Quick answer: ACT conveyance duty (stamp duty) on an $800,000 home is $22,158 for an owner-occupier and $25,150 for an investor. From 1 July 2026, eligible buyers under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme pay $0 at any price, and so do owner-occupiers buying a new unit off the plan. Duty is payable 14 days after the title is registered.
Conveyance duty, usually called stamp duty, is the ACT tax on buying property. The ACT is gradually replacing stamp duty with higher annual rates, and its 2026–27 Budget removed the price caps and income test from its main home buyer concessions. That makes Canberra one of the cheapest places in Australia to buy a first home, or a new unit to live in, as far as duty goes. Use the calculator below for your number.
ACT stamp duty calculator (2026–27)
Estimate on the ACT Revenue Office non-commercial rates for transactions from 1 July 2025 (unchanged for 2026–27). Confirm with your conveyancer or the ACT Revenue Office.
ACT conveyance duty rates
The ACT has two rate scales: a lower one for eligible owner-occupiers (at least one buyer must live in the home for a year, starting within 12 months of settlement) and one for everyone else. Each rate is per $100, or part of $100.
| Dutiable value | Owner-occupier | Not an owner-occupier |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $200,000 | $0.28 per $100 | $1.20 per $100 |
| $200,001 – $260,000 | $0.28 per $100 | $2,400 + $2.20 per $100 over $200,000 |
| $260,001 – $300,000 | $728 + $2.20 per $100 over $260,000 | $2,400 + $2.20 per $100 over $200,000 |
| $300,001 – $500,000 | $1,608 + $3.40 per $100 over $300,000 | $4,600 + $3.40 per $100 over $300,000 |
| $500,001 – $750,000 | $8,408 + $4.32 per $100 over $500,000 | $11,400 + $4.32 per $100 over $500,000 |
| $750,001 – $1,000,000 | $19,208 + $5.90 per $100 over $750,000 | $22,200 + $5.90 per $100 over $750,000 |
| $1,000,001 – $1,455,000 | $33,958 + $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000 | $36,950 + $6.40 per $100 over $1,000,000 |
| Over $1,455,000 | $4.54 per $100 on the whole value | $4.54 per $100 on the whole value |
Source: ACT Revenue Office, conveyance duty for non-commercial property. Checked 7 October 2026.
Working it out by hand
For an $800,000 home you’ll live in: the price falls in the $750,001–$1,000,000 band, so duty is $19,208 plus $5.90 for every $100 above $750,000. That is $19,208 + ($50,000 ÷ 100 × $5.90) = $19,208 + $2,950 = $22,158.
The step at $1,455,000
Above $1,455,000 the brackets fall away and a flat $4.54 per $100 applies to the whole value. For an owner-occupier, duty is $63,078 at $1,455,000 but about $66,062 at $1,455,100, a jump of roughly $3,000. If you’re negotiating right on that line, it’s worth knowing.
How much stamp duty at common prices in the ACT
| Price | Owner-occupier | Investor | Home Buyer Concession Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $5,008 | $8,000 | $0 |
| $500,000 | $8,408 | $11,400 | $0 |
| $600,000 | $12,728 | $15,720 | $0 |
| $700,000 | $17,048 | $20,040 | $0 |
| $800,000 | $22,158 | $25,150 | $0 |
| $900,000 | $28,058 | $31,050 | $0 |
| $1,000,000 | $33,958 | $36,950 | $0 |
| $1,200,000 | $46,758 | $49,750 | $0 |
| $1,500,000 | $68,100 | $68,100 | $0 |
| $2,000,000 | $90,800 | $90,800 | $0 |
Home Buyer Concession Scheme: $0 at any price
For transactions from 1 July 2026, the scheme has no income test and no property value limit, so eligible buyers pay no duty on a new home, an established home or vacant residential land. The rules:
- All buyers are individuals aged 18 or over (not a company, trust or partnership).
- No buyer or domestic partner has owned property, in Australia or overseas, in the 5 years before the transaction. So it isn’t limited to strict first home buyers.
