NSW Stamp Duty Calculator
Stamp duty is one of the largest upfront costs of buying a home — and it's easy to underestimate. Pop in a price below and we'll work out the transfer duty using the exact Revenue NSW brackets, including the first home buyer concession if it applies to you.
How stamp duty works in NSW
Stamp duty — officially called transfer duty — is a tax the NSW Government charges when a property changes hands. It's worked out on a sliding scale: the more the property costs, the higher the rate on the portion above each threshold. It isn't a flat percentage, which is exactly why a quick mental estimate so often comes up short.
Here's the part that catches people out — stamp duty is due at settlement, in cash, on top of your deposit. It isn't rolled into the loan. So when you're working out what you genuinely need on the day, this number matters just as much as the deposit itself.
The first home buyer concession
If you're buying your first home, there's real relief on offer. Under the current NSW rules, first home buyers pay no stamp duty at all on a home up to $800,000, and a reduced amount on a sliding scale between $800,000 and $1,000,000. Above $1,000,000, the standard rates apply.
That concession can be worth tens of thousands of dollars — so it's well worth checking whether you qualify before you budget. Eligibility depends on things like whether you've owned property before and whether you'll live in the home, so treat the saving shown above as a guide and confirm the detail with Revenue NSW.
The current NSW transfer duty brackets
These are the general transfer duty rates published by Revenue NSW, effective 2026-07-01. Each band only applies to the portion of the price that falls inside it.
| Property value | Duty |
|---|---|
| $0 – $17,000 | $1.25 per $100 |
| $17,001 – $36,000 | $212 + $1.50 per $100 over $17,000 |
| $36,001 – $97,000 | $497 + $1.75 per $100 over $36,000 |
| $97,001 – $364,000 | $1,564 + $3.50 per $100 over $97,000 |
| $364,001 – $1,212,000 | $10,909 + $4.50 per $100 over $364,000 |
| $1,212,001 – $3,636,000 | $49,069 + $5.50 per $100 over $1,212,000 |
| Over $3,636,000 | $182,369 + $7.00 per $100 over $3,636,000 |
Read our full methodology for how we source and apply these rates.
Common questions
How much is stamp duty on an $850,000 house in NSW?
For a standard (non-first-home) buyer, transfer duty on an $850,000 NSW property is about $32,779, calculated on the $364,001–$1,212,000 bracket. A first home buyer would pay roughly $8,195 on the same price thanks to the sliding concession — a saving of around $24,500.
When do I have to pay stamp duty?
Transfer duty is generally payable within three months of signing the contract, and in practice it's almost always settled on the day of settlement. It's an upfront cash cost — it isn't added to your mortgage — so make sure it's part of the money you have ready on the day.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in NSW?
Not on a home up to $800,000 — that's fully exempt. Between $800,000 and $1,000,000 you pay a reduced amount on a sliding scale, and above $1,000,000 the standard rates apply. Eligibility conditions apply, so confirm your situation with Revenue NSW.
Is this stamp duty calculator accurate?
It uses the exact transfer duty brackets published by Revenue NSW and the current first home buyer thresholds, so it gives a strong estimate for a standard residential purchase. It doesn't model the foreign purchaser surcharge or every individual concession — for anything unusual, check with Revenue NSW or your conveyancer.
Stamp duty is only part of the picture
Stamp duty is the big one, but it's not the only upfront cost — there's LMI if your deposit is under 20%, conveyancing, and government fees, plus the ongoing council rates, water and insurance once you've moved in. If you'd like to see the whole picture for where you're buying, our full buying cost calculator brings it all together.