Stamp Duty Concession in Qld Explained (Updated For 2025)

If you’re buying a home you’re likely to be immersed and maybe even a little overwhelmed with all the jargon that’s involved in the process. It can be difficult to understand all the fees and taxes that are involved, what you need to pay and what you might be exempt from. So we thought we’d explain a little bit about stamp duty and more specifically when you might be eligible for a Qld stamp duty concession.  It’s also worthwhile noting that new stamp duty concessions were introduced from May 1st 2025 so read on to find out if you may be eligible.

What Is Stamp Duty?

Stamp duty or as it’s more commonly called in Qld, transfer duty, is a one-off tax that you’re required to pay when purchasing a home or land. It is collected from the buyer on completion of the transfer of a title and applies to residential, commercial or investment properties. It also applies to properties that you receive as part of a trust or as a gift.

How Much Is Stamp Duty In Qld?

Stamp duty in Qld is based on the purchase value or market value of the property. It should be noted that when you build a property you actually only pay transfer duty on the value of the land, not on the actual property.

If you’re not eligible for a concession the amount of transfer duty you will pay in Queensland is as follows:

Stamp Duty - General Rate

You can use our Stamp Duty Calculator to work out what fees you may have to pay as well as potential concessions you may be eligible for.

On top of the above listed figures, an additional 8% duty applies to purchases of residential land by foreign persons including companies and trusts.

When Is Stamp Duty Payable In Qld?

Stamp duty is payable to the Office of State Revenue when ownership of the property transfers to you (the buyer). The buyer must pay it within 30 days of settlement or 30 days from when the contract is signed, whichever comes first.

How To Avoid Stamp Duty In Qld

There are only really a couple of ways in which you can avoid stamp duty in Qld. The first is if you are transferring the property to your partner.

In Queensland, if you’re transferring a property to your spouse there are a number of strict requirements that need to be fulfilled:

• You must be adding your spouse to the title

• It must be a 50/50 split as joint tenants or tenants in common

• You can also seek a stamp duty exemption in the case of divorce or separation

You may also need to get your bank’s approval to do this if a mortgage still exists on the property.

The second way you might be able to avoid paying stamp duty is through one of the current exemption schemes that the Government offers. We’ll explore these in more detail below.

Who Is Eligible For A Stamp Duty Concession In Qld?

As mentioned above there are also a number of stamp duty concession schemes currently on offer in Qld. If you are planning on moving into the property in the next 12 months and not planning on selling or leasing the property (or part of the property) then you may be eligible for one of the following stamp duty exemptions:

• Home Concession

• First Home Concession

• First Home (New Home) Concession

• First Home Vacant Land Possession

Home Concession

You don’t have to be a first home buyer to claim a concession as long as you meet certain requirements. If you are buying a property to live in as your principal place of residence and you intend to move in and live there for at least 12 months you can claim a reduced rate of stamp duty on the first $350,000. This could potentially save you $7,175. The general transfer duty rates would then apply to the balance.

Stamp Duty Concession For First Home Buyers in Qld

If you’re a first home buyer over the age of 18 years old and you’re buying an established home as your principal place of residence valued under $800,000, you may be eligible for the First Home Concession. However, even if the property is valued over $800,000 you may still be eligible for the Home Concession highlighted above.

The threshold for this concession changed in June 2024 and can save you up to $24,525.

If your home is valued at under $700,000 you will receive the full concession and pay no stamp duty.

First Home Concession duty is calculated at the home concession rate minus the additional concession amount. Use this table for contracts signed on or after 9 June 2024.

The criteria you need to meet also include:

• you have never before owned property anywhere in the world

• you plan on moving into the property within 12 months of settlement

• the property will be your principal place of residence for a minimum of 12 months after you move in

• you will not lease the property prior to moving into it.

First Home (New Home) Concession

This is one of the key changes and most significant pieces of new legislation passed by the Queensland Government that we have seen since we first wrote this blog post a couple of years ago.

From May 1st 2025 (provided you signed your contract on or after this date) first home buyers purchasing a newly built or substantially renovated home, regardless of the home’s value, will no longer need to pay stamp duty.

A substantially renovated home is one where the home, as renovated, has not been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence.

First Home Vacant Land Concession

There is also a First Home Vacant Land stamp duty concession that may be claimed on land that you’re buying to build your first home on. For agreements entered into:

• before 1 May 2025, if the value of the vacant land is under $500,000, you could save up to $10,675

• from 1 May 2025, you might not pay any duty on residential vacant land.

This concession is based on the value of the vacant land you are buying, not the property you are building.

So if you’re a first home buyer AND you’re building or purchasing a newly built home not only do you avoid stamp duty but you may also be eligible for a first home owners grant of $15,000 or $30,000, depending on when your contract was signed

To be eligible for the First Home Vacant Land stamp duty concession you must:

• have never claimed the first home vacant land concession on another project

• have never held an interest in a residence anywhere in Australia or elsewhere in the world

• be paying market value

  • if the vacant land is valued between $350,001 and $499,999 (for agreements entered into before 1 May 2025)

  • for vacant land (for agreements entered into from 1 May 2025)

• build your first home on the land, move in and live there on a daily basis within 2 years of settlement

• only build one property on the land

• reside in the property as your principal place of residence for a minimum of 12 months after you move in

• not dispose (sell, transfer, lease or otherwise grant exclusive possession) of all or part of the property before you move in.

Understanding your eligibility for stamp duty concessions in Qld can be daunting and confusing and the paperwork is complicated. As with all areas of home buying, I would strongly recommend working with professionals to assist you through the process and ensure you achieve the best possible outcomes for your personal circumstances.

Make sure you also take a read of our blog on how to avoid LMI for more tips on keeping your mortgage costs to a minimum.

The Federal Government's Help To Buy Scheme is also due to launch in late 2025 so it's worth keeping up to date with all the options available to you. We will aim to keep you updated on all the latest schemes and opportunities as we get new information.

The information in this article is general in nature and doesn’t take into account your personal circumstances or financial situation. It’s also important to do your own research as fees, charges, legislation and thresholds change frequently.

If you are looking to buy or build your first home, the experienced home loan broker from CJG Finance can help you navigate the process.

To find out more, contact us or call Colin at CJG Finance on: 0402 413 917 or email him: cgreen@cjgfinance.com.au

This blog was first published in May 2023 and has been updated with new data and information on 7th May 2025.