How do First Home Owner Grants work?

Buying property is expensive, and getting an initial foothold in the market can seem an impossible task. 

Fortunately, many state and territory governments have recognised this and provide eligible first home buyers with a leg up in the form of grants, as well as stamp duty concessions. 

More than 20 years on from their introduction, the grants, often abbreviated as FHOGs (first home owner grants), remain popular initiatives to help home buyers break into the housing market.

What are first home owner grants? 

First home owner grants are administered by various state and territory governments, so the details can fluctuate between jurisdictions.

They range in value from $10,000 to $50,000 and are commonly only available to first home buyers building their own home or purchasing a dwelling that hasn’t been lived in before.

They can also sometimes be used to bolster a buyer’s deposit, making the grants particularly attractive to many potential first home buyers - but they are not open to all.

For starters, the ACT doesn’t offer a first home buyer grant. Instead, it offers a waiver of stamp duty to all first home owners, regardless of home value or income levels (from 1 July 2026).

Additionally, there are various price caps that apply to receiving a FHOG.

Here's a summary in the table below (as at June 2026):

State/Territory	Value of grant	Eligible property	Property value limit
Northern Territory (NT)	$50,000	New homes	No limit
Queensland (QLD)	$30,000 $15,000 after 30 June 2026	New homes	$750,000
South Australia (SA)	$15,000	New homes	No limit
New South Wales (NSW)	$10,000	New or substantially renovated homes	$600,000 ($750,000 for house and land new builds)
Victoria (VIC)	$10,000	New homes	$750,000
Western Australia (WA)	Up to $10,000	New or substantially renovated homes	$800,000 (south of 26th parallel) $1 m (north of 26th parallel)
Tasmania (TAS)	$10,000 (some applicants may be eligible for another $10,000)	New homes	No limit
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)	N/A	N/A	N/A

If you’re after more specific details on the grants, as well as information on stamp duty waivers and concessions, you also can find them on this page - just keep scrolling!

If you’re still unsure whether your purchasing plans tick the box, it's advised you turn to official state or territory government sources or reach out to an independent expert for advice.

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Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

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First home owner grant eligibility requirements

Eligibility criteria for individuals signing up for first home owner grants vary between each state and territory.

As discussed above, many require a buyer to be purchasing or building a new property within set expenditure limits. 

On top of that, they will typically need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• At least 18 years old
• Haven’t owned a property previously or within the last few decades
• Must apply for the grant within 12 months of settlement
• Must intend to live in the property after purchasing

How do you apply for the first home owner grant?

There are generally two ways to apply for the grant: either by lodging the application yourself through your state or territory revenue office, or through an approved bank or lending institution.

The grant is usually paid to your lender at the time of settlement and applied directly to your home loan. If you are building a house, the grant will be approved when your first loan repayment is due.

If you are doing things by yourself, it is highly suggested that you apply for the grant as soon as you can after your settlement date. 

You must remember that in order for your purchase to qualify for the grant, an application must be made within one year of the completion of the transaction.

Detailing first home owner grants: State-by-state breakdown

At the time of writing, every state and territory in Australia, except the ACT, offers some form of a FHOG. [Instead, the ACT offers generous stamp duty exemptions to all first home buyers, regardless of home value.]

Other states may also waive or charge concessional rates of stamp duty for particular first home buyers. 

Here’s how much you could get from the grant and any eligibility criteria that may apply, depending on your state or territory.

NSW First Home Owner Grant

The NSW First Home Owner Grant is worth $10,000 and is available on new home purchases worth up to $600,000 and new home buildings worth up to $750,000. 

The NSW Government also doesn’t charge first home buyers stamp duty on properties valued at up to $800,000, or vacant land valued at up to $350,000. 

It offers discounted stamp duty for first time buyers purchasing properties worth between $800,000 and $1 million and land worth between $350,000 and $450,000.

To learn more, visit Revenue NSW.

Victoria First Home Owner Grant

In Victoria, first home buyers who are buying or building a new home may be eligible to receive a $10,000 grant.

The grants are only available on new properties valued at $750,000 or less.

The Victorian government also waives stamp duty for first home buyers purchasing properties valued up to $600,000. It promises discounted rates for properties worth between $600,000 and $750,000.

Visit the State Revenue Office of Victoria for more information. 

Queensland First Home Owner Grant 

Queensland doubled its first home owner grant in November 2023, bolstering it from $15,000 to $30,000. But the grant is set to revert to $15,000 from 1 July 2026.

Buyers can take advantage of the respective grants according to when their contracts were entered although the home being built must not be value at more than $750,000 to be eligible.

The Queensland government also waives stamp duty for all first home buyers entering into a contract to purchase a new-built home to live in (or vacant land to build one), regardless of the value of the home.

