🏠 Stamp Duty Calculator
Calculate stamp duty (transfer duty) for any Australian state or territory.
What is stamp duty — and why do Australians hate it?
Stamp duty (officially called "transfer duty" in most states) is a tax you pay to your state or territory government when you buy property. It's calculated as a percentage of the purchase price or market value — whichever is higher — and must be paid upfront, usually within 30 days of settlement.
The tax dates back to 1694 England, when the government needed to fund wars. Clerks would literally stamp paper documents — contracts, deeds, licences — to prove the duty had been paid. Australia inherited the system during colonisation, and despite centuries of complaints, most states still use it.
NSW alone collected $9.2 billion in stamp duty in 2022–23. That's not a typo. For a median-priced home in Sydney, stamp duty can add $30,000–$50,000 to your upfront costs — money you've already paid income tax on.
- First Home Buyer concessions: Most states offer exemptions or discounts for first home buyers below certain price thresholds. These vary significantly — check your state revenue office for current limits.
- Victoria's land tax experiment: In 2021, Victoria floated replacing stamp duty with an annual land tax. The idea has economic merit (land taxes are more efficient than transaction taxes) but proved deeply unpopular with existing homeowners.
- ACT is different: The ACT is gradually phasing out stamp duty in favour of annual rates — the only jurisdiction in Australia actually doing it.