First home buyer in South Australia: the $15,000 grant and the full stamp duty exemption

South Australia gives first home buyers two separate supports: a $15,000 First Home Owner Grant, and a full stamp duty exemption with no property value cap. Both are generous, but both come with the same catch that trips up a lot of buyers: they apply to a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, or vacant land you will build on, and give you nothing at all if you buy an established (previously lived-in) home. This guide sets out exactly what you get, with the duty figures computed from the current RevenueSA rates, and points you to the official source for the federal deposit schemes it does not cover.

The new-versus-established split, in one table

Before the detail, the single most useful fact for a South Australian first home buyer:

If you are weighing up a new build against an established home at a similar price, this table is the reason the decision is not close on cost alone: on a $650,000 purchase, the difference in stamp duty between the two paths is $29,580, before the grant is even counted.

The stamp duty exemption

For contracts entered into on or after 13 February 2025, an eligible first home buyer pays no stamp duty at all on a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, or vacant land intended for their first home, with no property value cap. That is not a discount off a smaller bill, it is the whole duty removed, confirmed directly by RevenueSA's stamp duty relief page, browser-verified 15 July 2026.

The exemption does not extend to an established home at any price. Full duty applies there, the same as for any other buyer. The rate table and this rule are set out in full in the stamp duty South Australia guide.

The $15,000 First Home Owner Grant

Separate from the duty exemption is a cash grant. The $15,000 First Home Owner Grant (new homes only) is paid by RevenueSA to eligible first home buyers who buy or build a new home. Since June 2024 there is no property value cap on the grant. Its conditions are: Purchase or construction of a new home, off-the-plan apartment, substantially renovated home, or comprehensive building/owner-builder contract; not available for established homes. No property value cap for contracts entered into on or after 6 June 2024. Applicant (or spouse/domestic partner) must not currently or previously have held an interest in Australian residential property for contracts from 13 February 2025.

The exemption and the grant are eligibility-matched: both apply to a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, or a comprehensive building or owner-builder contract, and both exclude an established home. A first home buyer of an eligible new home can receive the duty exemption and the grant on the same purchase. Full conditions are on the RevenueSA First Home Owner Grant page.

Worked examples at four prices

Each duty figure below is computed from the current RevenueSA rates (browser-verified 15 July 2026):

Duty computed from the RevenueSA rate of stamp duty and the first home buyer relief rules (nil duty, no cap, for new homes / off-the-plan / vacant land; no relief for established homes), browser-verified 15 July 2026. Estimate only. Use the official RevenueSA calculator for a precise figure.

Deposit and shared-equity schemes

The savings above are South Australian rules on duty and the state grant. Two of the most-asked-about first home buyer supports are federal, not part of South Australia's duty or grant system, so this guide does not quote their figures (income and property price caps change, and they are set nationally, not by South Australia):

• The First Home Guarantee (the Australian Government low-deposit scheme) lets eligible buyers purchase with a smaller deposit without paying lenders mortgage insurance. Property price caps and eligibility are set federally and change, so check the current details at the official Australian Government first home buyers site rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere.
• The First Home Super Saver Scheme and shared-equity schemes are likewise federal. The same official site is the authoritative source for what is available and the current caps.

Who counts as a first home buyer

The duty exemption and the grant each have their own conditions, but the core eligibility rules, per RevenueSA, are broadly shared:

• You are at least 18, and (with your spouse or domestic partner) a natural person.
• You, or at least one applicant, are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen permanently residing in Australia on a Special Category visa.
• For contracts entered into on or after 13 February 2025, neither you nor your spouse or domestic partner has previously held a relevant interest in a residential property in Australia, even one you never lived in. This is a stricter rule than applied to contracts before that date.
• You live in the home as your principal place of residence for at least 6 continuous months, starting within 12 months of settlement (36 months for vacant land, measured from when you can lawfully occupy the completed home or from settlement, whichever is first).

You must include your spouse or domestic partner's details on your application even if they will not own an interest in the property, because their circumstances can affect your eligibility. Confirm your own eligibility with RevenueSA or your conveyancer before you sign.

How to claim

In most cases, the representative managing your settlement (your conveyancer or solicitor, or your lender if it is an approved agent) lodges the stamp duty relief application and the First Home Owner Grant application for you, though you can lodge either yourself through RevenueSA. Because the two benefits are separate applications with separate (though similar) eligibility tests, apply for both rather than assuming qualifying for one means you automatically get the other. If you did not claim duty relief at settlement, you can apply for a refund within 5 years of settlement.

Conveyancing Explained provides general information about property transactions in Australia. It is not legal advice and does not create a client relationship. For advice on your situation, engage a licensed conveyancer, settlement agent, or property solicitor in your state or territory.