Quick answer: NSW transfer duty (stamp duty) on a $1,000,000 home is $39,187 for 2026–27, about 3.9% of the price. On $800,000 it is $30,187, but eligible first home buyers pay $0 up to $800,000 and a reduced amount up to $1,000,000. Duty is due within 3 months of exchanging contracts.
Transfer duty, which almost everyone still calls stamp duty, is the NSW state tax on buying property. It is worked out on a sliding scale against the price (or the property’s value, if that is higher), and it usually has to come from your own savings on top of the deposit. Use the calculator below for your number, then read on for how it works.
NSW stamp duty calculator (2026–27)
Estimate for residential property on the Revenue NSW schedule from 1 July 2026. Confirm with your conveyancer or Revenue NSW’s calculators before you exchange.
NSW transfer duty rates 2026–27
Rates apply from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Revenue NSW indexes the thresholds each 1 July. Each slice of the price is taxed at its own rate, and the amounts are per $100 (or part of $100).
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,000 | $1.25 per $100 (minimum $20) |
| $18,001 – $38,000 | $225 + $1.50 per $100 over $18,000 |
| $38,001 – $103,000 | $525 + $1.75 per $100 over $38,000 |
| $103,001 – $387,000 | $1,662 + $3.50 per $100 over $103,000 |
| $387,001 – $1,290,000 | $11,602 + $4.50 per $100 over $387,000 |
| Over $1,290,000 | $52,237 + $5.50 per $100 over $1,290,000 |
| Premium residential, over $3,870,000 | $194,137 + $7.00 per $100 over $3,870,000 |
Source: Revenue NSW, how to calculate transfer duty. Checked 28 September 2026.
Working it out by hand
For a $900,000 purchase: the price falls in the $387,001–$1,290,000 band, so duty is $11,602 plus $4.50 for every $100 above $387,000. That is $11,602 + ($513,000 ÷ 100 × $4.50) = $11,602 + $23,085 = $34,687.
How much stamp duty at common prices
| Price | Standard duty | Share of price | Eligible first home buyer (home) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $16,687 | 3.3% | $0 |
| $600,000 | $21,187 | 3.5% | $0 |
| $650,000 | $23,437 | 3.6% | $0 |
| $700,000 | $25,687 | 3.7% | $0 |
| $750,000 | $27,937 | 3.7% | $0 |
| $800,000 | $30,187 | 3.8% | $0 |
| $850,000 | $32,437 | 3.8% | $9,796 |
| $900,000 | $34,687 | 3.9% | $19,593 |
| $950,000 | $36,937 | 3.9% | $29,390 |
| $1,000,000 | $39,187 | 3.9% | $39,187 (no concession) |
| $1,200,000 | $48,187 | 4.0% | — |
| $1,500,000 | $63,787 | 4.3% | — |
| $2,000,000 | $91,287 | 4.6% | — |
So what percentage is stamp duty in NSW? There isn’t one flat rate. The slices run from 1.25% to 5.5% (7% above $3.87 million), which works out at roughly 3.3% to 4.6% of the price for most Sydney purchases.
First home buyers: $0 up to $800,000
Under the NSW First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme, for contracts from 1 July 2023:
- New or existing homes: no transfer duty up to $800,000, and a concession between $800,000 and $1,000,000. The concession shrinks evenly across that band: at $900,000 you pay $19,593 instead of $34,687.
- Vacant land to build a home on: no duty up to $350,000, and a concession between $350,000 and $450,000. At $400,000 you pay about $7,033 instead of $12,187.
At $800,000, the exemption is worth $30,187. It can be combined with the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, which lets you buy with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance, and, for a new home, the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant if you qualify. Our NSW first home buyer guide sets out how they fit together.
The main eligibility rules:
- You (and your spouse or partner) have never owned or co-owned residential property in Australia.
- At least one buyer is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and you are over 18.
- You move in within 12 months of settlement and live there for at least 12 continuous months.
Planning to rent it out first? The residence rule means buying as an investment from day one (rentvesting) generally rules out the exemption. Weigh that before you choose. Our rentvesting guide covers the trade-off. Full rules: Revenue NSW, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme.
When stamp duty is due, and how it is paid
- Deadline: within 3 months of exchanging contracts, or interest applies. In practice your conveyancer or solicitor lodges and pays it, usually at settlement.
- Off the plan: if you will live in the property, you can generally defer payment until the earlier of completion or 12 months after the contract date.
- From savings: lenders limit the loan to a share of the property’s value, so duty normally comes from your own funds. Budget it alongside the deposit, legal fees and inspections.
Foreign buyers and investors
- Foreign persons pay surcharge purchaser duty of 9% of the price on top of normal duty. On a $1,000,000 purchase that is $90,000 extra, $129,187 in total. Most temporary visa holders are foreign persons, and separate federal rules currently stop most foreign persons buying established homes; see our guide to buying on a visa.
- Investors pay standard duty; there is no investor concession. Duty generally forms part of the property’s cost base for capital gains tax rather than being deducted each year. Check with your accountant.
Buying in another state?
Every state sets its own duty and first home buyer rules. On an $800,000 investment purchase, duty is about $43,070 in Victoria and $29,025 in Queensland, against $30,187 in NSW. Read our Victoria stamp duty guide and Queensland stamp duty guide, or use the stamp duty calculator, which covers NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT.
Stamp duty guides by state: NSW · VIC · QLD · WA · SA · TAS · ACT · NT
Stamp duty in NSW: common questions
How much is stamp duty on a $1 million home in NSW?
$39,187 on the 2026–27 schedule, for a buyer who is not a foreign person. A first home buyer pays the same at $1,000,000, because the concession ends there.
What is the stamp duty percentage in NSW?
NSW uses sliding rates from 1.25% to 5.5% on slices of the price (7% on residential property above $3.87 million). For most Sydney purchases the total works out at roughly 3.3% to 4.6% of the price.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in NSW?
Not on a home up to $800,000 if they meet the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme rules. Between $800,000 and $1,000,000 they pay a reduced amount; from $1,000,000 they pay full duty. For vacant land the limits are $350,000 and $450,000.
When do I have to pay stamp duty in NSW?
Within 3 months of exchanging contracts. Owner-occupiers buying off the plan can generally defer until the earlier of completion or 12 months after the contract date.
Is stamp duty based on the price or the valuation?
On the dutiable value, which is the higher of the price paid and the property’s market value. For most normal sales that is the contract price.
Is there mortgage duty in NSW?
No. NSW abolished mortgage duty in 2008. You pay transfer duty on the purchase, plus small government fees to register the transfer and the mortgage.
Can I add stamp duty to my home loan?
Usually not directly. Lenders cap the loan at a percentage of the property’s value, so duty generally comes from savings. If you have equity in another property, it can sometimes be used to fund duty. Ask us to check your situation.
Budgeting it properly
Before you bid, write down your full “cash to complete”: deposit, duty (if any), legal fees (often $1,500–$2,500), inspections and settlement adjustments. We map this with every client before they make an offer, and apply every scheme they qualify for, so the duty line is often $0 or less than expected.