Quick answer: Victorian land transfer duty (stamp duty) on an $800,000 home is $43,070, about 5.4% of the price. On $1,000,000 it is $55,000. Eligible first home buyers pay $0 up to $600,000 and a reduced amount up to $750,000. Duty is normally paid at settlement.
Land transfer duty, which almost everyone calls stamp duty, is the Victorian state tax on buying property. Victoria’s rates are among the highest in Australia: on an $800,000 purchase you pay about $12,900 more than in Sydney and $14,000 more than in Brisbane. The way the scale is built also has a quirk above $960,000 that is worth knowing before you set a budget. Use the calculator below for your number, then read on for how it works.
Victoria stamp duty calculator (2026–27)
Estimate on the State Revenue Office Victoria rates for contracts from 1 July 2021 (still current in October 2026). It does not include the off-the-plan concession. Confirm with your conveyancer or the SRO duty calculator before you sign.
Victorian land transfer duty rates
These general rates apply to contracts from 1 July 2021 and are still current. Unlike NSW, Victoria does not index its thresholds each year, so the same price attracts the same duty from one year to the next.
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| $0 – $25,000 | 1.4% of the value |
| $25,001 – $130,000 | $350 + 2.4% of the value over $25,000 |
| $130,001 – $960,000 | $2,870 + 6% of the value over $130,000 |
| $960,001 – $2,000,000 | 5.5% of the whole value |
| Over $2,000,000 | $110,000 + 6.5% of the value over $2,000,000 |
Source: SRO Victoria, general land transfer duty rates. Checked 6 October 2026.
Working it out by hand
For an $800,000 purchase: the price falls in the $130,001–$960,000 band, so duty is $2,870 plus 6% of everything above $130,000. That is $2,870 + ($670,000 × 6%) = $2,870 + $40,200 = $43,070.
The jump above $960,000
Once the value passes $960,000, the 5.5% rate applies to the entire price, not just the slice above the threshold. At $960,000 duty is $52,670; at $961,000 it is $52,855. The step itself is small, but it means duty keeps rising at a full 5.5% of the price all the way to $2 million. Above $2 million (the premium band), every extra dollar attracts 6.5%.
How much stamp duty at common prices in Victoria
| Price | General duty | Share of price | Home you’ll live in (PPR) | Eligible first home buyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $19,070 | 4.8% | $16,370 | $0 |
| $500,000 | $25,070 | 5.0% | $21,970 | $0 |
| $550,000 | $28,070 | 5.1% | $24,970 | $0 |
| $600,000 | $31,070 | 5.2% | Same as general | $0 |
| $650,000 | $34,070 | 5.2% | Same as general | $11,357 |
| $700,000 | $37,070 | 5.3% | Same as general | $24,713 |
| $750,000 | $40,070 | 5.3% | Same as general | $40,070 |
| $800,000 | $43,070 | 5.4% | Same as general | — |
| $900,000 | $49,070 | 5.5% | Same as general | — |
| $1,000,000 | $55,000 | 5.5% | Same as general | — |
| $1,200,000 | $66,000 | 5.5% | Same as general | — |
| $1,500,000 | $82,500 | 5.5% | Same as general | — |
| $2,000,000 | $110,000 | 5.5% | Same as general | — |
| $2,500,000 | $142,500 | 5.7% | Same as general | — |
So what percentage is stamp duty in Victoria? For most Melbourne homes and units between $500,000 and $1 million, it works out at roughly 5% to 5.5% of the price, compared with about 3.5% to 4% in NSW and Queensland.
First home buyers: $0 up to $600,000
Victoria’s first home buyer duty exemption and concession applies to a new or established home, or vacant land you’ll build your first home on:
- Up to $600,000: no duty. At $600,000 that is a saving of $31,070.
- $600,001 to $750,000: a reduced amount that shrinks evenly across the band. At $650,000 you pay $11,357 instead of $34,070; at $700,000, $24,713 instead of $37,070.
- Above $750,000: full duty.
The main eligibility rules (all buyers must be individuals aged 18 or over):
- At least one buyer is an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
- Neither you nor your spouse or partner has owned (partly or solely) and lived in a home in Australia for 6 continuous months or more since 1 July 2000. That is narrower than NSW, where any previous ownership rules you out.
- At least one buyer moves in within 12 months of settlement and lives there for 12 continuous months.
It can be combined with the $10,000 Victorian First Home Owner Grant for a new home up to $750,000, and with the 5% Deposit Scheme, which lets you buy with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance up to $950,000 in Melbourne and regional centres ($650,000 elsewhere in Victoria). Our Victorian first home buyer guide shows how the three fit together.
Buying with a parent, or with a partner who has owned before? In Victoria, every buyer generally has to meet the first home buyer rules, and a spouse or partner’s past home counts even if they aren’t on the contract. Check with us or your conveyancer before you sign. Full rules: SRO Victoria, first home buyer duty exemption or concession.
