off-the-plan unit (owner-occ) $0 duty if eligible
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$500,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $8,408 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $500,000 pays $8,408; an investor pays $11,400.
| Property price | $500,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $8,408 |
| Investor duty | $11,400 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 1.68% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $8,408 vs $11,400
- Next marginal rate $4.32 per $100 over $500,000
- HBCS saving if eligible $8,408
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$600,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $12,728 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $600,000 pays $12,728; an investor pays $15,720.
| Property price | $600,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $12,728 |
| Investor duty | $15,720 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 2.12% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $12,728 vs $15,720
- HBCS saving if eligible $12,728
- Marginal rate here $4.32 per $100 over $500,000
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$700,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $17,048 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $700,000 pays $17,048; an investor pays $20,040.
| Property price | $700,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $17,048 |
| Investor duty | $20,040 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 2.44% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $17,048 vs $20,040
- HBCS saving if eligible $17,048
- Marginal rate here $4.32 per $100 over $500,000
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$800,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $22,158 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $800,000 pays $22,158; an investor pays $25,150.
| Property price | $800,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $22,158 |
| Investor duty | $25,150 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 2.77% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $22,158 vs $25,150
- HBCS saving if eligible $22,158
- Marginal rate here $5.90 per $100 over $750,000
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$1,000,000 ACT home — eligible owner-occupier $33,958 conveyance duty
An eligible owner-occupier buying at $1,000,000 pays $33,958; an investor pays $36,950.
| Property price | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $33,958 |
| Investor duty | $36,950 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 3.40% (owner-occ) |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Owner-occupier vs investor $33,958 vs $36,950
- HBCS saving if eligible $33,958
- Next marginal rate $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000
- Above $1,455,000 Flat $4.54 per $100 of whole value
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
$1,500,000 ACT home — flat-rate band $68,100 conveyance duty
Above $1,455,000 the progressive scales stop and a flat rate of $4.54 per $100 applies to the whole dutiable value — so a $1,500,000 purchase attracts $68,100 whether you are an owner-occupier or an investor.
| Property price | $1,500,000 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupier duty | $68,100 |
| Investor duty | $68,100 |
| First home buyer (HBCS) | $0 duty |
| Duty as % of price | 4.54% |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Flat rate threshold $1,455,000
- Rate applied to The whole value, not the excess
- Owner-occupier discount None above the threshold
- HBCS saving if eligible $68,100 — no price cap
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
$500,000 ACT property — investor $11,400 conveyance duty
A non-owner-occupier (investor) buying at $500,000 pays $11,400. The investor scale starts at $1.20 per $100 rather than the owner-occupier $0.28.
| Property price | $500,000 |
|---|---|
| Investor duty | $11,400 |
| Owner-occupier duty | $8,408 |
| Difference | $2,992 more |
| Duty as % of price | 2.28% |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- First $200,000 $1.20 per $100
- Owner-occupier first $260,000 $0.28 per $100
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- Foreign owner land tax 0.75% of AUV each year
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$700,000 ACT property — investor $20,040 conveyance duty
A non-owner-occupier (investor) buying at $700,000 pays $20,040, about $2,992 more than an eligible owner-occupier.
| Property price | $700,000 |
|---|---|
| Investor duty | $20,040 |
| Owner-occupier duty | $17,048 |
| Difference | $2,992 more |
| Duty as % of price | 2.86% |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Marginal rate here $4.32 per $100 over $500,000
- Concessions available? None — investors pay full duty
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- Foreign owner land tax 0.75% of AUV each year
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$800,000 ACT property — investor $25,150 conveyance duty
A non-owner-occupier (investor) buying at $800,000 pays $25,150, about $2,992 more than an eligible owner-occupier.
| Property price | $800,000 |
|---|---|
| Investor duty | $25,150 |
| Owner-occupier duty | $22,158 |
| Difference | $2,992 more |
| Duty as % of price | 3.14% |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Marginal rate here $5.90 per $100 over $750,000
- Concessions available? None — investors pay full duty
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- Land tax also applies Yes — it is not your own home
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$1,000,000 ACT property — investor $36,950 conveyance duty
A non-owner-occupier (investor) buying at $1,000,000 pays $36,950, about $2,992 more than an eligible owner-occupier.
| Property price | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Investor duty | $36,950 |
| Owner-occupier duty | $33,958 |
| Difference | $2,992 more |
| Duty as % of price | 3.69% |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Next marginal rate $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000
- Above $1,455,000 Flat $4.54 per $100 of whole value
- Concessions available? None — investors pay full duty
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$1,500,000 ACT property — investor $68,100 conveyance duty
Above $1,455,000 both ACT scales are replaced by a flat $4.54 per $100 of the whole dutiable value, so an investor buying at $1,500,000 pays $68,100 — the same as an owner-occupier.
| Property price | $1,500,000 |
|---|---|
| Investor duty | $68,100 |
| Owner-occupier duty | $68,100 |
| Difference | None above $1,455,000 |
| Duty as % of price | 4.54% |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Flat rate threshold $1,455,000
- Rate applied to The whole value, not the excess
- Owner-occupier discount None above the threshold
- Foreign purchaser surcharge None in the ACT
- When payable? 14 days after Notice of Assessment
$600,000 first home — ACT HBCS $0 duty — saves $12,728
An eligible ACT first home buyer pays no conveyance duty at $600,000, saving the $12,728 an owner-occupier would otherwise pay.
