Stamp Duty VIC 2026: Land Transfer Duty Rates & FHB Concessions

Victoria charges land transfer duty on property purchases using a progressive rate structure. The 2025-26 rates are: up to $25,000 at 1.4%, $25,001–$130,000 at 2.4%, $130,001–$960,000 at 6%, and above $960,000 at 5.5% of the total dutiable value (premium rate). For a property valued at $750,000, stamp duty in Victoria is approximately $40,000.

Melbourne's median house price of around $900,000 attracts roughly $49,000 in duty. Victoria has some of the highest stamp duty rates in Australia, particularly for properties in the $500K–$960K range where the 6% marginal rate applies.

Use our calculator for your exact figure.

Victoria offers two key stamp duty concessions for first home buyers. For properties valued at $600,000 or less, first home buyers receive a complete stamp duty exemption — you pay nothing. For properties valued between $600,001 and $750,000, a sliding-scale concession applies, with the discount reducing as the value approaches $750,000.

The short answer? Above $750,000, standard duty rates apply with no concession. To be eligible, you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, be at least 18, have never owned residential property in Australia, and live in the property as your principal place of residence for at least 12 continuous months.

Victoria also offers the First Home Owner Grant of $10,000 for new homes valued up to $750,000 — this stacks with the duty exemption.

Victoria offers an off-the-plan duty concession that can significantly reduce stamp duty on new apartments and house-and-land packages. The concession allows you to pay duty only on the land value at the time you sign the contract, not the finished property value. This can save tens of thousands of dollars on new developments.

Quick version: Victorian pensioner concessions also apply — eligible concession card holders purchasing a home to live in (valued up to certain thresholds) may receive a full or partial duty exemption. Eligible pensioners who downsize may also benefit from reduced rates.

Foreign purchasers of residential property in Victoria pay an additional 8% surcharge on top of standard duty. For a $1 million property, this means approximately $55,000 in standard duty plus $80,000 in surcharge — totalling $135,000. Victoria also applies premium duty at 5.5% of the total value (not marginal) for properties above $960,000.

This creates a cliff effect where a property at $961,000 can attract noticeably higher total duty than one at $959,000. The premium rate is one of the reasons Melbourne property purchases in the $900K–$1M range require careful stamp duty planning.

In Victoria, land transfer duty must be paid before the transfer of land can be registered at Land Victoria. Your conveyancer or solicitor typically arranges payment through the State Revenue Office (SRO) Victoria. Duty is generally due at settlement, though for off-the-plan purchases it may be deferred.

You can pay via the SRO's online portal, BPAY, or through your legal representative. Late payment attracts penalty tax and interest.

Most buyers budget for stamp duty as part of their upfront costs alongside the deposit (typically 10–20% of purchase price), legal fees ($1,500–$3,000), and building and pest inspections ($500–$800).