Glossary · Finance & Lending
Stamp Duty
18 August 2026 · 1 min read
Written for Buyer's Agent, Consumer/Investor
Stamp duty is a state government tax charged on the purchase of property in Australia, calculated as a percentage of the property's purchase price or market value, whichever is higher, and payable by the buyer at settlement.
Stamp duty rates and concessions vary significantly by state and territory, and by buyer type, first home buyers, for example, often qualify for exemptions or reduced rates up to certain price thresholds. Because stamp duty is a major upfront cost in any property purchase, buyers agents typically factor it into a client's total budget and purchasing capacity from the earliest stages of a property search.