WA First Home Owner Grant and Concessions for 2026

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title: WA First Home Owner Grant and Concessions for 2026 slug: wa-first-home-owner-grant-concessions-2026 description: A 2026 guide to Western Australian first home buyer support. Covers the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant, the First Home Owner Rate of Duty, Keystart Home Loans and how each stacks with federal schemes. author: Adam Gee folder: Schemes-and-Grants state: WA words: ~1800 status: Draft last_reviewed: 22 May 2026

WA First Home Owner Grant and Concessions for 2026

Western Australia runs four state-level first home buyer programs in 2026. The First Home Owner Grant pays $10,000 for new-build purchases. The First Home Owner Rate of Duty (FHOR) reduces or removes transfer duty on eligible purchases. Keystart Home Loans offers low-deposit lending without lenders mortgage insurance. The Home Buyers Assistance Account covers some of the buyer's settlement costs. AgentBridge breaks down what each scheme does, who qualifies and how the process runs through RevenueWA.

First Home Buyer Help Available in Western Australia in 2026

WA's four state-level programs cover four different needs. The First Home Owner Grant is a cash payment for new builds. The First Home Owner Rate of Duty is a transfer duty concession. Keystart Home Loans is a state-backed low-deposit lender. The Home Buyers Assistance Account is a smaller cash payment toward settlement costs for purchases under $400,000 made through a licensed real estate agent.

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 WA 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	$10,000	New build only	$750,000 south of 26th parallel (rising to $800,000 from 28 July 2026); $1,000,000 north of 26th parallel	Live in within 12 months, continuous for 6 months
First Home Owner Rate of Duty	Full exemption to $500,000; concessional rate to $700,000 (metro/Peel) or $750,000 (regional) — rising from 28 July 2026 to $600,000 exempt, $800,000 concession	New or established	See FHOR thresholds above (current from 21 March 2025; further increase from 28 July 2026)	Live in within 12 months
Keystart Home Loans	Low-deposit home loan, no lenders mortgage insurance	New or established	Confirm current caps with Keystart directly	Live in as principal place of residence
Home Buyers Assistance Account	Up to $2,000 toward settlement costs	Existing or partially built	$400,000	Live in as principal place of residence

The WA First Home Owner Grant — Amount Eligibility Property Type

The WA First Home Owner Grant pays $10,000 toward an eligible new home purchase or build. The grant covers newly built homes, off-the-plan apartments and substantially renovated homes that have not previously been occupied as a residence. Owner-builders qualify based on the date of foundation work.

Property value caps differ by location. Properties south of the 26th parallel (covering Perth, Geraldton and southern WA) attract the $750,000 cap, rising to $800,000 from 28 July 2026. Properties north of the 26th parallel (the Pilbara, Kimberley and northern WA) attract the higher $1,000,000 cap. Sources: RevenueWA; WA Government 2026-27 Housing Taxation Package announcement.

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 for 6 continuous months. Renting or selling before that triggers a clawback. Applications run through the buyer's lender (if an approved agent) or directly with RevenueWA.

WA First Home Buyer Stamp Duty Concession

The First Home Owner Rate of Duty (FHOR) is the bigger lever for most WA first home buyers. It removes transfer duty entirely below a lower threshold and applies a concessional rate above it, up to a higher cap where the concession phases out.

Current FHOR thresholds (from 21 March 2025): no duty on homes valued up to $500,000; concessional rate applies up to $700,000 in the Perth Metropolitan and Peel regions, or up to $750,000 outside those regions. For vacant land: no duty to $350,000; concession to $450,000. From 28 July 2026 (subject to legislation), thresholds rise to $600,000 exempt and $800,000 concession for homes, and $450,000 exempt / $550,000 concession for vacant land. Source: RevenueWA; WA Government 2026-27 Housing Taxation Package.

FHOR applies to both new and established homes. It can be claimed alongside the First Home Owner Grant on an eligible new-build purchase — the grant pays $10,000 in cash and FHOR removes or reduces transfer duty. The concession is applied at settlement by the buyer's settlement agent through the Office of State Revenue's online duty system.

For vacant land, a separate concessional rate applies under FHOR. The buyer must intend to build a home and meet a statutory build period.

