Queensland First Home Concession and Grants for 2026

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title: Queensland First Home Concession and Grants for 2026 slug: queensland-first-home-concession-grants-2026 description: A 2026 guide to Queensland first home buyer support. Covers the $30,000 First Home Owner Grant, the First Home Concession on transfer duty, the First Home Vacant Land Concession and how each stacks with federal schemes. author: Adam Gee folder: Schemes-and-Grants state: QLD words: ~1800 status: Draft last_reviewed: 22 May 2026

Queensland First Home Concession and Grants for 2026

Queensland runs the most generous state-level first home owner grant in the country at $30,000, paired with a transfer duty concession that wipes out duty on most purchases under $700,000. The $30,000 grant applies to eligible contracts signed up to 30 June 2026, after which the amount steps back to $15,000. AgentBridge breaks down what each scheme does, who qualifies and how the process runs through the Queensland Revenue Office.

First Home Buyer Help Available in Queensland in 2026

Queensland's three state-level programs in 2026 are the First Home Owner Grant, the First Home Concession on transfer duty and the First Home Vacant Land Concession. All three are administered by the Queensland Revenue Office (QRO). The grant covers new builds only, while the concessions apply to both new and established purchases.

Federal programs sit on top. The Home Guarantee Scheme allows eligible buyers to settle with a 5% deposit and avoid lenders mortgage insurance. Help to Buy adds a federal shared equity option from 2026. Most Queensland first home buyers can stack at least one federal program with one or two state programs.

At a Glance

Scheme	Amount	Property Type	Value Cap	Owner-Occupier Requirement
First Home Owner Grant	$30,000 (to 30 June 2026), $15,000 thereafter	New build only	Under $750,000	Live in within 12 months, continuous for 6 months
First Home Concession (transfer duty)	Up to $24,525 saving, $0 duty under $700,000	New or established	Under $800,000	Live in within 12 months, daily occupancy
First Home Vacant Land Concession	Full duty concession (nil duty)	Vacant land	No value cap (from 1 May 2025)	Build one home and occupy within 2 years of settlement

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant — Amount Eligibility Property Type

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant pays $30,000 toward an eligible new home purchase or build where the contract is signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2026. Contracts signed before 20 November 2023 attract the previous $15,000 grant. Contracts signed from 1 July 2026 onward revert to $15,000 — confirm the extension status with QRO at publish, since previous deadlines have been extended.

The home must be valued under $750,000 (including land and any contract variations). Eligible properties include newly built homes, off-the-plan apartments and substantially renovated homes that have not previously been occupied as a residence. For owner-builders, the grant amount is based on the date the foundations are laid rather than the contract date.

Eligibility runs along familiar lines. Applicants must be at least 18, an Australian citizen or permanent resident (joint applicants need at least one to qualify), and neither applicant nor a spouse can have previously owned residential property in Australia or received a first home owner grant.

The owner-occupier requirement applies. Buyers must move in within 12 months of completion and live there as a principal place of residence on a daily basis for 6 continuous months. Renting out the property before that triggers a clawback.

Queensland First Home Buyer Stamp Duty Concession

The First Home Concession reduces or eliminates transfer duty on an eligible first home purchase. The threshold lifted on 9 June 2024 — homes valued under $700,000 attract no duty, and the concession tapers out at $800,000. The maximum saving is $24,525 according to QRO published examples.

Worked examples from QRO:

• $650,000 home: $0 duty
• $700,000 home: $0 duty
• $730,000 home: $6,555 duty
• $799,999 home: concession applies, duty above zero but below standard
• $850,000 home: full duty payable (concession threshold exceeded)

The concession applies to both new and established homes. It runs alongside the First Home Owner Grant rather than instead of it — an eligible new-build buyer under $700,000 can claim the $30,000 grant and pay no transfer duty. For established homes over $700,000 but under $800,000, the concession is the only state program available.

Eligibility largely tracks the First Home Owner Grant. Buyers must be at least 18, must not have previously held an interest in another residence anywhere in the world, and must move in within 1 year of transfer and live there on a daily basis. Selling or leasing before occupancy triggers reassessment.

For homes valued $700,001 to $799,999, an additional rule applies — the buyer must pay market value for the property. Discounted family transfers do not qualify in this band.

Other Queensland-Specific Schemes

The First Home Vacant Land Concession applies to first home buyers purchasing vacant land on which they intend to build their first home. The concession reduces or eliminates duty on the land purchase, subject to a property value cap and a statutory period within which the home must be built and occupied.

From 1 May 2025, there is no value cap on the First Home Vacant Land Concession. Full transfer duty concession applies to all eligible residential vacant land, regardless of price. Source: Queensland Revenue Office. The buyer must build one home, move in as principal place of residence and occupy continuously for the statutory period. The home must be built and occupied within 2 years of settlement. Failure to build within the required window triggers reassessment of duty at the standard rate.

