First home buyers · Tasmania
First home buyers in Tasmania
Tasmania's first home duty exemption for established homes has ended, so first home buyers now pay full duty. What remains is a grant for new homes and the federal deposit schemes. Here is what that means at three prices.
On this page
What’s different in TAS
Until 30 June 2026, Tasmanian first home buyers of established homes could get a full duty exemption. That scheme has closed and nothing has replaced it, so a first home buyer now pays the same transfer duty as any other buyer, on any type of home.
The help that remains is the First Home Owner Grant: $20,000 for a new home, with no price cap, for transactions that commence between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. The grant was higher in the previous year, so check which amount applies to your contract or building start date.
Duty itself is charged on a sliding scale, from a $0 minimum up to 4.5% on the part of the price above $725,000. On a $620,000 established house that comes to $23,348, all of it payable by a first home buyer.
With no duty concession, the federal schemes do more of the work in Tasmania. The 5% Deposit Scheme lets eligible buyers avoid LMI with a 5% deposit, under a cap of $700,000 in Hobart and $550,000 elsewhere.
Who qualifies
First Home Owner Grant
- $20,000 for eligible transactions (contract or building start) from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 (First Home Owner Grant Amendment Act 2026 s 18M). Completion within 24 months.
- New homes only (never occupied or sold as a residence): buy new or off the plan, build with a builder, or owner-build. No value cap.
- Natural persons 18+, at least one an Australian citizen or permanent resident; never received a FHOG or owned and lived in a home in Australia; live in the home 6 continuous months starting within 12 months.
Citizens, permanent residents and visa holders
Most first home schemes need at least one buyer who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Here is how Tasmania treats each group. The visa guides go into detail.
| Buyer | Duty concession | First home grant | Foreign buyer surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian citizen | No current scheme | Yes | No |
| Permanent resident | No current scheme | Yes, $20,000, new homes | No |
| New Zealand citizen (444) | No current scheme | Yes, $20,000, new homes | No |
| Temporary visa holder | No current scheme | Only with a citizen or PR co-applicant ($20,000) | Yes, 8% |
Stamp duty calculator for TAS
Set to a first home buyer who will live in the home. Change the price and property type to see the concession and grant for your purchase.
Estimated stamp duty
$20,372.50
- Transfer dutyProperty transfer duty rates
- $20,372.50
- Mortgage registration fee
- $167.58
- Transfer registration fee
- $256.76
- Total government costs
- $20,796.84
Notes for this purchase (3)
- No first home buyer duty concession for established property in Tasmania.
- First Home Owner Grant: not eligible (established homes are not eligible).
- First home buyer duty exemption (established homes) — ended: The 100% duty exemption for first home buyers of established homes up to $750,000 applied to transfers from 18 February 2024 to 30 June 2026. It is not available for transactions settling after 30 June 2026, and no replacement has been announced. First home buyers now pay full duty (the $20,000 grant applies to new homes only).
A 60-minute consultation with Sulav Adhikari, by phone or video. We check these numbers against real lender policy.
Checked against State Revenue Office Tasmania on (2026-27 rules)
- Property transfer duty rates: page, legislation, official calculator · checked
- Land Titles Office (NRE Tasmania): registration fees: PDF, page · checked
- First Home Owner Grant: page 1, page 2 · checked
- First home buyer duty exemption (established homes) — ended: page 1, page 2 · checked
Assumptions
- The price you enter is treated as the dutiable value (the higher of the price and the market value).
- Every buyer is in the same residency group and buys the whole property. Mixed purchases (for example one foreign co-buyer) are worked out differently; use the revenue office calculator.
- Concessions and grants assume you meet all their conditions, including living in the home for the required time.
- Government fees are the land titles office registration fees for one transfer and one mortgage. Conveyancing, inspections and lender fees are not included.
- Your conveyancer or solicitor confirms the duty payable before settlement.
Estimates only, not a quote or credit approval. Important information about our calculators.
More options, including investors and foreign buyers: TAS stamp duty calculator.
Worked examples at three prices
| Item | Unit (established) | House (established) | New house (new) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $480,000 | $620,000 | $600,000 |
| Duty before concession | $17,398 | $23,348 | $22,498 |
| First home concession | None | None | None |
| Duty payable | $17,398 | $23,348 | $22,498 |
| Registration fees | $424.34 | $424.34 | $424.34 |
| Government costs | $17,821.84 | $23,771.84 | $22,921.84 |
| First Home Owner Grant | Not eligible | Not eligible | $20,000 |
| Under 5% scheme cap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 5% deposit | $24,000 | $31,000 | $30,000 |
- First home buyer, owner-occupier, at least one buyer an Australian citizen or permanent resident, buying with a loan.
- 5% Deposit Scheme cap check uses the Hobart cap; confirm your postcode with the official tool.
- Calculated from State Revenue Office Tasmania rules checked on 26 October 2026. Excludes conveyancing, inspections, lender fees and LMI.
