Stamp duty in South Australia: new homes pay $0, established homes pay full rate
In South Australia, stamp duty is the single largest cost of most property purchases, and it is the same for owner-occupiers and investors alike: unlike Victoria or New South Wales, South Australia has no separate lower rate for someone who will live in the property. The one thing that genuinely changes what you pay is first home buyer status, and it works as an all-or-nothing switch tied to whether the home is new or established, not a sliding scale. This guide sets out the rate table, the calculator, and exactly how that switch works.
What stamp duty is
Stamp duty is a State Government tax on the conveyance (transfer) of land, administered by RevenueSA and set under the Stamp Duties Act 1923 (SA). It applies when you buy a house, unit, or vacant land, and is calculated on the value of the property conveyed.
South Australia's rate table is a single, graduated schedule that applies to every buyer. Unlike Victoria (which has a separate principal place of residence rate) or the states with sliding first home buyer concessions, South Australia's only variation from the standard table is a binary first home buyer exemption, covered below.
Who pays stamp duty and when
The buyer pays stamp duty, not the seller. It is a cost on top of the purchase price, and for most residential buyers it is the largest single transaction cost. Stamp duty becomes payable at settlement, when the property transfers to your name, and your conveyancer lodges the assessment (usually electronically) and makes sure it is paid on time, along with any first home buyer relief you are entitled to.
South Australian stamp duty calculator
Enter your purchase price and buyer type for an indicative amount. Because South Australia has no owner-occupier rate, the "Owner-occupier" option is not offered here; choose "First home buyer (established home)" to see why relief does not apply, or "First home buyer (vacant land)" to see the full exemption. The same full exemption applies to a new home or an off-the-plan apartment, which the calculator does not list as a separate option, so treat the vacant land result as your answer for those too.
Rates sourced from RevenueSA's rate of stamp duty, browser-verified 15 July 2026 (the page 403-blocks automated fetching but loads normally in a browser). Estimate only, not a formal assessment. Use the official RevenueSA calculator for a precise figure.
The standard rate table
This single table applies to every buyer in South Australia, whether you will live in the property or not, unless first home buyer relief applies (see below).
| Value of the property conveyed | Stamp duty |
|---|---|
| $0 to $12,000 | $1.00 per $100 (or part) |
| $12,001 to $30,000 | $120 + $2.00 per $100 over $12,000 |
| $30,001 to $50,000 | $480 + $3.00 per $100 over $30,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $1,080 + $3.50 per $100 over $50,000 |
| $100,001 to $200,000 | $2,830 + $4.00 per $100 over $100,000 |
| $200,001 to $250,000 | $6,830 + $4.25 per $100 over $200,000 |
| $250,001 to $300,000 | $8,955 + $4.75 per $100 over $250,000 |
| $300,001 to $500,000 | $11,330 + $5.00 per $100 over $300,000 |
| Over $500,000 | $21,330 + $5.50 per $100 over $500,000 |
Source: RevenueSA, rate of stamp duty, browser-verified 15 July 2026, matching the official table exactly (top bracket: $21,330 plus 5.5% of the amount over $500,000).
Why there is no owner-occupier rate
If you have researched stamp duty in another state, you may expect a lower rate for buying a home to live in. South Australia does not have one. An owner-occupier and an investor buying the same property at the same price pay exactly the same duty from the table above. The only lever that changes what you pay in South Australia is first home buyer status, and even then only for certain kinds of property. Do not assume an owner-occupier discount exists here the way it does in Victoria; it does not.
The new-versus-established switch for first home buyers
This is the part that catches South Australian first home buyers by surprise, so it is worth stating plainly. Stamp duty relief for an eligible first home buyer is not a sliding concession that shrinks as the price rises, and it does not depend on the price at all. It depends entirely on what kind of home you are buying:
- New home, off-the-plan apartment, or vacant land to build on: for contracts entered into on or after 13 February 2025, an eligible first home buyer pays no stamp duty at all, with no property value cap. At $650,000, that is $0 rather than the standard $29,580.
- Established (previously lived-in) home: there is no relief of any kind. An eligible first home buyer of an established home at $500,000 pays the full standard duty of $21,330, exactly the same as any other buyer.
In other words, buying an identical-value established home instead of a new one does not shrink your duty bill, it removes the exemption entirely. This is confirmed directly by RevenueSA's stamp duty relief page, browser-verified 15 July 2026: relief applies to a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, or vacant land you intend to build your first home on, and nowhere does it extend to an established home. If you are choosing between a new-build and an established property as a first home buyer, this single fact can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, and it deserves its own detailed treatment in the first home buyer South Australia guide.
To be eligible at all, you must be at least 18, an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, not have previously held an interest in Australian residential property (for contracts from 13 February 2025), and 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).
Other concessions
South Australia also has a Seniors Downsizing stamp duty relief for eligible older buyers downsizing to a new home. This guide does not set out its thresholds, because eligibility rules change, so check current details directly with RevenueSA before relying on them. Do not assume you qualify without confirming.
Worked examples
Each figure below is computed from the rate table above, at the current rates browser-verified on 15 July 2026:
| Purchase price | Standard duty | First home buyer, new home / off-the-plan / vacant land | First home buyer, established home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $21,330 | Nil | $21,330 (no relief) |
| $650,000 | $29,580 | Nil | $29,580 (no relief) |
| $750,000 | $35,080 | Nil | $35,080 (no relief) |
| $1,000,000 | $48,830 | Nil | $48,830 (no relief) |
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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.