How First Home Buyer Stamp Duty Concessions Work in QLD (2026)

Many first home buyers assume stamp duty is simply reduced once you qualify as a first home buyer. The reality is more layered than that: Queensland runs separate concession tracks for established homes and new or off-the-plan homes, and from 1 August 2026 a new citizenship requirement applies to all of them. Getting the wrong concession, or missing the one you are entitled to, can mean owing significantly more duty at settlement.

The Queensland Revenue Office sets out the rules across three concessions: the first home concession for established homes, the first home (new home) concession for new or substantially renovated properties, and the first home vacant land concession for land you intend to build on. Each has its own value threshold, residency obligation and conditions. The established home concession applies to homes valued under $800,000; above that threshold, the full general duty rate applies, according to the Queensland Revenue Office. The new home concession, introduced for contracts dated 1 May 2025 or later, carries no value cap at all.

As a Springfield law firm, we help clients across Greater Springfield and Ipswich with buying their first home, including reviewing contracts and confirming which concession applies before settlement.

Here is how Queensland's first home buyer duty concessions generally work, and what the differences between established and new homes mean in practice.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Every situation is different, and you should speak with a solicitor about your own circumstances.

How do Queensland's first home buyer duty concessions generally work?

Queensland first home buyers may pay reduced transfer duty (stamp duty) through one of three concessions administered by the Queensland Revenue Office. Each concession reduces the duty otherwise payable on the purchase, but none of them removes the need to lodge and pay duty on time. Duty documents are generally lodged within 30 days of the contract date, according to the Queensland Revenue Office, and most banks require stamped transfer documents before settlement can proceed.

The three concessions are not interchangeable: the property type determines which one applies. An established home attracts the first home concession; a new or substantially renovated home attracts the first home (new home) concession; and residential vacant land attracts the first home vacant land concession. Only one concession can be claimed per transaction, according to the Queensland Revenue Office.

All three concessions share a core set of eligibility rules. The buyer must acquire as an individual, not through a company or discretionary trust. From 1 August 2026, the buyer must also be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a specified foreign retiree, according to the Queensland Revenue Office. This requirement was introduced by the 2026-27 Queensland Budget and applies to all contracts entered into on or after that date. A co-buyer who qualifies can claim on their own share even if the other buyer does not qualify.

What is the established home concession and when does it apply?

The first home concession applies to established residential homes valued under $800,000, according to the Queensland Revenue Office. It saves eligible buyers up to $24,525 in transfer duty.

For contracts entered into on or after 9 June 2024, the Queensland Revenue Office sets the concession structure as follows: no duty is payable where the home is valued at $700,000 or under. The concession amount is the same for a value of not more than $709,999.99, then reduces in steps for each $10,000 band of value from $710,000. At $800,000 or more the concession is nil and the full general duty rate applies.

To remain eligible after settlement, the Queensland Revenue Office requires the buyer to move in with their personal belongings and live there on a daily basis within 1 year of settlement. This time cannot be extended. Before moving in, the property cannot be sold, transferred, leased or rented. If the rules are not met, the buyer must lodge a notice for reassessment within 28 days and may have to repay all or part of the concession, along with interest and penalty tax.

One point that surprises many buyers: there is no first home owner grant for the purchase of an established home in Queensland, according to the Queensland Government. The grant is only available for new homes.

What concessions apply to a new home or vacant land?

For contracts dated 1 May 2025 or later, the Queensland Revenue Office applies a full concession reducing duty to nil for eligible first home buyers acquiring a new or substantially renovated home. A new home is one that has not been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence, or is substantially renovated. Unlike the established home concession, this concession carries no upper value cap.

• › New home concession: full concession, duty reduced to nil, no property value cap, contracts from 1 May 2025.
• › Vacant land concession: full concession, duty reduced to nil, for residential vacant land with no building on it when purchased. The buyer must build their first home and move in within 2 years of settlement, with no extension available.
• › First home owner grant:$30,000 for eligible new homes valued at less than $750,000 including land. Available for new builds, off-the-plan purchases and owner-builder projects, but not for established homes.
• › Residency: the buyer must move in within 1 year of the completed transaction and live there continuously for 6 months, according to the Queensland Revenue Office. The Commissioner may use discretion in exceptional circumstances.

For a house and land package, which may be structured as a single contract or two linked contracts, the concession and the grant each apply according to their own conditions. A solicitor can confirm which rules attach to a particular contract structure.

When does a first home buyer not qualify for a concession?

Several situations commonly result in no concession being available, and many buyers do not discover this until they are already under contract.

