How much is stamp duty in WA, and when do first home buyers pay none?
Stamp duty is one of the biggest upfront costs of buying a home, but in WA a lot of first home buyers now pay none at all. Since 7 May 2026, eligible first home buyers pay no stamp duty on a home up to $600,000. Here is how it works and what you could save.
Short answer up top, then the detail. Stamp duty is one of the biggest upfront costs of buying a home, and it catches a lot of buyers by surprise. Here is the good news, and it is genuinely big news. Since 7 May 2026, a lot of first home buyers in WA now pay no stamp duty at all. The exemption threshold jumped, the concession band widened, and thousands more buyers are walking into the market without that bill hanging over them. If you are buying your first home, this could put many thousands of dollars back in your pocket. Below, we cover how much stamp duty costs in WA and when first home buyers pay nothing. And we show you how to grab every dollar of the saving.
How much is stamp duty in WA?
Short answer: stamp duty, officially called transfer duty in WA, is a one-off state tax you pay when you buy property. How much you pay rises with the price, and for a standard buyer it runs into the tens of thousands. Here is the good part: first home buyers often pay far less, and many now pay nothing at all.
Transfer duty is charged on a sliding scale, so the more the property is worth, the more duty applies. It is paid at or around settlement, on top of your deposit and other costs, which is why it pays to know your number early. For your exact figure at any price, RevenueWA runs a free transfer duty calculator.And here is what makes WA such a good place to buy your first home right now. The first home buyer concessions reach further than a lot of buyers realise. That is where the real money is, and it could be yours.
When do first home buyers pay no stamp duty in WA?
Short answer: since 7 May 2026, eligible first home buyers pay no stamp duty on a home valued up to $600,000. A reduced, concessional rate then applies between $600,000 and $800,000. Above $800,000 the standard rate applies. This is the first home owner rate of duty, and it covers new and established homes alike.
This is the headline, and it is worth saying plainly.If you are an eligible first home buyer and your home is worth up to $600,000, your stamp duty bill is zero. Not reduced. Zero. That threshold rose from $500,000. A whole band of buyers who would have paid duty a few months ago now pay none. Eligibility follows the first home owner rate of duty rules, so the usual first home buyer conditions apply. The value counts the whole property, not just your share of it. The rate that applies is set by the date you sign the contract, not the settlement date.
For years stamp duty was the wall between renting and owning. In WA, for a lot of first home buyers, that wall just came down to zero.
What if my home is worth more than $600,000?
Short answer: you still win. Between $600,000 and $800,000, first home buyers pay a concessional rate, far below the standard duty. It is charged at $16.15 for every $100 above $600,000. Only once the price passes $800,000 does the standard rate apply to the whole purchase.
The concession band is where a lot of WA buyers land, and it still saves you a serious amount.Here is what the first home owner rate looks like across the concession band. Below $600,000 you pay nothing. These figures are current, and RevenueWA’s calculator will confirm your exact number.
First home buyer stamp duty by price
What an eligible first home buyer pays (homes, from 7 May 2026)
| Property value | Stamp duty you pay | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $600,000 | $0 | Full exemption. You pay no stamp duty. |
| $650,000 | $8,075 | Concessional rate, well below standard duty. |
| $700,000 | $16,150 | Concessional rate. |
| $750,000 | $24,225 | Concessional rate. |
| $800,000 and above | Standard rate | No concession. Use the RevenueWA calculator for the exact figure. |
Do established homes and vacant land get the concession too?
Short answer: yes to both. Established homes get the same stamp duty exemption as new builds, up to $600,000. Vacant land is exempt up to $450,000, with a concession up to $550,000. And if you are building or buying a brand-new home, the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant can apply on top.
One of the biggest myths is that the exemption is only for new builds. It is not.An eligible first home buyer buying an established home gets the same duty exemption up to $600,000. That holds in Perth, the South West, the Goldfields, the Pilbara, anywhere in WA. Vacant land has its own thresholds: no duty up to $450,000, and a concession between $450,000 and $550,000.On top of the duty saving, the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available if you are building or buying a brand-new home. The property cap for the grant is $800,000 south of the 26th parallel. North of it, the cap is $1,000,000, which covers the Pilbara and the Kimberley. Established homes do not get the grant, but they still get the duty exemption.
What are the most common stamp duty myths in WA?
Short answer: the big ones are that the exemption is only for new builds, that the higher thresholds are still coming, and that it applies at settlement. In fact established homes qualify, the new thresholds are already in force, and the rate is locked in by your contract date, not your settlement date.
A few things trip buyers up, so here they are, cleared up:
- “It is only for new homes.” No. New and established homes both get the exemption up to $600,000.
- “The new thresholds have not started yet.” They have. The higher thresholds apply to contracts entered into on or after 7 May 2026, and RevenueWA is already assessing at the new rates.
- “Duty is worked out at settlement.” The rate is set by the date you sign the contract, so the date you buy matters.
- “The threshold is based on my share.” No. It is the whole property value that counts, not your part of it.
How do you make the most of the stamp duty concession?
Short answer: check your eligibility early, know your number before you make an offer, and get your application lined up so the concession is applied correctly. A quick chat with us at the start means no surprises at settlement, and every dollar of the saving working for you.
- Know your number early. Run your price through the RevenueWA calculator so you know exactly where you stand before you make an offer.
- Check your eligibility. The concession follows the first home owner grant rules. We will tell you quickly whether you qualify and for how much.
- Get the application right.The concession is claimed through the first home owner grant application, usually with your lender. Getting it in before settlement keeps it simple.
- Line up your finance alongside it. Your deposit and your duty saving work together, and we help you plan both.
- Have a chat with us. We do this every week for WA first home buyers, and we will make sure nothing gets missed.
From the broker’s desk: this is one of our favourite things to tell a first home buyer, because it is real money and it lands right when it matters. For years, stamp duty was the wall that stood between renters and their first home. In WA, for a lot of buyers, that wall has come down. Pair the exemption with a low deposit path and the first home owner grant on a new build, and the numbers can look very different from what people expect. If you are dreaming about your first place in WA, have a chat with our first home buyers team. We will run your numbers and show you how close you might be.
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Start with a chatThis guide is general information for the Australian market, not advice about your situation. Lender credit policy changes, and what applies to you depends on your circumstances. Pilbara Finance is a credit representative (478535) of Mortgage Specialists Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 387025.