Other WA-Specific Schemes

Keystart Home Loans is a state-owned non-bank lender that offers low-deposit home loans to eligible first home buyers and other priority categories. Keystart's signature product is the Low Deposit Home Loan, which allows eligible buyers to settle with a 2% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance.

Income caps, property value caps and other eligibility tests apply. Keystart sits outside the major banks and is not generally available to buyers who can access mainstream lending. For buyers who cannot quite meet the deposit or serviceability tests at a major bank, Keystart is often the difference between settling and not.

The Home Buyers Assistance Account pays up to $2,000 toward the buyer's settlement costs (legal fees, conveyancing, mortgage registration, settlement agent fees and similar). Eligibility is narrower — the property must be valued at or below $400,000, must be purchased through a licensed real estate agent, and the application must be lodged within 90 days of settlement.

The Keystart Aboriginal Home Loan and similar products serve specific cohorts. Eligibility runs separately from the mainstream FHOR and FHOG.

Stacking With Federal Schemes — Home Guarantee Help to Buy

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

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. Help to Buy and Keystart are separate programs and cannot be stacked — the buyer picks one or the other.

A typical WA first home buyer in 2026 stacks the First Home Owner Grant (for new builds), the FHOR transfer duty concession and one federal program. Buyers who cannot access mainstream lending use Keystart instead of the federal Home Guarantee. Buyers below the $400,000 cap can add the Home Buyers Assistance Account on top.

How to Apply and What You'll Need

Most WA first home buyer applications run through the buyer's settlement agent or licensed conveyancer at settlement. The settlement agent lodges the transfer duty paperwork (with FHOR applied) through the Office of State Revenue. The First Home Owner Grant application can be lodged with RevenueWA 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 occupancy
• For the Home Buyers Assistance Account, receipts for eligible settlement costs

Keystart applications run directly with Keystart through their broker network or directly via the Keystart website. The application includes a full credit and income assessment, the same as a mainstream loan application.

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

Common Disqualifications to Watch For

Prior property ownership is the most common disqualifier. The rule extends to a spouse or de facto partner.

The property cap is location-sensitive in WA — buyers near the 26th parallel should confirm which cap applies to their specific property. Exceeding the cap eliminates the First Home Owner Grant entirely rather than reducing it.

The owner-occupier rule requires 6 continuous months of occupancy. Defence postings, FIFO arrangements and similar patterns can complicate the test. RevenueWA does have discretion in genuine cases but the burden is on the applicant.

The Home Buyers Assistance Account requires the purchase to be made through a licensed real estate agent. Private sales and developer-direct sales do not qualify. The $400,000 cap is also strict — purchases above $400,000 receive no assistance, regardless of how marginal the difference.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim the First Home Owner Grant and FHOR together? Yes, for an eligible new-build purchase. The grant pays $10,000 cash and FHOR removes or reduces transfer duty.

Does the $1,000,000 cap apply to my Pilbara or Kimberley purchase? Yes. Properties north of the 26th parallel attract the higher cap. Confirm your specific location with your settlement agent before exchange.

Is Keystart only for buyers who cannot get a bank loan? Keystart is not means-tested in the strict sense, but eligibility is generally targeted at buyers who cannot quite meet the deposit or serviceability tests at a major bank. Buyers with strong borrowing capacity typically use a mainstream lender.

Can I use the Home Buyers Assistance Account for new builds? The Home Buyers Assistance Account covers existing or partially built homes purchased through a licensed real estate agent. Off-the-plan and brand-new builds through a builder may not qualify.

Do I have to use a settlement agent or can I do it myself? WA property settlements run through licensed settlement agents. Self-conveyancing is technically permitted but is uncommon and not recommended.

Related Resources

• AgentBridge — The Complete Australian Guide to First Home Buyer Schemes in 2026
• AgentBridge — How to Buy Property in Western Australia — The Full Process for 2026
• AgentBridge — WA Transfer Duty Explained — Rates Concessions and How to Calculate It
• RevenueWA — First Home Owner Grant

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Last reviewed: 22 May 2026. Scheme details change frequently. Confirm current thresholds with RevenueWA or your settlement agent 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.