The most common eligibility bars, according to the Queensland Revenue Office:

• › Prior ownership: the buyer, or their spouse for the grant, has previously owned residential property in Australia or overseas, or has previously claimed the first home vacant land concession.
• › Not an individual: companies are not eligible. Trustees are generally not eligible unless strict conditions are all met, excluding discretionary and unit trusts.
• › Citizenship requirement: from 1 August 2026, buyers who are not Australian citizens, permanent residents or specified foreign retirees cannot claim any of the three concessions.
• › Established home over $800,000: the first home concession is nil at or above that value. The full general duty rate applies.
• › Stacking: only one duty concession can be claimed per transaction. A buyer eligible for both the home concession and a first home concession claims the one that gives the greater reduction, not both.

How does a solicitor help a first home buyer with stamp duty in Queensland?

A solicitor confirms which concession applies before the contract is signed and ensures the correct forms are lodged with the Queensland Revenue Office on time. Our conveyancing team reviews the contract, confirms the property type for concession purposes, and advises on the residence obligations that must be met after settlement to keep the concession.

Step 1: Talk to us

Get in touch and we'll explain which concession generally applies to your purchase type and what the eligibility rules mean in practice.

Step 2: Review the contract and confirm the concession

We review the contract of sale and the property details to confirm the correct concession category, check the settlement date and identify any conditions that affect eligibility.

Step 3: Lodge duty documents on time

We prepare and lodge the duty documents with the Queensland Revenue Office, generally within 30 days of the contract date, so duty is stamped before settlement and registration can proceed without delay.

Step 4: Confirm residence obligations after settlement

We advise on the move-in and continued residence obligations that apply after settlement, including the reassessment notice requirement if circumstances change.

Get in touch Need help with buying your first home? We're an experienced team who keep you well informed at every stage of the process. Get in touch to discuss your needs. Make an Appointment Call (07) 3437 8555

What mistakes do first home buyers commonly make with stamp duty concessions in QLD?

The most common misunderstanding is treating the established home concession and the first home owner grant as the same thing. They are separate. The grant is available only for new homes; it does not apply to established properties at all, according to the Queensland Government. A buyer who purchases an established home expecting the grant will not receive it.

A second common error is failing to meet the residence obligation after settlement. The Queensland Revenue Office requires the buyer to move in and live there on a daily basis within 1 year of settlement. Renting the property out before moving in, or not moving in within the year, triggers a reassessment. The obligation must be notified to the Queensland Revenue Office within 28 days of not being met, and the concession may have to be repaid with interest and penalty tax.

What does the citizenship requirement mean for first home buyers in QLD from August 2026?

From 1 August 2026, buyers claiming the home concession, the first home concession or the first home vacant land concession must be Australian citizens, permanent residents or specified foreign retirees, according to the Queensland Revenue Office. This requirement was introduced by the 2026-27 Queensland Budget and applies to contracts entered into on or after that date.

Where there are multiple buyers, the Queensland Revenue Office applies the concession only to the interests of buyers who meet the eligibility requirements. A buyer who qualifies can claim on their own share even if the other buyer on the contract does not. Additional foreign acquirer duty (AFAD) of 8% may also apply separately to foreign buyers acquiring residential land, regardless of any first home concession.

Most competitor content written before August 2026 still states that buyers do not need to be Australian citizens or permanent residents to claim a home concession. That position is no longer correct for contracts signed from 1 August 2026 onward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Next Steps

Queensland's first home buyer concessions are genuinely useful, but they only apply where the right conditions are met at the right time. For buyers in Springfield, Ipswich and across Greater Springfield, confirming which concession applies before signing a contract, and understanding the residence obligations that follow, can make a significant difference to how settlement is structured. Getting it right from the start is far simpler than managing a reassessment after the fact.

If first home buyer stamp duty concessions are on your mind, the next step is a straightforward one. Get in touch with the Brookwater Legal team or call (07) 3437 8555, and we'll talk you through how the process generally works.

By the Brookwater Legal Team Brookwater Legal is owned and run by Jade Kickbusch who has worked in the legal industry since 2009 and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2023, holding a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Southern Queensland. Jade leads the firm's conveyancing and property division and its wills and estates division, and oversees a team acting for clients across Greater Springfield and Ipswich in property, family law, estates and business matters. Meet the team → Make an Appointment →

Brookwater Legal · This article contains general information only and does not constitute legal advice. It does not take into account your individual circumstances. You should obtain legal advice about your own situation before acting on anything in this article. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.