VERIFIED · Every change checked against the state revenue office
QLD $30K FHOG extended · no replacement end date
ACT duty abolished for first home buyers from 1 July 2026
TAS established-home exemption expired 30 June 2026
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CHANGELOG

Every scheme change, dated and sourced

Most first home buyer guides are written once and never checked. This is the opposite: a running log of every Australian scheme change, verified against the relevant state revenue office or Housing Australia, with the date it took effect.

Last verified: 12 October 2026 · Next review January 2027 · lodeposit.com.au ABN 14 127 573 219
Why this page exists. In October 2026, three of the four largest Australian home-loan comparison sites were publishing outdated scheme figures — a $15,000 Queensland grant that's actually $30,000, a Northern Territory grant amount that changed, and stamp duty thresholds that expired mid-year. They can't fix it quickly because their business is loan referrals, not accuracy. We can. This page is the proof: every figure below is dated, sourced and re-checked quarterly.

2026 changes

30 June 2026
ExpiredTAS

Tasmania's established-home stamp duty exemption expired

The 100% transfer duty exemption for first home buyers buying an established home up to $750,000 applied to transactions settling between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026. It was not extended in the May 2026 state budget.

What it means: From 1 July 2026, Tasmanian first home buyers purchasing an established home pay the full general duty scale. On a $700,000 home that's roughly $24,010 in duty that was previously nil. New builds remain exempt at any price.

Source: Tasmanian State Revenue Office

1 July 2026
MajorACT

ACT abolished stamp duty for all first home buyers

The ACT removed both the property price cap and the income test from its Home Buyer Concession Scheme. From 1 July 2026, any eligible first home buyer pays zero conveyance duty, at any property price and any income.

What it means: This is the first Australian jurisdiction to eliminate stamp duty for first home buyers entirely. For a buyer previously priced out by the $1,020,000 cap, the difference can be tens of thousands of dollars. Occupancy rules still apply: you must not have held an interest in property in the previous five years, and must occupy as your principal residence for at least one continuous year starting within 12 months of settlement.

Source: ACT Revenue Office

1 July 2026
TAS

Tasmania's First Home Owner Grant dropped to $20,000

The TAS FHOG falls from $30,000 to $20,000 for eligible transactions from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. There is no property value cap.

What it means: $10,000 less than the previous amount, and the grant is now time-limited. This is a new-home grant only, and it must be claimed within the window.

Source: Tasmanian State Revenue Office

7 May 2026
MajorWA

WA raised stamp duty thresholds statewide

The 2026–27 WA State Budget lifted the First Home Owner Rate exemption from $500,000 to $600,000, and the concessional ceiling from $700,000–$750,000 up to $800,000 statewide. Vacant land exemption rose from $350,000 to $450,000, with concession to $550,000.

What it means: The Perth/regional split is gone — one threshold applies everywhere in WA. A $650,000 first home in Lakelands that previously paid $24,000 in duty now pays around $8,000. The FHOG value cap also rose to $800,000 south of the 26th parallel (all Greater Perth and Peel) and $1,000,000 north of it.

Source: RevenueWA

1 August 2026
QLD

Queensland added a citizenship requirement to concessions

For transactions entered into from 1 August 2026, each purchaser claiming a Queensland first home buyer concession must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or a qualifying permanent resident of a particular visa class.

What it means: Temporary visa holders who previously qualified may no longer be eligible. This does not affect the grant amount or the duty thresholds — only who can claim.

Source: Queensland Revenue Office

2026–27 Budget
ExtendedQLD

Queensland's $30,000 grant was extended

The QLD First Home Owner Grant was originally legislated to revert from $30,000 to $15,000 on 1 July 2026. The 2026–27 State Budget extended the $30,000 amount, and current QRO guidance lists it with no replacement end date.

What it means: $15,000 more than several published guides currently say. Combined with the $0 duty on new homes under $750,000, a Queensland new-build buyer at that price point saves roughly $45,000 in government assistance. Queensland now has the most generous new-home package of any mainland state.