| Property price | $600,000 |
|---|---|
| Duty payable | $0 |
| Saving vs owner-occupier | $12,728 |
| Income test | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Price cap | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Prior ownership None in the past 5 years
- Live-in requirement 12 months, starting within 1 year
- Covers vacant land? Yes — ACT residential land
- First Home Owner Grant? Abolished in the ACT in 2019
- How to claim Through your conveyancer
$800,000 first home — ACT HBCS $0 duty — saves $22,158
An eligible ACT first home buyer pays no conveyance duty at $800,000, saving the $22,158 an owner-occupier would otherwise pay.
| Property price | $800,000 |
|---|---|
| Duty payable | $0 |
| Saving vs owner-occupier | $22,158 |
| Income test | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Price cap | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Prior ownership None in the past 5 years
- Live-in requirement 12 months, starting within 1 year
- Domestic partner tested? Yes — same 5-year rule
- Minimum age 18 or over
- How to claim Through your conveyancer
$1,000,000 first home — ACT HBCS $0 duty — saves $33,958
Before 1 July 2026 a $1,000,000 purchase sat right on the old HBCS threshold. The cap is gone: an eligible ACT first home buyer now pays $0, saving $33,958.
| Property price | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Duty payable | $0 |
| Saving vs owner-occupier | $33,958 |
| Old price cap (2025-26) | $1,020,000 — now removed |
| Income test | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Prior ownership None in the past 5 years
- Live-in requirement 12 months, starting within 1 year
- Covers vacant land? Yes — ACT residential land
- First Home Owner Grant? Abolished in the ACT in 2019
- How to claim Through your conveyancer
$1,500,000 first home — ACT HBCS $0 duty — saves $68,100
With the price cap removed from 1 July 2026, even a $1,500,000 first home attracts no conveyance duty for an eligible ACT buyer — a saving of $68,100.
| Property price | $1,500,000 |
|---|---|
| Duty payable | $0 |
| Saving vs owner-occupier | $68,100 |
| Price cap | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Income test | None from 1 Jul 2026 |
| Authority | ACT Revenue Office |
- Would-be flat rate $4.54 per $100 of whole value
- Prior ownership None in the past 5 years
- Live-in requirement 12 months, starting within 1 year
- Domestic partner tested? Yes — same 5-year rule
- How to claim Through your conveyancer
Worked examples
| Inputs | Conveyance duty payable | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A $800,000 established home, owner-occupier | $22,158 | $22,158 of duty on an $800,000 established home |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How much is conveyance duty on a $700,000 home in the ACT?
An eligible owner-occupier pays $17,048 conveyance duty on a $700,000 ACT home. A non-owner-occupier (investor) pays $20,040 at the same price, because the ACT applies a separate, higher scale to buyers who will not live in the property. An eligible first home buyer pays nothing under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in the ACT?
No. From 1 July 2026 the ACT removed both the property price cap and the income threshold from the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, so eligible buyers pay $0 conveyance duty on an ACT home or vacant residential land at any value. You must be 18 or over, you and your domestic partner must not have held an interest in property in the past five years, and at least one buyer must live in the home for 12 continuous months starting within a year of settlement.
Does the ACT charge a foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge?
No. The ACT and the Northern Territory are the only Australian jurisdictions with no foreign purchaser conveyance duty surcharge — there is no equivalent of the 8% charged in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Foreign owners of ACT residential land instead pay an annual land tax foreign ownership surcharge of 0.75% of the average unimproved value, which has applied since 1 July 2018 and does not apply to a home you live in yourself. FIRB approval is still required.
Is ACT conveyance duty different for investors and owner-occupiers?
Yes. Since 1 July 2021 the ACT has run two base scales for non-commercial property. The eligible owner-occupier scale starts at $0.28 per $100 up to $260,000; every other buyer starts at $1.20 per $100 up to $200,000. The two scales converge above $1,455,000, where a flat rate of $4.54 per $100 applies to the whole dutiable value for everyone.
When is conveyance duty paid in the ACT?
Under the ACT's barrier-free conveyancing model you pay after settlement rather than at exchange. Once the transfer is registered with Access Canberra, the ACT Revenue Office emails you and your representative a Notice of Assessment, and duty is due 14 days later. Interest applies to late payment.
Is there a First Home Owner Grant in the ACT?
No. The ACT First Home Owner Grant ceased for transactions commencing on or after 1 July 2019 and was replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme. There is no ACT cash grant for first home buyers — the assistance now comes entirely as a conveyance duty exemption. Sources
The sources behind this calculator
- Revenue NSW — Transfer duty — the NSW transfer duty scale the rent-vs-buy page applies, alongside each other state's published scale
- Moneysmart — Buying a house — the upfront costs of buying: deposit, duty, lenders mortgage insurance and conveyancing
- Moneysmart (ASIC) — the regulator's guidance on buying, borrowing and lenders mortgage insurance
Last checked: September 2026. Duty scales are the state revenue offices' own; they change at each state budget and are verified against the office when they do.