All three homes pay full transfer duty. Tasmania has no first home duty concession for contracts signed now, and no owner-occupier rate either. The new house is the only one that gets help, through the $20,000 grant, which is paid separately and can go towards the deposit or costs.
If you are choosing between an established home and a new one at a similar price, the grant is the deciding difference in Tasmania. In NSW or Victoria it would be the duty concession.
5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy in TAS
With no duty concession in Tasmania, the 5% Deposit Scheme is the main way to cut the cash needed up front: it removes LMI on a deposit from 5%. The Hobart cap is $700,000; outside Hobart it is $550,000. Help to Buy uses the same Tasmanian caps but is open to Australian citizens only.
| Area | 5% Deposit Scheme | Help to Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Hobart | $700,000 | $700,000 |
| Rest of TAS | $550,000 | $550,000 |
Eligibility for both schemes, and the First Home Super Saver Scheme, is set out on our first home buyers overview.
The concessions that ended on 30 June 2026
The 100% duty exemption for first home buyers of established homes up to $750,000 applied to transfers from 18 February 2024 to 30 June 2026. It is not available for transactions settling after 30 June 2026, and no replacement has been announced. First home buyers now pay full duty (the $20,000 grant applies to new homes only).
The 50% concession needed an agreement signed between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026 (value ≤ $750,000). Not available for agreements signed after 30 June 2026.
Older articles, and some calculators, still show these concessions. If a figure you have seen assumes a first home exemption in Tasmania, check the contract date it was based on.
How and when to apply in TAS
Step 1: Budget for full duty
Use the calculator on this page at your top price. There is no first home concession to reduce it.Step 2: If buying new, check the grant dates
The $20,000 amount depends on when your contract is signed or building starts. Completion must follow within the time the grant allows.Step 3: Apply for the grant
The grant is usually lodged through your lender as an approved agent, or directly with the State Revenue Office.Step 4: Move in and stay
Natural persons 18+, at least one an Australian citizen or permanent resident; never received a FHOG or owned and lived in a home in Australia; live in the home 6 continuous months starting within 12 months.
For the general buying process, see first home loans.
Documents to have ready
- Passport, and proof of citizenship or permanent residence
- Payslips and an employment letter, or tax returns if self-employed
- Bank statements showing savings and the deposit
- Contract of sale, or the building contract and land title for a new build
Lender requirements differ; this is a typical list, not a government rule.
Common mistakes in TAS
Relying on an old calculator
Figures that include the established-home exemption are out of date for contracts signed after 30 June 2026.Assuming the grant covers established homes
The Tasmanian grant is only for new homes, never occupied or sold as a residence.Missing the build deadline
The grant requires completion within the time allowed. Allow for building delays when you sign a building contract.Underestimating cash at settlement
With full duty payable, the cash needed on top of the deposit is higher than in states with a first home exemption.
First home buyer questions in TAS
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Tasmania?
Yes. The first home buyer duty exemption for established homes ended for transactions settling after 30 June 2026, and there is no replacement, so first home buyers pay normal duty.
How much is the Tasmanian First Home Owner Grant?
$20,000 for an eligible new home, with no price cap, for transactions that commence in the 2026-27 financial year.
Can I use the 5% Deposit Scheme in Tasmania?
Yes, if you are eligible. The cap is $700,000 in Hobart and $550,000 in the rest of the state.
Do foreign buyers pay extra in Tasmania?
Yes. The foreign investor duty surcharge is 8% of the dutiable value, on top of transfer duty, for foreign persons including temporary visa holders.
Is it better to buy new in Tasmania?
For a first home buyer it often is, financially: duty is the same on new and established homes, but only a new home gets the $20,000 grant. Weigh that against location and price, which matter more over time.
Is there still an off-the-plan concession in Tasmania?
No. The 50% off-the-plan apartment concession needed an agreement signed by 30 June 2026.
Check your first home numbers with Sulav
We work out which concession and grant apply to you, what you can borrow and how much cash you need at settlement.
First home buyer guides for other states
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page comes from these official sources. Dates show when we last checked each one.
- First Home Owner Grant: eligibility
- First Home Owner Grant
- First home buyers of established homes duty relief (ended)
- First home buyer duty exemption (established homes) — ended
- First home buyer duty exemption (established homes) — ended (legislation)
- Off-the-plan apartment/unit duty concession — ended
- Foreign investor duty surcharge (FIDS)
- Foreign investor duty surcharge: definition of foreign
- Foreign investor duty surcharge: exemptions
- Property transfer duty rates
- Property transfer duty rates (official calculator)
- Land Titles Office (NRE Tasmania) fees
- Land Titles Office (NRE Tasmania) fees (fees)
- 5% Deposit Scheme property price caps
- Australian government 5 percent deposit scheme
- 69409
- 69410
- Uncapped 5 cent deposits available first home buyers today
- Help to Buy scheme
- Help buy property price caps
- Htb thresholds
- First Home Super Saver Scheme