Source: Queensland Revenue Office · Queensland Government

2025 changes

1 October 2025
MajorFederal

The 5% Deposit Scheme was expanded — no income cap, no place limit

The federal 5% Deposit Scheme (formerly the First Home Guarantee) removed its income cap, its annual places limit, and lifted most property price caps. Every eligible first home buyer can now access it regardless of income, and there is no longer a quota to race for.

What it means: On a $700,000 home with a 5% deposit, avoiding LMI saves roughly $22,000–$25,000 at settlement. State price caps still apply and vary widely — NSW reaches $1.5M, the NT only $600,000. See the full state comparison.

Source: Housing Australia

5 December 2025
NewFederal

Help to Buy opened — up to 40% government co-ownership

Australia's first national shared-equity scheme. The Government contributes up to 40% of a new home's value (30% for an existing home). You contribute a 2% deposit. Income caps: $103,000 single, $165,000 joint or single parent.

What it means: The most generous deposit pathway in Australia. The trade-off is that the Government takes its percentage of any capital gain when you sell. For buyers who would otherwise be renting, the maths usually favours taking it — but it is a long-term commitment, not a free 40%.

Source: firsthomebuyers.gov.au · Run the numbers

1 May 2025
MajorQLD

Queensland removed stamp duty on new homes and land entirely

For contracts from 1 May 2025, eligible first home buyers pay zero transfer duty on new builds and vacant land at any price. The established-home concession was also raised, to nil duty up to $700,000 sliding out at $800,000.

What it means: New-build Queensland buyers at any budget pay no duty. For an established home in the $710,000–$800,000 band, the concession cuts but doesn't eliminate duty. This is the largest duty concession of any mainland state.

Source: Queensland Revenue Office

6 June 2024
MajorSA

South Australia removed its property value caps

For contracts from 6 June 2024, SA's $15,000 First Home Owner Grant has no property value cap, and the full stamp duty exemption on new homes and vacant land applies at any price.

What it means: SA buyers are no longer penalised for buying in Adelaide's more expensive suburbs. Note that SA still offers no relief on established homes — that concession was abolished in 2023. Strict ownership-history rules apply from 13 February 2025.

Source: RevenueSA

Get told when this page changes

This changelog is the whole point of the site — and the one thing the big comparison sites can't replicate, because they don't check. Email me when something changes. Roughly six times a year, only when it genuinely matters.

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How we verify

Every entry above is checked against the primary source — the state revenue office or Housing Australia — not a news article or an aggregator. Our process:

  1. Quarterly sweep. All eight jurisdictions, checked against the revenue office's own guidance pages.
  2. Event-driven. State budgets (typically May–June) and federal announcements are checked within 48 hours of publication.
  3. Sunset watch. Every scheme with a legislated end date is flagged before it expires. Several are still approaching.
  4. Reader corrections. corrections@lodeposit.com.au — we respond within five business days.

Dates still ahead — save these

30 June 2027
Tasmania FHOG currently ends. The $20,000 rate is legislated for 12 months only. Continued funding is not guaranteed.
30 September 2026
NT HomeGrown Territory Grant ($50,000) requires contracts entered into before this date. After that the Territory's new-build support changes.
30 June 2027
NT House and Land Package Exemption — no duty on new house-and-land packages, currently running to this date.
May–June 2027
Next round of state budgets. WA, SA, NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS all table theirs in this window. Expect threshold changes.
2027 federal election
5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy are federal policy. A change of government could alter income tests, place limits or scheme design.

Read more

All grants by state

The full comparison table with every current figure.

Deposit calculator

See what a change means for your specific numbers.

Eligibility check

Seven questions, 60 seconds, one answer.

2026 Trends Report

Our original analysis of all of the above.
L
lodeposit.com.au editorial team
Independent · ABN 14 127 573 219 · Last verified 12 October 2026

We publish general information, not financial advice. Scheme eligibility is determined by the relevant authority and your lender, not by this site. If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.