First Home Buyer Grants Australia 2026: Complete State-by-State Guide

First Home Buyers in Australia can stack multiple government schemes: cash grants, stamp duty exemptions, and the federal Help to Buy shared-equity program. Combined, the savings can exceed $50,000 on a $750K purchase in some states. But the rules vary so much between NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT that most first-time buyers end up either missing entitlements or getting the numbers wrong.

This guide walks through every Australian state and territory's First Home Buyer support as of the 2025-26 financial year. Sources are the state Revenue Offices and Housing Australia (federal). All figures are checked monthly — updated against the source pages by an automated audit.

What counts as a "First Home Buyer"?

Across all Australian states, FHB status generally requires:

• You (and your partner, if buying together) have never owned property in Australia
• You're an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• You're at least 18
• You'll live in the property as your primary residence for a minimum period (usually 6–12 months, varies by state)
• The property is under the state's price cap

Some states (notably ACT) also income-test eligibility. The federal Help to Buy scheme is income-tested in every case ($90K single / $120K couple).

State-by-state breakdown

New South Wales (NSW)

NSW's First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant pays $10,000 for newly built properties valued under $750K. The bigger win is the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme — full stamp duty exemption on properties under $800K (saves around $30,000) and partial concession up to $1M.

Importantly, NSW does NOT restrict the stamp duty concession to new homes — existing properties qualify too, which makes it the most generous concession in the country for first home buyers entering established suburbs.

Victoria (VIC)

VIC's First Home Owner Grant pays $10,000 for new homes under $750K. Stamp duty exemption applies up to $600K (PPOR purchase only), with a sliding-scale concession up to $750K. VIC also offers a separate off-the-plan duty discount that can be combined with the FHB exemption — check the SRO website for the latest dual-claim rules.

Queensland (QLD)

Queensland has the most generous FHB grant in Australia at $30,000 for newly built homes under $750K. Combined with the stamp duty exemption (full up to $700K, partial to $800K), QLD offers the largest dollar package nationally.

Catch: the $30K grant is new-build only. Existing homes still get the stamp duty concession but no cash grant.

Western Australia (WA)

WA's $10,000 FHB grant is restricted to new builds. Stamp duty exemption applies up to $450K (with partial relief up to $600K). The thresholds are lower than other states, but property prices in Perth are also generally lower, so the relative coverage is similar.

South Australia (SA)

SA increased its grant to $15,000 and introduced a new stamp duty exemption for new homes under $650K (partial relief to $700K). Like QLD and VIC, SA's relief is restricted to newly built properties — there's no exemption for existing homes.

Tasmania (TAS)

Tasmania offers a 50% stamp duty concession on established homes valued under $750K — uncommon among states, most of which limit relief to new builds. The cash grant remains $10K for new builds.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

ACT replaced its cash grant in 2019 with the Home Buyer Concession Scheme: full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $1M, but only if combined household income is under approximately $170K. Above that, no relief applies. For higher earners in Canberra, the math is harsher than in other states.

Northern Territory (NT)

NT has the largest cash grant at $50,000 via the HomeGrown Territory program — significantly more than QLD's $30K. Combined with the First Home Owner Discount (full stamp duty exemption up to $650K), NT offers the highest absolute dollar support of any Australian jurisdiction. But: small market, restricted to new builds, and requires residency intent.

The federal Help to Buy scheme (Australia-wide)

Live nationally since 2024 and administered by Housing Australia, Help to Buy is a shared-equity scheme. The government takes a 30–40% equity stake in your property, reducing your deposit and loan size proportionally.

• Income cap: $90,000 single / $120,000 couple
• Property value cap: $950,000 in capital cities + regional centres / $600,000 in other areas
• Government equity: 30% existing homes, 40% new builds
• Minimum deposit: 2%

Help to Buy is stackable with state grants and stamp duty concessions — you don't have to pick one. A first-home buyer in QLD purchasing a $700K new build could get the $30K cash grant + full stamp duty exemption + Help to Buy's 40% equity contribution simultaneously.

Key takeaways

• QLD and NT offer the largest absolute dollar support ($50K+ combined) — but new-build only.
• NSW is the most generous for buying an existing home (full stamp duty exemption to $800K).
• TAS uniquely offers a 50% stamp duty discount on established homes — useful in regional Tasmania where new builds are scarce.
• ACT is income-tested. If you earn over $170K combined, assume zero stamp duty relief.
• Help to Buy is stackable with state grants but reduces your future capital gains share. Best for buyers who'd otherwise be locked out by deposit size, less appealing for buyers expecting strong growth.

How to check exact eligibility for your postcode

State price caps interact with local median prices in non-obvious ways. A $700K cap in QLD covers 70% of Brisbane suburbs but only 5% of Sydney ones. The simplest way to see what you actually qualify for in a specific postcode is to plug it into a tool that knows both the state rules and the local market.

PropPulse computes total possible FHB savings per postcode automatically — cash grant + stamp duty saving + Help to Buy eligibility — so you can shortlist suburbs by where you actually get the maximum support. Try a postcode at proppulse.dev, or browse affordable suburbs in your budget with FHB eligibility automatically applied.

Sources

• NSW Revenue — First Home Buyer schemes
• SRO Victoria — First Home Owner Grant
• QRO Queensland — $30,000 First Home Owner Grant
• WA Department of Finance — First Home Owner Grant
• RevenueSA — First Home Owner Grant
• SRO Tasmania — First Home Owners
• Revenue ACT — Home Buyer Concession Scheme
• NT Treasury — First Home Owner Grant
• Housing Australia — Help to Buy scheme