Victorian first home owner grant and stamp duty
Last checked
As at Next checkVictoria helps first home buyers with a grant for new homes and no or reduced stamp duty.
- Grant: $10,000, new homes valued up to $750,000
- Stamp duty: none on a home up to $600,000
- Reduced stamp duty: $600,001 to $750,000
- The duty saving covers new and established homes, and vacant land
The Victorian grant now
The First Home Owner Grant is $10,000 to help eligible first home buyers buy or build a new home.[1] "New" means the home has not been sold before, occupied as a home, leased out or used for short-term accommodation. It must be worth up to $750,000; for an off-the-plan purchase that is the contract price.[2]
At least one buyer must move in within 12 months of settlement, or of the build finishing. They must live there as their main home for at least 12 months. At least one buyer must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.[2]
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First Home Owner Grant # | $10,000, new homes only, value up to $750,000 | [1][2] |
| Duty: home up to $600,000 # | No duty (new or established home, or vacant land to build a first home) | [3] |
| Duty: $600,001 to $750,000 # | Reduced duty | [3] |
| Living in the home # | Grant: 12 months, starting within 12 months. Duty: 12 continuous months, within 12 months of settlement | [2][3] |
| Vacant land (duty) # | Move in by the earlier of 12 months from the occupancy certificate or 36 months from settlement | [3] |
| Who can claim the duty saving # | At least one buyer must be an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or permanent resident | [3] |
Victorian stamp duty for first home buyers
The State Revenue Office's first home buyer duty exemption or concession is set by the home's value. Up to $600,000 you pay no duty; from $600,001 to $750,000 you pay a reduced amount. It applies to a new or established home, and to vacant land you intend to build your first home on.[3]
You must live in the home as your principal place of residence for 12 continuous months, starting within 12 months of settlement. On vacant land, you must move in by the earlier of 12 months after the occupancy certificate is issued or 36 months after settlement.[3]
The duty saving and the grant both stop at $750,000. So in Victoria, a new home at or under that value can get both. An established home can only get the duty saving.[1][3]
To estimate the duty on a particular price, use the State Revenue Office Victoria's official Land transfer (stamp) duty calculator.[4] We do not run our own duty calculator: the official one is maintained by the office that sets the rules.
A worked example: a $700,000 home in Victoria
Take first home buyers who meet the rules, looking at two homes.
- A new townhouse at $700,000: the $10,000 grant may apply, because $700,000 is within $750,000. Duty is reduced, not removed, because the price is between $600,001 and $750,000; the SRO calculator gives the amount.[1][3] The price is under the $950,000 federal cap in Melbourne and Geelong, but over the $650,000 cap elsewhere in Victoria. A 5% deposit is $35,000; Help to Buy's minimum 2% deposit is $14,000.[5][6]
- An established home at $580,000: no grant, because it is not new, but no duty, because it is under $600,000. It is under the $650,000 rest-of-state cap, so it sits inside both federal caps anywhere in Victoria.[3][5][6]
This applies the published rules to stated prices. It is not a prediction of your result: eligibility depends on your circumstances and is decided by the State Revenue Office Victoria and the lender.
Want Zafar to check this against your purchase in Victoria?
Request a call Call 0402 357 860
Or ask Zafar to call you back
How Victorian support sits beside the 5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy
The federal 5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy each set a property price cap by location. In Victoria the higher cap covers Melbourne and the regional centre of Geelong. The rest of the state has a lower cap.[5][6] Housing Australia says Help to Buy can be used together with state stamp duty concessions and grants.[7]
In Victoria the 5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy share the same caps. They are $950,000 for Melbourne and Geelong, and $650,000 for the rest of the state. In regional Victoria outside Geelong, the federal cap is lower than Victoria's $750,000 limit. So a home priced between $650,000 and $750,000 there can still get Victoria's help. But it is over the cap for both federal schemes.
Help to Buy in Victoria
The Help to Buy price cap in Victoria is $950,000 for Melbourne and Geelong, and $650,000 elsewhere in the state.[5]
5% Deposit Scheme in Victoria
The 5% Deposit Scheme price cap in Victoria is $950,000 for Melbourne and Geelong, and $650,000 elsewhere in the state. These are the same as the Help to Buy caps. The minimum deposit is 5%, or 2% for eligible single parents.[6]
Caps apply by suburb and postcode; Housing Australia's postcode search confirms the cap for a particular address.[5]
How to apply, and who pays it
The grant is administered by the State Revenue Office, not by the lender, though a lender can lodge the application as an approved agent. Most people apply through an approved agent, such as their bank or credit union. If an approved agent is not lodging for you, you can apply to the SRO directly. You must do this within 12 months of settlement or of the build finishing.[2]
Check before you rely on it. Grant and duty rules are administered by the State Revenue Office Victoria and change from time to time. General information only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs, and it is not a recommendation to enter into any credit contract. Eligibility is decided by the scheme administrator and the lender.
Compare Victoria with every other state and territory in our first home buyer tracker. Or read how Help to Buy and the 5% Deposit Scheme work.
What changed
- : Duty saving: the rules for New Zealand citizens changed for transactions from this date.[3]
Page history: every figure re-checked against the official pages listed below on .
Buying in Victoria?
Zafar works with clients Australia-wide by phone and video call. He can check the Victoria and federal rules against your situation and how they fit with a loan from his lender panel.
Ask Zafar to check Call 0402 357 860
Sources
- State Revenue Office Victoria, First home owner. Retrieved .
- State Revenue Office Victoria, Understanding the First Home Owner Grant. Retrieved .
- State Revenue Office Victoria, First home buyer duty exemption or concession. Retrieved .
- State Revenue Office Victoria, Land transfer (stamp) duty calculator. Retrieved .
- Housing Australia (firsthomebuyers.gov.au), Help to Buy property price caps. Retrieved .
- Housing Australia (firsthomebuyers.gov.au), Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme fact sheet (headed 1 July 2026). Retrieved .
- Housing Australia (firsthomebuyers.gov.au), Help to Buy: frequently asked questions. Retrieved .
Common questions
How much is the first home owner grant in Victoria?
$10,000, to buy or build a new home valued up to $750,000. Established homes do not qualify.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Victoria?
Not on a home valued up to $600,000. From $600,001 to $750,000 the duty is reduced. Above $750,000 the first home buyer exemption and concession do not apply.
Can I get the Victorian grant on an established home?
No, the grant is for new homes only. An established home can still get the first home buyer duty exemption or concession if it is valued up to $750,000.
How long do I have to live in the home?
For the duty saving, 12 continuous months, starting within 12 months of settlement. For the grant, at least one applicant must live there for at least 12 months, starting within 12 months of settlement or of construction finishing.
Talk to Zafar
Call Zafar, request a call back or send a message. Zafar works with clients across Australia by phone and video, and meets clients in person in Melbourne.