ACT Stamp Duty Explained: Rates, Concessions and How to Calculate It

The ACT has been gradually phasing out conveyance duty for the last decade as part of a long-term tax reform program, replacing duty revenue with broader-based general rates. Two parallel duty schedules apply in 2026: a lower owner-occupier rate and a higher non-owner-occupier rate. The Home Buyer Concession Scheme delivers full or partial duty relief for eligible buyers within an income and property value cap, and a separate off-the-plan unit duty exemption applies to owner-occupier apartment purchases. This guide walks through the 2025-26 schedule, the concessions and how the calculation actually works.

AgentBridge publishes this for buyers and developers active in Canberra who need an accurate duty figure for budgeting. Figures are sourced directly from the ACT Revenue Office and current as at 22 May 2026.

What Stamp Duty Is in the ACT

Conveyance duty (the formal name in the ACT) is a territory tax on the dutiable value of a property transfer. The dutiable value is the higher of the consideration paid or the unencumbered market value of the property. The ACT Revenue Office administers the tax under the Duties Act 1999.

The buyer pays the duty. Under the ACT's barrier-free model, duty is paid at the end of the transaction rather than at exchange: the transfer is lodged for registration after settlement, the ACT Revenue Office then issues a Notice of Assessment, and payment is due within 14 days.

The ACT operates 2 separate rate schedules for non-commercial property. An eligible owner-occupier rate applies to buyers who will occupy the property as their principal place of residence. A non-owner-occupier rate (higher) applies to investment property and to any other residential or rural purchase that is not an eligible owner-occupier transaction. Commercial property is not taxed under either schedule: it has its own separate commercial rate table (refer below).

The 2026 ACT Stamp Duty Rate Schedule

Two schedules apply for non-commercial property. Both took effect on 1 July 2025.

Eligible Owner-Occupier Rate. Applies to buyers acquiring the property as their principal place of residence (regardless of first home buyer status), with transactions up to $1,455,000 receiving the concessional rate structure.

Non-Owner-Occupier Rate. Applies to investment property and non-eligible purchases.

The flat rate band above $1,455,000 is unusual: it applies $4.54 per $100 to the total dutiable value, not just the amount over the threshold. This produces a small reduction in marginal duty at the top end as part of the ACT's reform program.

Commercial Rate. Property used wholly or partly for commercial purposes (industrial, business or retail use, including mixed-use buildings) is assessed under a separate commercial table, not the non-owner-occupier schedule. For transactions from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026:

Worked Example: Calculating Duty on a $750k and $1.5M Purchase

Two worked examples show how the bracket method works in practice.

Example 1. $750,000 owner-occupied home in Belconnen.

Using the eligible owner-occupier rate, the $750,000 purchase sits at the top of the $500,001 to $750,000 bracket. Duty is $8,408 plus $4.32 per $100 over $500,000.

The amount over $500,000 is $250,000. At $4.32 per $100 the variable component is $10,800. Total duty payable is $8,408 plus $10,800, or $19,208.

This sits well below the Home Buyer Concession Scheme cap of $1,020,000 (refer below), so an eligible HBCS applicant would pay $0 duty.

Example 2. $1,500,000 investment apartment in Inner North.

Using the non-owner-occupier rate, the $1,500,000 purchase sits above the $1,455,000 threshold, so the flat $4.54 per $100 rate applies to the total dutiable value.

$4.54 per $100 on $1,500,000 is $68,100. Total duty payable is $68,100.

The ACT does not impose a separate foreign purchaser surcharge, so no additional duty applies to a foreign buyer at this price. Refer below.

First Home Buyer Concession or Exemption: Who Qualifies and What You Get

The ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) delivers full or partial duty relief based on the buyer's household income and the property value. It is not limited to first home buyers, but recipients cannot have owned residential property in the previous 5 years.

Property value caps (from 1 July 2025).

• Full duty exemption for dutiable values up to $1,020,000.
• Partial concession for dutiable values above $1,020,000, capped at a maximum benefit of $35,238.

Household income tests. For transactions from 1 July 2024, the combined assessed taxable income of all buyers and their domestic partners must not exceed $250,000 with no dependent children, rising to $254,600 (1 child), $259,200 (2), $263,800 (3), $268,400 (4) and $273,000 (5 or more). Income is taken from the ATO notice of assessment for the financial year before the transaction date. Confirm current income caps with the ACT Revenue Office before relying on the scheme.

To qualify, all buyers must be individuals aged 18 or over (not a company, trust or partnership), and no applicant (or their domestic partner) can have owned residential property in Australia in the 5 years prior to the contract date. At least one applicant must occupy the property as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of 1 year, commencing within 12 months of settlement.

Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme (PDCS). Eligible pensioners receive a similar concession, and a separate Disability Duty Concession Scheme applies to eligible NDIS participants. Property value cap is also $1,020,000 (full exemption) with partial concession above. Specific eligibility tests apply.

Off-the-Plan Unit Duty Exemption

A specific exemption applies to off-the-plan owner-occupier purchases of unit-titled apartments and townhouses. For contracts exchanged on or after 1 July 2025, eligible owner-occupier off-the-plan purchases attract no duty for dutiable values up to $1,020,000. Above that threshold, standard owner-occupier duty applies on the full value (no concession).

To qualify, the property must be a unit-titled apartment or townhouse bought under an off-the-plan contract, all buyers must be individuals (not a company, trust or partnership), and at least one buyer must own and live in the property as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of 1 year commencing within 12 months of completion (settlement) of the off-the-plan agreement.

The off-the-plan unit exemption is generally more favourable than the HBCS for eligible buyers because it has no household income test and no 5-year prior-ownership test.

Foreign Purchaser Surcharge

The ACT does not currently impose a foreign purchaser duty surcharge. This is one of only 2 Australian jurisdictions (alongside the Northern Territory) without a residential property surcharge for foreign buyers.

Foreign buyers acquiring residential property in the ACT still need Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval and pay FIRB application fees, but no additional state or territory duty applies.

Other Concessions Worth Knowing

Several other conveyance duty concessions and exemptions exist in the ACT.

Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme. Detailed above.

Disability Duty Concession Scheme. Eligible NDIS participants receive a concession on the same value thresholds as the HBCS (full concession up to $1,020,000 from 1 July 2025, partial above).

Spousal and de facto transfers. Transfers of an interest in a principal place of residence between spouses or domestic partners are generally exempt, subject to specific occupation and ownership conditions.

Family Court and binding financial agreement transfers. Transfers ordered by a court or under a binding financial agreement following separation are exempt.

Deceased estate transfers. Transfers to a beneficiary, executor or administrator made in conformity with the will, probate or letters of administration are exempt from duty.

Crown lease transactions. The ACT operates a leasehold land system rather than freehold. Conveyance duty applies to transactions on Crown leases on the same basis as freehold transfers in other states.

How and When You Pay

Conveyance duty in the ACT is assessed by the ACT Revenue Office after the transfer is registered. Before lodging, the buyer (or their conveyancer) completes a Buyer Verification Declaration, which is also where any owner-occupier rate, concession or exemption code is claimed.

After settlement, the buyer has 14 days to lodge the transfer for title registration with Access Canberra. Once the title is registered, the ACT Revenue Office emails a Notice of Assessment showing the duty payable.

Payment is due within 14 days of the Notice of Assessment, by BPAY or electronic funds transfer. Late lodgement can attract penalty tax, and late payment attracts interest. Payment plans are not offered for conveyance duty.

Speak to a licensed conveyancer for advice on timing and any concessions that may apply to your specific purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme cap in 2026? The HBCS provides a full duty exemption for properties up to $1,020,000 (effective 1 July 2025), with a partial concession above that capped at a maximum benefit of $35,238. Buyers must meet income tests and cannot have owned residential property in the previous 5 years.

Does the ACT have a foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge? No. The ACT does not currently impose a foreign purchaser duty surcharge. Foreign buyers still need FIRB approval and pay FIRB fees, but no additional territory duty applies.

Are off-the-plan apartments exempt from stamp duty in the ACT? Yes, for eligible owner-occupier buyers. Off-the-plan unit-titled apartments and townhouses with a dutiable value up to $1,020,000 attract no duty for contracts exchanged on or after 1 July 2025, provided the buyer meets the occupation, residency and prior-ownership tests.

How is the ACT phasing out conveyance duty? The ACT has been gradually reducing duty rates and shifting revenue to broader-based general rates since 2012. The current schedule reflects approximately a decade of marginal rate reductions across most brackets. The Government has signalled the continued phase-out as fiscal conditions allow.

Does the ACT have a pensioner stamp duty concession? Yes. The Pensioner Duty Concession Scheme (PDCS) provides a duty exemption for eligible pensioners on properties up to $1,020,000 (effective 1 July 2025), with partial concession above. Specific age, pension, and ownership tests apply.

Related Resources

• Australian Stamp Duty Explained State by State: AgentBridge national pillar on transfer duty across all 8 states and territories.
• How to Buy Property in the Australian Capital Territory: the full ACT purchase process from offer to settlement.
• ACT Home Buyer Concession Scheme and Grants for 2026: companion guide to the HBCS and the wider ACT home buyer support landscape.

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Figures sourced from the ACT Revenue Office. This article is general information only and does not constitute financial product advice. Confirm current rates and your eligibility directly with the ACT Revenue Office or a licensed conveyancer before signing any contract.