Stamp duty in Victoria: how land transfer duty works
In Victoria, stamp duty is officially called land transfer duty. It is the same thing, and for most buyers it is the single largest cost of a purchase. What you pay depends on the price, whether you will live in the property, and whether you are a first home buyer. This guide sets out both rate tables, the calculator, the $550,000 owner-occupier cliff, and the first home buyer exemption, all computed from the current State Revenue Office Victoria rates.
What land transfer duty is
Land transfer duty is a State Government tax on the transfer of property, administered by the State Revenue Office Victoria and set under Victoria's duties legislation. Most people call it stamp duty, and the two terms mean the same tax. It applies when you buy a house, unit, or vacant land, and is calculated on the greater of the contract price or the property's market value.
Unlike New South Wales, Victoria charges two different rates depending on how you will use the property. An owner-occupier buying a home to live in can qualify for the lower principal place of residence (PPR) rate on properties up to $550,000, while an investor, or anyone buying above $550,000, pays the higher general rate. Both tables are set out below.
Who pays land transfer duty and when
The buyer pays land transfer 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.
Duty must be paid before the transfer of title can be registered with Land Services Victoria, so in practice it is settled at or before settlement. Your conveyancer or lawyer lodges the duty assessment (usually electronically through the settlement platform) and makes sure it is paid on time, along with any first home buyer exemption or concession you are entitled to.
Victorian land transfer duty calculator
Enter your purchase price and buyer type for an indicative amount. Choose "Owner-occupier (principal place of residence)" to see the lower PPR rate, or a first home buyer option to see the exemption or concession applied.
Rates sourced from the State Revenue Office Victoria general rates and principal place of residence rates, verified 13 July 2026. Estimate only, not a formal assessment. Use the official State Revenue Office calculator for a precise figure.
General (standard) rate table
The general rate applies to investors, to anyone buying a property they will not live in, and to every owner-occupier buying above $550,000. It applies for contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2021.
| Dutiable value | Land transfer duty |
|---|---|
| $0 to $25,000 | $1.40 per $100 (or part) |
| $25,001 to $130,000 | $350 + $2.40 per $100 over $25,000 |
| $130,001 to $960,000 | $2,870 + $6.00 per $100 over $130,000 |
| $960,001 to $2,000,000 | $52,800 + $5.50 per $100 over $960,000 |
| Over $2,000,000 | $110,000 + $6.50 per $100 over $2,000,000 |
Source: State Revenue Office Victoria, general (non-PPR) current rates, verified 13 July 2026. The $960,001 to $2,000,000 band is charged as a flat 5.5% of the whole dutiable value; a premium 6.5% applies above $2,000,000.
Principal place of residence (owner-occupier) rate table
The PPR rate is available to any buyer who will live in the property as their main home, first home buyer or not, for a dutiable value up to and including $550,000. Above $550,000 the PPR rate does not exist at all, and the general rate above applies instead.
| Dutiable value | Land transfer duty (PPR) |
|---|---|
| $0 to $25,000 | $1.40 per $100 (or part) |
| $25,001 to $130,000 | $350 + $2.40 per $100 over $25,000 |
| $130,001 to $440,000 | $2,870 + $5.00 per $100 over $130,000 |
| $440,001 to $550,000 | $18,370 + $6.00 per $100 over $440,000 |
| More than $550,000 | PPR rate does not apply; use the general rate above |
Source: State Revenue Office Victoria, principal place of residence current rates, verified 13 July 2026. The $550,000 upper bound is inclusive: a dutiable value of exactly $550,000 still gets the PPR rate.
The $550,000 owner-occupier cliff
This is the part that catches Victorian owner-occupiers by surprise, so it is worth stating plainly. The principal place of residence concession applies right up to and including $550,000, then stops completely. It does not taper.
- An owner-occupier buying at exactly $550,000 pays the PPR rate of $24,970.
- An owner-occupier buying at $550,001, one dollar more, pays the general rate of $28,070.
- That one dollar of extra price costs about $3,100 in extra duty, because the whole concession is lost, not just the portion above $550,000.
In other words, at the exact $550,000 boundary the general rate ($28,070) is $3,100 higher than the PPR rate ($24,970), and buying just above $550,000 pushes you onto that higher rate for the entire purchase. If you are an owner-occupier negotiating near this figure, the difference between $550,000 and $551,000 is far larger than $1,000 in real money. This is a genuine feature of the Victorian rules, confirmed against the official State Revenue Office calculator, not a rounding quirk.
First home buyer exemption and concession
Separate from the PPR rate, eligible first home buyers get their own, more generous treatment:
- Full exemption: no land transfer duty at all on a home valued at $600,000 or less.
- Concession: a reduced amount on a home valued above $600,000 and below $750,000, phasing out to full duty at $750,000.
- No concession: full duty on a home valued at $750,000 or more.
The exemption and concession apply to a new or established home, or to vacant land you will build on. To be eligible you must occupy the home within 12 months of settlement (up to 36 months for some vacant land) and live there for at least 12 months. Full eligibility rules are on the State Revenue Office Victoria website, which also administers the separate $10,000 First Home Owner Grant for a new home valued up to $750,000.
Pensioner and other concessions
Victoria has some further duty concessions, including a pensioner and concession-cardholder duty reduction and off-the-plan concessions. This guide does not set out their thresholds, because they turn on eligibility rules that change, so check current details directly with the State Revenue Office Victoria before relying on them. Do not assume you qualify without confirming.
Worked examples
Each figure below is computed from the rate tables above, at the current rates verified on 13 July 2026:
- Owner-occupier at $500,000: $21,970 at the PPR rate, versus $25,070 at the general rate, a saving of $3,100.
- First home buyer at $600,000: nil. No land transfer duty is payable.
- First home buyer at $650,000: about $11,357, under the phasing concession, versus $34,070 at the general rate.
- Standard buyer at $750,000: $40,070 (at $750,000 the first home buyer concession has fully phased out, so an eligible first home buyer pays the same here).
- Standard buyer at $1,000,000: $55,000, charged as a flat 5.5% of the whole value in that band.
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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.