The First Home Vacant Land Concession cannot be combined with the First Home Concession on a later home purchase — the buyer can claim one or the other across the lifetime, not both. Buyers planning house-and-land or vacant-land-then-build should think carefully about which concession to claim.

The Queensland Housing Finance Loan administered through Queensland Treasury Corporation offers low-deposit home loans to eligible buyers who cannot access mainstream lending. Income tests and property value caps apply.

Stacking With Federal Schemes — Home Guarantee Help to Buy

The federal Home Guarantee Scheme works alongside the Queensland schemes. Eligible first home buyers can settle with a 5% deposit and avoid lenders mortgage insurance. Property price caps apply by location. Brisbane and Gold Coast caps sit higher than caps for regional Queensland postcodes.

Help to Buy adds a federal shared equity option from 2026. The Commonwealth takes up to 30% (established) or 40% (new) equity in exchange for reducing the buyer's loan size. Eligibility tests differ from the Queensland First Home Concession.

A typical Queensland first home buyer in 2026 stacks:

• First Home Owner Grant ($30,000) for new builds under $750,000
• First Home Concession ($0 duty up to $700,000, sliding to $800,000)
• Federal Home Guarantee or Help to Buy (5% deposit, no lenders mortgage insurance)

For a new-build buyer at $650,000, the combined value of state and federal support runs well above $30,000 in cash plus the duty saving plus the deposit benefit.

How to Apply and What You'll Need

Most Queensland first home buyer applications run through the buyer's conveyancer or solicitor at settlement. The conveyancer lodges the transfer duty paperwork (with the concession applied) through QRO's lodgement system. The First Home Owner Grant application can be lodged with QRO directly or via the buyer's lender if the lender is an approved agent.

Applicants should expect to provide:

• Proof of identity (driver's licence, passport)
• Proof of Australian citizenship or permanent residency
• Contract of sale or building contract
• Evidence of consideration paid (deposit receipts)
• Statutory declaration confirming first home buyer status
• For new-build grants, a certificate of classification or occupancy

Federal Home Guarantee applications run separately through participating lenders. Place caps fill quickly, particularly at the start of the financial year on 1 July.

Timing the contract date matters in 2026. Contracts signed up to 30 June 2026 qualify for the $30,000 grant; contracts signed from 1 July 2026 step back to $15,000 unless QRO announces a further extension. The grant amount turns on contract date, not settlement date. Buyers should confirm timing with their conveyancer well before exchange.

Common Disqualifications to Watch For

Prior property ownership is the most common disqualifier — including investment property held briefly, inherited shares anywhere in the world (the QRO rule is global, not just Australian), or off-the-plan purchases that never settled. The same rule applies to a spouse or de facto partner.

The owner-occupier requirement in Queensland refers to "daily" occupancy, which the QRO interprets strictly. Buyers who spend most of their time at a second address (work posting, fly-in fly-out arrangement) risk a finding that the property is not their principal place of residence.

Exceeding the $750,000 cap on the First Home Owner Grant or $800,000 cap on the First Home Concession eliminates eligibility entirely. Buyers near the caps should be careful with contract variations, upgrades and similar items that push the total over the threshold.

For new builds, the home must be genuinely new or substantially renovated. Cosmetic renovations do not qualify.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the $30,000 grant going to be extended past 30 June 2026? The grant amount is currently $30,000 for contracts signed up to 30 June 2026. Previous deadlines have been extended. Confirm the extension status with QRO before exchange — the amount turns on contract date, not settlement date.

Can I claim both the First Home Owner Grant and the First Home Concession? Yes, for an eligible new-build purchase below $700,000. The grant pays $30,000 cash and the concession removes the transfer duty entirely.

What is the difference between the First Home Concession and the First Home Vacant Land Concession? The First Home Concession applies to a purchase of an existing or new home. The First Home Vacant Land Concession applies to a purchase of vacant land on which you intend to build. A buyer can claim one or the other across the lifetime, not both.

Do I have to live in the home on a daily basis? Yes. The QRO requirement is principal place of residence on a daily basis. Fly-in fly-out arrangements, second-home use and similar patterns may not meet the test.

Can I claim the concession if I'm buying with my parents or a partner who has owned before? No. The rule extends to a spouse or de facto partner even if they are not on the contract. Co-purchases with a parent who has owned before disqualify the entire claim.

Related Resources

• AgentBridge — The Complete Australian Guide to First Home Buyer Schemes in 2026
• AgentBridge — How to Buy Property in Queensland — The Full Process for 2026
• AgentBridge — Queensland Transfer Duty Explained — Rates Concessions and How to Calculate It
• Queensland Revenue Office — First Home Concession

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Last reviewed: 22 May 2026. Scheme details change frequently. Confirm current thresholds with the Queensland Revenue Office or your conveyancer before exchange. The $30,000 grant amount applies to contracts to 30 June 2026 — confirm the extension status before exchange. This article is general information only and is not personal financial product advice. Speak to a licensed adviser before making decisions that affect your financial position.