Principal place of residence concession (homes up to $550,000)
If you’re not a first home buyer but you’re buying a home to live in valued up to $550,000, a lower rate scale applies. It is open to anyone, including upsizers and downsizers.
| Dutiable value | Duty |
|---|---|
| $130,001 – $440,000 | $2,870 + 5% of the value over $130,000 |
| $440,001 – $550,000 | $18,370 + 6% of the value over $440,000 |
| Over $550,000 | No concession: general rates apply |
At $550,000 the concession saves $3,100 ($24,970 instead of $28,070). You need to move in within 12 months of settlement and live there for 12 continuous months. Source: SRO Victoria, PPR rates.
Off-the-plan apartments and townhouses: a temporary concession
For contracts signed from 21 October 2024 to 21 April 2027, anyone buying an off-the-plan apartment, unit or townhouse in a strata development can deduct the construction costs incurred after signing from the dutiable value. Investors, companies and trusts qualify, and there is no price cap. House-and-land packages without a strata plan are not covered.
Example: a $700,000 townhouse where $400,000 of the construction happens after you sign has a dutiable value of about $300,000. General duty on that is roughly $13,070, instead of $37,070 on the full price. The developer provides the cost figures and your conveyancer applies the concession at settlement. Details: SRO Victoria, off-the-plan concession.
When stamp duty is paid in Victoria
- At settlement: duty has to be paid before the transfer can be registered, so your conveyancer normally pays it through the electronic settlement. That differs from NSW, where duty is due within 3 months of exchange.
- Late payment: if it is not paid within 30 days of settlement, penalty tax and interest may apply.
- From savings: lenders limit the loan to a share of the property’s value, so duty normally comes from your own funds on top of the deposit. In Victoria it is often the biggest cost after the deposit itself.
Foreign purchasers and investors
- Foreign purchasers pay foreign purchaser additional duty of 8% on top of normal duty. On an $800,000 property that is $64,000 extra, $107,070 in total. Most temporary visa holders are foreign purchasers, and federal rules currently stop most foreign persons buying established homes until 2029; see our guide to buying on a visa.
- Investors pay general rates; the PPR and first home buyer concessions need you to live in the property. Victoria also charges land tax on investment property each year, which our land tax calculator estimates.
Stamp duty in other states
Each state sets its own rates and first home buyer rules, so the same price can mean very different duty. On an $800,000 home bought by an investor, duty is about $30,187 in NSW, $43,070 in Victoria and $29,025 in Queensland. Read our NSW stamp duty guide, our Queensland stamp duty guide, or use the stamp duty calculator, which covers every state and territory.
Stamp duty in Victoria: common questions
How much is stamp duty on an $800,000 home in Victoria?
$43,070, about 5.4% of the price, for a buyer who is not a foreign purchaser. An eligible first home buyer pays full duty at $800,000 too, because the Victorian first home buyer concession stops at $750,000.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Victoria?
Not on a home or vacant land valued up to $600,000, if they meet the State Revenue Office rules. Between $600,001 and $750,000 they pay a reduced amount (about $11,357 at $650,000 instead of $34,070). Above $750,000 normal duty applies.
What is the stamp duty rate in Victoria?
Victoria uses sliding rates of 1.4%, 2.4% and 6% on slices of the price up to $960,000. Between $960,000 and $2 million a flat 5.5% applies to the whole price, and above $2 million it is $110,000 plus 6.5% of the excess. For most Melbourne purchases that works out at roughly 5% to 5.5% of the price.
When is stamp duty paid in Victoria?
Usually at settlement. Duty must be paid before the transfer can be registered, and penalty tax and interest may apply if it is not paid within 30 days of settlement.
What is the principal place of residence concession in Victoria?
A lower rate scale for anyone, not just first home buyers, who buys a home valued up to $550,000 and lives in it. At $550,000 it saves $3,100 ($24,970 instead of $28,070). You must move in within 12 months of settlement and live there for 12 continuous months.
How much extra stamp duty do foreign buyers pay in Victoria?
Foreign purchaser additional duty of 8% of the dutiable value, on top of normal duty. On an $800,000 property that is $64,000 extra.
Is there an off-the-plan stamp duty concession in Victoria?
Yes, temporarily. For contracts signed from 21 October 2024 to 21 April 2027, anyone buying an off-the-plan apartment, unit or townhouse in a strata development (investors included) can deduct construction costs incurred after the contract date from the dutiable value.
Budgeting it properly
Before you bid, write down your full “cash to complete”: deposit, duty (if any), legal or conveyancing fees, inspections, and the Land Use Victoria transfer and mortgage registration fees. We map this with every client before they make an offer, and check every concession they qualify for, so the duty line is accurate and often lower than expected.