For established home, first home buyers purchasing property up to $700,000 or vacant land for less than $350,000 do not have to pay stamp duty. Concessional stamp duty rates apply for properties purchased for up to $800,000 and land purchased for up to $500,000.

For more information, visit the Queensland Revenue Office.

South Australia (SA) First Home Owner Grant 

Eligible first home buyers in South Australia can qualify for a $15,000 grant if they are buying or building a new home, no matter its market value.

The state also doesn’t charge stamp duty on property purchases made by first time buyers, as long as they are building or buying a new dwelling. (Stamp duty still applies to first home buyers purchasing 

Visit Revenue SA for more information. 

Tasmania First Home Owner Grant 

Eligible first home buyers in Tasmania could receive up to $20,000 if they are purchasing or building a new home from 1 July 2026. (This is down from $30,000 in the prior period.)

The grant will be made up of a $10,000 grant with an additional payment up to $10,000 available if certain criteria are met.

Unlike other states, there is no limit on the purchase price of the property.

The Apple Isle is also reinstating full stamp duty on first home buyers who purchase established homes from 1 July 2026. 

Visit the State Revenue Office of Tasmania for more information.

Western Australia (WA) First Home Owner Grant 

Eligible first home buyers can receive a $10,000 grant towards buying or building a new home.

How much an eligible buyer can spend on their property and still receive the grant depends on the property’s location. 

The combined cost of land and building of a home in the Perth metropolitan area (south of the 26th parallel) must not be valued at more than $800,000 (as at 7 May 2026).

Meanwhile, houses north of the 26th parallel can be valued at up to $1 million.

The WA Government doesn’t charge first time buyers stamp duty if they’re buying new build or established homes valued up to $600,000 with a concessional rate applied to home valued up to $800,000.

No duty is payable for vacant land valued up to $450,000 with a concessional rate applied to vacant land valued up to $550,000.

Visit the WA Government site for more information.

Northern Territory (NT) First Home Owner Grant

Eligible first home buyers can receive a $50,000 grant towards buying or building a new home when signing a contract between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.

Like Tasmania, there is no specified limit on the purchase price of the property. 

The territory also doesn’t offer any specific first home buyer stamp duty discounts.

Visit NT Government for more information. 

ACT First Home Owner Grant

The ACT doesn’t offer any FHOGs at the time of writing. 

Instead the ACT government offers a full stamp duty exemption to all first home buyers in the territory regardless of home value (from 1 July 2026).

Visit ACT Revenue Office to learn more.

Australian first home buyer grants: FAQs

Buying your first property can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, and it can seem like there’s no end to the information that needs to be considered.

With that in mind, here are some of the most common questions about FHOGs in Australia.

When will the grant be paid?

When a grant will be paid is be dependent on many factors, including the state and territory a buyer resides.

In some cases, the grant might be paid at the time of settlement or when the first drawdown of the loan occurs, particularly for new home constructions.

In other cases, it might be paid upon the issuance of a final inspection certificate or completion of an eligible transaction.

For the most accurate and detailed information regarding the payment timing of the FHOG in each state or territory, it's best to turn to the relevant state or territory revenue office or their official website, which can be found above.

Am I allowed to use the grant as a deposit?

If you are applying for a FHOG through an accredited agent and while in the process of purchasing a home, you could use the grant as a deposit.

However, you would still need to shell out, since the grant is generally not enough to be considered an entire deposit. It is highly advisable that you talk to your mortgage broker to know more about using the grant as your deposit. 

When you apply on your own, however, you may not be able to use the grant as a deposit as you would have already applied for a loan and settled on the property.

If you're concerned about the size of your deposit, it could be worth considering turning to the 5% Deposit Scheme.

Will my income affect the amount of the grant?

No state or territory applies a means test to receiving a FHOG. This means your income will not impact your ability to receive the grant.

As long as you fit the eligibility requirements and your property is within any value cap, you can apply for the grant.

Can I apply for the grant if I inherit the property?

The purpose of the grant is to help first-home buyers finance their home purchase.

If you inherit a property and you plan to apply for the grant, do not expect to get approved.

If I have a property outside Australia, will I still be eligible for the grant?

Generally, states and territories specify that a person turning to the grant must not have owned Australian property either ever before or within the last 25-odd years.

If you own a property outside of Australia, this mightn’t automatically disqualify you, but the specific rules of each state or territory should be checked.

It's recommended to consult the relevant state revenue office for detailed information and clarification.

Would buying an existing home qualify me for the grant?

Each state has its specific rules surrounding the type of home that qualifies for the grant.

At the time of writing, all states and territories only offer the grant to first home buyers purchasing new homes, substantially renovated homes, or vacant land on which they are building upon.

However, those buying established homes might be able to have their stamp duty discounted or waived depending on the state or territory they're buying in.

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