- At least one buyer moves in within a year of settlement and lives there for at least a year.
On an $800,000 home that is a saving of $22,158; on $1.2 million, $46,758. The ACT doesn’t pay a first home owner grant, but the concession is usually worth more. It also combines with the 5% Deposit Scheme, which has an ACT price cap of $1,000,000. See our ACT Home Buyer Concession guide for the details.
New units: $0 for owner-occupiers
From 1 July 2026, owner-occupiers pay no duty on an off-the-plan unit (a new apartment or townhouse in a unit-titled development), with no value cap. A new Newly Unit Titled Duty Exemption does the same for a brand-new unit bought from the developer after it’s finished, if it didn’t sell off the plan. You don’t need to be a first home buyer; you just need to live there for at least a year, starting within 12 months of completion (off the plan) or settlement (newly unit titled). Details: ACT Revenue Office, off the plan unit duty exemption.
The ACT also removed the price caps from its pensioner and disability duty concessions, and offers a duty deferral option for some buyers.
When stamp duty is paid in the ACT
- After settlement: duty is payable 14 days after the title is registered at Access Canberra. You (or your conveyancer) have 14 days to lodge the transfer for registration.
- From savings: lenders limit the loan to a share of the property’s value, so plan for duty in your own funds unless a concession applies.
Foreign buyers and investors
- Foreign persons: the ACT has no foreign purchaser duty surcharge. Foreign ownership is taxed through annual land tax instead, and federal rules currently stop most foreign persons buying established homes until 2029; see our guide to buying on a visa.
- Investors pay the higher non-owner-occupier scale, about $3,000 more than an owner-occupier on most homes under $1.455 million.
Stamp duty in other states
On an $800,000 home bought by an investor, duty is about $30,187 in NSW, $43,070 in Victoria, $29,025 in Queensland, $32,316 in WA, $37,830 in SA, $31,185 in Tasmania, $25,150 in the ACT and $39,600 in the NT. Our stamp duty calculator covers every state and territory.
Stamp duty guides by state: NSW · VIC · QLD · WA · SA · TAS · ACT · NT
Stamp duty in the ACT: common questions
How much is stamp duty on an $800,000 home in the ACT?
$22,158 if you will live in it (the owner-occupier rate), or $25,150 as an investor. If you qualify for the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, or you are buying a new unit off the plan to live in, it can be $0.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Canberra?
Not if they qualify for the Home Buyer Concession Scheme. From 1 July 2026 there is no income test and no price cap, so eligible buyers pay $0 duty on any home or vacant residential land. You (and your partner) must not have owned property in the last 5 years, and you must live in the home for at least a year.
Is there stamp duty on off-the-plan units in the ACT?
Not for owner-occupiers. For contracts from 1 July 2026 there is no duty on an off-the-plan unit (a new apartment or townhouse, unit titled) that you will live in, at any price. A similar exemption covers newly built unit-titled homes bought from the developer after completion.
When is stamp duty paid in the ACT?
Duty is payable 14 days after the title is registered at Access Canberra, which happens after settlement. You also have 14 days to lodge the transfer for registration.
Do foreign buyers pay extra stamp duty in the ACT?
No. Unlike most states, the ACT does not charge a foreign purchaser duty surcharge. Foreign owners are taxed through annual land tax instead, and federal rules still restrict which homes foreign persons can buy.
Why does ACT stamp duty jump above $1,455,000?
Above $1,455,000 the brackets stop and a flat $4.54 per $100 applies to the whole value. For an owner-occupier that means duty rises from $63,078 at $1,455,000 to about $66,062 just $100 higher.
Budgeting it properly
Before you bid, write down your full “cash to complete”: deposit, duty (if any), legal or conveyancing fees, inspections, and the government fees to register the transfer and the mortgage. We map this with every client before they make an offer, and check every concession and grant they qualify for, so the duty line is accurate and often lower than expected.