First Home Buyer Grants in Australia: A State-by-State Guide

Buying your first home is one of life’s most significant milestones, and while it’s an exciting time, it can also feel financially overwhelming. The good news? Across Australia, state and territory governments offer a range of grants and concessions designed to make homeownership more achievable for first-time buyers.

While the available support varies depending on where you live, these schemes can significantly reduce the upfront costs. This guide breaks down what’s available in each state and territory, so you can see where you stand and how Inovayt can help you make the most of every opportunity.

National-Level Support

Before we jump into the state-by-state breakdown, it’s worth noting that federal schemes are also available to eligible buyers. The most prominent is the First Home Guarantee, part of the federal government’s Home Guarantee Scheme. It allows eligible first-time buyers to purchase a home with as little as a 5 per cent deposit, without needing to pay lenders mortgage insurance (LMI).

This scheme can be used alongside state-based grants and concessions, giving buyers a valuable boost when entering the property market.

State and Territory Breakdown

Here’s what first home buyers can expect in each part of Australia:

New South Wales

First Home Owner Grant (New Homes)

• What you get: A $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available for newly built or substantially renovated homes.
• Eligibility:
  • Each applicant must be at least 18 years old.
  • You must be a first home buyer as an individual, not as a company or trust.
  • At least one applicant must be a permanent resident or Australian citizen.
  • You or your spouse, partner or co-purchaser must not have previously owned a home in Australia before 1 July 2000.
  • If you purchase a newly built house, townhouse, apartment, unit or similar, the purchase price must not exceed $600,000.
  • Only applies to new homes, not established properties.

First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme

• Stamp duty exemption for homes up to $800,000
• Stamp duty concession for homes between $800,000 and $1 million
• Applies to both new and existing homes

Victoria

First Home Owner Grant (FHOG)

• What you get: $10,000 when you buy or build your first home.
• Eligibility: If you are buying or building a new home, you may be eligible for the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) of $10,000. Criteria includes:
  • You must be buying or building your first home in Australia. This includes you and your spouse/partner, who should not have previously owned a residential property in Australia.
  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of settlement or construction completion.
  • Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents.
  • You must occupy the home as your principal place of residence (PPR) for at least 12 months, commencing within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction.

Stamp Duty Concessions

Stamp duty exemptions apply for first home buyers in Victoria. Currently, these include: 

• Full exemption on stamp duty for homes up to $600,000.
• Concession for homes valued between $600,001 and $750,000.
• This applies to both new and established homes.

Queensland

First Home Owner Grant

• What you get: The First Home Owner Grant gives eligible first-time home buyers $15,000 or $30,000 towards buying or building a new home in Queensland.  
• Eligibility: Criteria to buy your first home in Queensland include:
  • The value of your new home must be less than $750,000 (including land and any contract variations).
  • The grant is only available for new homes. There are no homeowner grants for established homes.
  • The applicant must be 18 years or older and must not be part of a company or trust. 
  • You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or applying with someone who is).
  • You or your spouse must not have previously received a first home owner grant in any state or territory of Australia.

Stamp Duty Concessions

• First home buyers may receive a full or partial concession on transfer duty.
• This applies to homes up to $550,000.

Western Australia

First Home Owner Grant

• What you get: The Western Australia First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is a one-off payment of $10,000 to encourage first home buyers to buy or build a new residential property for use as their principal place of residence.
• Eligibility:
  • You must be 18 years or over when making the application. 
  • At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident when making an application.
  • Each applicant must occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months, starting within 12 months of completion of the eligible transaction.
  • Each applicant and/or their spouse cannot have previously received an FHOG under this scheme.

First Home Owner Rate of Duty

• No stamp duty on homes up to $430,000.
• Concessional rates for homes up to $530,000.
• Also applies to vacant land under $400,000.

South Australia

First Home Owner Grant

• What you get: The South Australian first home owner grant is a one-off payment of up to $15,000 for eligible first home owners by the State Government.
• Eligibility:
  • Applicants must be 18 years or older and must not be part of a company or trust. 
  • At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia or a New Zealand citizen permanently residing in Australia who holds a Special Category visa.
  • You will not be eligible for the first home owner grant if you or your spouse or domestic partner own or have owned an Australian residential property.

Stamp Duty Concessions:

Stamp duty relief for eligible first home buyers in South Australia applies to:

• a new home
• an off-the-plan apartment
• vacant land to build your new home on.

The amount of stamp duty relief depends on when you entered into your property contract. Find out more via the SA Revenue Office.

Tasmania

First Home Owner Grant

• What you get: ​​​​​​​​​​A first home owner grant of $10,000 is available to eligible applicants who purchase or build a new home in Tasmania.
• Eligibility:
  • You must be a person 18 years or older (not a company or trust).
  • You must be an Australian citizen or perm​anent resident (if more than one applicant, only one applicant is required to be an ​Australian citizen or permanent resident). 
  • You must occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months, commencing within 12 months of completion of an eligible transaction​.
  • You must not have received the first home owner grant before.

Stamp Duty Concessions

• Eligible first home buyers may qualify for stamp duty relief depending on the date of purchase of their property. Find out more via the Tasmanian Revenue Office. 

Australian Capital Territory

Home Buyer Concession Scheme

• What you get: The ACT offers residents a Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS), replacing the First Home Owner Grant in 2019. This scheme assesses applicants and offers concessional relief based on set criteria. 
• Eligibility:
  • All buyers of the home or land must be individuals at least 18 years old.
  • The income of all buyers, including their partners (if any), in the previous financial year to the transaction date must not be greater than the relevant income threshold.
  • All buyers, including their partners (if any), must not have owned (legal or equitable interest) any other property in the last 5 years. 
  • At least one buyer must live in the home continuously for at least one year, starting within 12 months of the completion date (settlement date) or when a certificate of occupancy has been issued.

Northern Territory

First Home Owner Grant

• What you get: In the Northern Territory, the HomeGrown Territory Grant offers $50,000 for first-home buyers to put towards building or buying their first home.
• Eligibility:
  • You must be a first-home buyer (not have owned a home before anywhere else in Australia).
  • You must sign a contract to buy or build a home in the Territory between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.
  • You must be a person and not a company or trustee.
  • At least one applicant must be over the age of 18.
  • At least one applicant is an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
  • You must live in the home for at least 12 months after taking possession of the property or once construction of the home is complete.

Stamp Duty Discount

• Territory home owners buying established homes may receive stamp duty relief through the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE). 

Key Things to Consider

Navigating first home buyer grants can be confusing, especially when each state or territory has its own rules and policies that are updated regularly. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• New builds vs existing homes: Most grants apply only to newly built properties or house-and-land packages.
• Value caps: Grants often come with a property price limit, and some have income limits too.
• Timeframes matter: You generally need to apply within 12 months of settlement or building completion.
• You may combine grants and concessions: It’s often possible to pair federal schemes with state-level support, giving you a bigger boost.
• Schemes change frequently: Always check the most current details or speak to a financial expert to avoid missing out.

How Inovayt Can Help

Understanding what you’re eligible for and how to apply can be overwhelming. At Inovayt, our experienced mortgage brokers stay across the latest grant information across all states and territories, so you don’t have to.

Whether you’re looking to buy property in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or anywhere in between, we’ll help you:

• Understand which grants and concessions apply to your situation
• Apply for the right support at the right time
• Secure a home loan that fits your financial goals
• Navigate the property market with confidence

Ready to take the next step? Contact the Inovayt team for personalised guidance and expert support on your first home journey.