First home buyers in Canberra will now be exempt from paying stamp duty, with the overhaul reaching well beyond newcomers to the market.
From 1 July 2026, the ACT has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to completely remove stamp duty for eligible first home buyers (FHBs) purchasing a property to live in, while also broadening duty waivers for returning owners, downsizers, NDIS participants, and buyers of new unit‑titled homes.
Under the new rules, first‑time purchasers who meet the residency requirements will pay no duty regardless of what they earn or how much they spend.
The previous property value cap – which had applied to homes under about $1 million – and the $250,000 household income threshold have both been scrapped, making the concession effectively universal for eligible owner‑occupiers.
The exemption covers established dwellings, brand‑new homes, and vacant residential land within the ACT, provided the buyer moves in and uses the property as their principal place of residence for at least a year.
Alongside the first home changes, the territory has widened stamp duty relief to several other groups.
Anyone who has not owned property anywhere in Australia in the past five years can now qualify; pensioners who are downsizing face no price cap when buying a more suitable home; and eligible NDIS participants will receive a full duty waiver.
New owner‑occupiers buying newly built or off‑the‑plan town houses and apartments will also pay no duty on those unit‑titled properties.
Reform aims to unlock existing stock and new projects
Property Council ACT & Capital Region executive director Ashlee Berry said the policy tackled longstanding obstacles that had slowed the movement of stock.
“This reform reflects what we have been calling for – practical changes to stamp duty that remove barriers and help move homes through the market,” Berry said.
“We’ve been clear that the system has been getting in the way, with homes ready to go, buyers who want them, and settings that don’t line up.”
Berry said the broadened concessions for new and finished homes would help both households and developers adjust more quickly to changing conditions.
“When you remove friction in the system, buyers can access homes that are already built, affordability improves at the margin, and developers can clear stock and get back into delivering the next round of projects,” she said.
[Related: NSW, Qld budgets reveal fresh housing measures]
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