First home buyer stamp duty WA concessions mean eligible buyers pay no transfer duty on a home valued up to $500,000 – a saving of up to $17,765.
Stamp duty (officially transfer duty) is usually one of the biggest upfront costs of buying, so these concessions make a real difference for first home buyers in Perth, Wanneroo, Joondalup and Hillarys.
Transfer duty in WA is calculated on your property’s purchase price, on a sliding scale. For first home buyers, the WA Government sets a higher threshold before any duty is payable.
Below $500,000 the duty is nil; between $500,000 and $700,000 a reduced rate applies; above $700,000 the standard rates take over. The concession applies to both new and established homes, unlike the grant, which makes it the more flexible saving for Perth first buyers. Knowing your exact duty up front also helps you compare properties on a true, all-in cost.
Because the savings taper off quickly past $500,000, knowing exactly where you sit on the scale helps you budget and negotiate. We calculate your position before you make an offer.
Eligibility is assessed by RevenueWA when the transfer is lodged. Getting the paperwork right avoids delays at settlement. If you are still saving, see our guide on how much deposit you need for a house in WA.
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After 10 years inside the Big Four banks, I saw how many Perth families missed money they were entitled to. The Finance Yogi exists to change that - we check every grant, concession and option, and explain it in plain English.
If your eligible home is $500,000 or less, you pay nothing in transfer duty. At $600,000 you pay a reduced amount, and the concession fully phases out at $700,000 in metro Perth, after which standard rates apply. Regional WA has slightly different thresholds, so your location matters. Because the saving drops away so quickly between $500,000 and $700,000, a few thousand dollars on the purchase price can change your duty by far more.
Stack your savings: if you are building or buying new, you may also claim the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant WA on top of the duty concession. Estimate your upfront costs with the WA stamp duty calculator.
Unlike the grant, the first home buyer duty concession applies to both new and established homes. That makes it the more widely available saving for Perth first buyers who prefer an existing home in an established suburb close to schools, transport and family.
If you are comparing building versus buying, the grant and negative-gearing perks favour new builds, while the duty concession is open to both. The right choice depends on your budget, your timeline and whether you want to live in the home straight away. We map the full picture on our first home buyer mortgage broker Perth page.
The concession is applied when your property transfer is lodged with RevenueWA, usually by your settlement agent or conveyancer. You declare your first-home status and provide supporting documents at that point.
Your settlement agent lodges the concession, and we make sure it is factored into your deposit and borrowing plan from the start. For the complete journey, read our complete first home buyer guide for WA.
Book a free, no-obligation chat and we will calculate your stamp duty, grant and deposit in one go.
Source: transfer duty information on the WA Government website, and first-home buying guidance from ASIC MoneySmart. Thresholds can change – confirm current rates before you buy.
