Victoria stamp duty on any purchase price.
Victorian land transfer duty (still commonly called stamp duty) is charged on the greater of the purchase price and the market value, using a bracket scale that tops out at 6.5% above $2 million. This page sets out the Victorian rates as at October 2026, the first home buyer exemption, the reduced owner-occupier rates and the off-the-plan concessions, then works two purchases through step by step.
Victoria stamp duty rates (general / investment)
Eligible first home buyers pay no duty to $600,000, with a sliding concession to $750,000. Owner-occupiers buying up to $550,000 use reduced principal place of residence rates.
Victoria's general rate applies to investment properties, holiday homes and any home that does not qualify for the owner-occupier rates. It has five bands. Duty is 1.4% on the first $25,000, then $350 plus 2.4% of the amount over $25,000 up to $130,000, then $2,870 plus 6% of the amount over $130,000 up to $960,000. Between $960,000 and $2,000,000 the rate is a flat 5.5% of the whole value, and above $2,000,000 it is $110,000 plus 6.5% of the excess.
The $960,000 to $2 million band behaves differently from the ones below it. Because 5.5% applies to the entire price rather than to a slice of it, there is no base amount in the table and the calculator does not add one. Duty on a $1.5 million purchase is therefore 5.5% of $1,500,000, not a base figure plus a marginal rate. The rates are set by the State Revenue Office and can change with the state budget, so confirm the current schedule before you sign.
| Price bracket | Base duty | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $25,000 | $0 | 1.4% of the amount over $0 |
| $25,000 to $130,000 | $350 | 2.4% of the amount over $25,000 |
| $130,000 to $960,000 | $2,870 | 6% of the amount over $130,000 |
| $960,000 to $2,000,000 | None (flat rate) | 5.5% of the whole price |
| $2,000,000 to and above | $110,000 | 6.5% of the amount over $2,000,000 |
First home buyer stamp duty in Victoria
A first home buyer who will live in the property pays no Victorian duty where the dutiable value is $600,000 or less. Between $600,000 and $750,000 a concession applies that reduces the duty on a sliding scale, and above $750,000 the buyer pays the ordinary rate. The State Revenue Office's own examples show the $600,000 and $750,000 cut-offs applied to the dutiable value, so an off-the-plan contract is tested after construction costs are removed.
The condition that catches people out is occupation. At least one buyer must move in within 12 months of settlement and then live in the property as their principal place of residence for 12 continuous months. A separate First Home Owner Grant is capped by contract price and is limited to new homes, so the grant and the duty exemption have different tests. This calculator estimates the sliding band in proportion to the general duty; the State Revenue Office's online calculator is the authority for a figure you will rely on.
Owner-occupier (PPR) rates and off-the-plan concessions in Victoria
A buyer who will live in the home can use the principal place of residence rates instead of the general rates, but only where the dutiable value is no more than $550,000. The PPR table is shown below: it keeps the same bands as the general rate up to $130,000, then charges 5% to $440,000 and 6% to $550,000. Above $550,000 the concessional rates fall away completely and the general rate applies to the whole amount.
Off-the-plan purchases get their own relief. Under the standard concession for contracts from 1 July 2023, duty is assessed on the value left after construction costs not yet incurred are removed, and the thresholds are $750,000 for first home buyers and $550,000 for other buyers of a principal place of residence. The State Revenue Office's worked example takes a $620,000 contract with $465,000 of construction still to be done and arrives at a $155,000 dutiable value.
Separately, a temporary off-the-plan concession applies to contracts signed from 21 October 2024 to 21 April 2027. It is open to all purchasers, including investors, companies and trusts, covers strata apartments and townhouses, and has no price threshold. If you are buying into a development, the contract date relative to those windows matters, so ask your conveyancer to check which concession fits.
| Price bracket | Base duty | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $25,000 | $0 | 1.4% of the amount over $0 |
| $25,000 to $130,000 | $350 | 2.4% of the amount over $25,000 |
| $130,000 to $440,000 | $2,870 | 5% of the amount over $130,000 |
| $440,000 to $550,000 | $18,370 | 6% of the amount over $440,000 |
Foreign buyer surcharge in Victoria
Foreign purchasers pay a Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty of 8% of the dutiable value on top of ordinary duty, as reported by published sources and applied by this calculator. Victoria also charges an additional land tax surcharge to absentee owners, which is a recurring cost rather than part of the purchase. The State Revenue Office's foreign purchaser pages carry the definitions and the current rates.
When Victoria stamp duty is paid
The due date for Victorian duty is stated on the State Revenue Office assessment rather than being a single fixed number of days from contract, and most buyers never handle the payment themselves because their conveyancer pays it as part of settlement. If you pay late, penalty tax and interest can apply. Budget for the full amount at settlement, alongside your deposit balance and legal fees.
Worked examples: Victoria stamp duty step by step
Both examples use illustrative round prices, not market statistics, and are calculated from the same rates as the calculator above, as at October 2026. Check the revenue office for the latest figures before you rely on them.
Investment purchase at $900,000
An investor buys a $900,000 Melbourne house to rent out. It is not their home, so the general schedule applies. This is an illustrative price, not a market statistic.
- The price sits in the $130,000 to $960,000 bracket: $2,870 + 6% × ($900,000 − $130,000) = $2,870 + $46,200 = $49,070.
- Duty payable: $49,070 (5.45% of the price).
Owner-occupier purchase at $520,000 (PPR rates)
A buyer who is not a first home buyer purchases a $520,000 unit to live in. This is an illustrative price, and it sits under the $550,000 PPR limit.
- The price sits in the $440,000 to $550,000 bracket: $18,370 + 6% × ($520,000 − $440,000) = $18,370 + $4,800 = $23,170.
- Duty payable: $23,170 (4.46% of the price).
- For comparison, the same purchase without that concession or schedule would cost $26,270, so the difference is $3,100.
Stamp duty in other states
Rates, concessions and due dates differ sharply between jurisdictions. Compare Victoria with the other state and territory calculators:
- New South Wales stamp duty calculator
- Queensland stamp duty calculator
- Western Australia stamp duty calculator
- South Australia stamp duty calculator
- Tasmania stamp duty calculator
- Australian Capital Territory stamp duty calculator
- Northern Territory stamp duty calculator
Related tools and reading
- All InvestorJoint property calculators
- Victorian first home buyer concession guide
- Melbourne growth corridors for investors
- Which property purchase costs are deductible
Frequently asked questions
Are first home buyers exempt from stamp duty in Victoria?
Eligible first home buyers pay no Victorian land transfer duty where the dutiable value is $600,000 or less, with a sliding concession up to $750,000. At least one buyer must move in within 12 months of settlement and live there as their principal place of residence for 12 continuous months. Check the State Revenue Office for the latest conditions.
What is the Victorian principal place of residence (PPR) concession?
It is a reduced rate for buyers who will live in the home. It applies only where the dutiable value is $550,000 or less: duty is $2,870 plus 5% over $130,000 up to $440,000, then $18,370 plus 6% over $440,000. Above $550,000 the general rate applies.
Can investors use the off-the-plan duty concession in Victoria?
The standard off-the-plan concession is limited to buyers who qualify for the PPR or first home buyer concession. However, a temporary concession for contracts signed between 21 October 2024 and 21 April 2027 is open to all purchasers, including investors, with no price threshold, for strata apartments and townhouses.
Why does Victorian duty between $960,000 and $2 million use a flat percentage?
In that band duty is 5.5% of the entire dutiable value rather than a base amount plus a marginal rate on the excess. The result meets the lower band at $960,000 and the higher band at $2 million, but it is calculated differently, which is why simple bracket tables often misstate it.
What is the foreign purchaser surcharge in Victoria?
Foreign purchasers pay a Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty of 8% of the dutiable value on top of general duty, according to published sources. Absentee owners may also face an additional land tax surcharge each year. Confirm both with the State Revenue Office.
Where can I confirm these Victorian rates?
The State Revenue Office Victoria (sro.vic.gov.au) publishes the current land transfer duty rates and its own online calculator. Check it before settlement, since thresholds can move with the state budget.
Do I pay stamp duty on the contract price or the valuation?
On the dutiable value, which is usually the contract price. If the market value is materially higher (for example a discounted sale to a family member), the revenue office can substitute the valuation. For arm's-length open-market purchases the contract price is the answer.
Is stamp duty tax deductible for an investment property?
Not as an immediate deduction. Stamp duty on an investment property is added to the property's cost base, which reduces the capital gain when you eventually sell. Stamp duty on your own home is never deductible. Ask your accountant about your own position.