Quick answer: the five most useful federal and state programs in 2026
If you're skimming, here are the highest-leverage schemes right now. The details and state-by-state rules are below.
Federal schemes (apply nationwide)
These are run by Housing Australia (formerly the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation) and the ATO. They sit on top of any state grant or concession.
| Scheme | What you get | Who qualifies | Income / price caps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% Deposit Scheme (formerly First Home Guarantee) | 5% deposit, no LMI. Government guarantees the next 15% of the property value to the lender. | First home buyer (or not owned in last 10 years). Australian citizen or permanent resident. 18+. Owner-occupier. | No income cap since 1 October 2025. Price caps vary by state (NSW up to $1.5M, NT $600K). |
| Help to Buy (shared equity) | Government co-owns up to 40% (new home) or 30% (existing home). You save 2% deposit. | First home buyer OR previous owner who does not currently own property. Australian citizen. Owner-occupier. | Income caps: $103K single / $165K joint or single parent. Price caps vary by state from $600K (NT) to $1.3M (NSW). |
| Family Home Guarantee | 2% deposit, no LMI. Government guarantees the next 18% of property value. | Single parent or guardian with at least one dependent child. Not required to be a first home buyer, but must not currently own property. | No separate income cap (uses 5% scheme price caps). Limited places annually. |
| First Home Super Saver | Withdraw up to $50,000 per person ($100,000 couple) of voluntary super contributions + earnings for a deposit. Taxed at 15% instead of your marginal rate. | Australian citizen or permanent resident. Never owned property (or regained first home buyer status). Must occupy as PPR within 12 months. | Contribution caps: $30K/year concessional, $120K/year non-concessional. |
State-by-state snapshot (current as of 5 October 2026)
The visual below shows first home buyer support at a glance. The table below it is the single most up-to-date comparison of every state's first home buyer grant (FHOG), stamp duty exemption, and any state-level lender or shared-equity program.
| State | FHOG (cash grant) | Stamp duty exemption | Property cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $10,000 new homes ≤$600K (or house & land ≤$750K) | Full ≤$800K (home) / ≤$350K (land). Concession to $1M / $450K. | $800K full; $1M concessional | Established and new homes both qualify for duty relief. Vacant land lower thresholds. |
| VIC | $10,000 new homes ≤$750K | Full ≤$600K, sliding to $750K (home only, PPR) | $600K full; $750K concessional | PPR (owner-occupier) only. Off-the-plan concession expanded to all buyers until 20 October 2026. |
| QLD EXTENDED | $30,000 new homes ≤$750K No end date | $0 duty on new homes & vacant land at any price. Established: full ≤$700K, sliding to $800K. | New: no cap. Established: $700K full / $800K sliding | QLD $30K FHOG extended in 2026-27 QLD Budget. From 1 August 2026: citizenship/PR test for each purchaser. |
| WA | $10,000 new homes ≤$800K (south of 26th parallel) or ≤$1M (north) | Full ≤$600K, sliding to $800K statewide (from 7 May 2026) | $600K full; $800K concessional | Keystart government-backed lender: as low as 2% deposit, no LMI. Income caps $155K single / $228K couple (Apr 2026). |
| SA | $15,000 new homes (no cap since 6 June 2024) | $0 duty on new homes & vacant land at any price (since 6 June 2024) | New: no cap. Established: no relief. | HomeStart government-backed lender. SA removed established-home relief in June 2023. Spouse ownership history counts since 13 Feb 2025. |
| TAS CHANGED | $30,000 until 30 Jun 2026. $20,000 from 1 Jul 2026 (12 months). | New homes only exempt at any price. Established exemption expired 30 Jun 2026 | New: no cap | Established-home exemption not extended in May 2026 state budget. From 1 July 2026, established buyers pay full general duty. |
| ACT NEW | No cash FHOG (abolished in 2019) | $0 duty at any price and any income from 1 July 2026 | No cap from 1 Jul 2026 | ACT abolished stamp duty for all FHB at any price and any income. Australia's first jurisdiction to do so. |
| NT | $50,000 HomeGrown Territory Grant (new home, contracts before 30 Sep 2026) + $30K FreshStart + $12K Build Bonus | No first home buyer stamp duty concession (House & Land Package Exemption to 30 Jun 2027) | No FHB duty concession | NT replaced its FHB duty concession with cash grants. House & land package exemption runs to 30 June 2027. |
Sources: Housing Australia, Revenue NSW, SRO Victoria, Queensland Revenue Office, RevenueWA, RevenueSA, State Revenue Office Tasmania, ACT Revenue Office, NT Department of Treasury and Finance, ATO — First Home Super Saver.
What changed in 2026 (and what to watch)
Three state-level changes and one federal expansion are worth your attention right now.
1. The ACT abolished stamp duty for all first home buyers (1 July 2026)
The ACT scrapped both the $1,020,000 property price cap and the $250,000 income cap from its Home Buyer Concession Scheme. From 1 July 2026, any first home buyer in the ACT — at any income, on any property — pays zero conveyance duty. This is the first jurisdiction in Australia to eliminate stamp duty entirely for first home buyers.
2. QLD's $30,000 FHOG was extended (no replacement end date)
The QLD $30,000 First Home Owner Grant was originally set to revert to $15,000 from 1 July 2026. The 2026-27 QLD Budget extended it. Current QLD Revenue Office guidance lists $30,000 for eligible contracts signed from 20 November 2023 with no replacement end date. Articles published before the budget often say otherwise.
3. Tasmania's established-home exemption expired (30 June 2026)
The 100% transfer duty exemption on established homes with a dutiable value up to $750,000 applied to transactions settling between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026. It was not extended in the May 2026 state budget. From 1 July 2026, first home buyers of established homes in Tasmania pay the full general duty scale. The TAS FHOG also dropped from $30,000 to $20,000 for new homes from 1 July 2026 for 12 months.
5. WA raised thresholds on 7 May 2026
The 2026-27 WA State Budget lifted the first home buyer transfer duty exemption from $500K to $600K statewide, and the concession ceiling from $700-750K to $800K. Vacant land exemption rose from $350K to $450K. The geographic distinction between Perth/Peel and regional was removed.
6. Federal: 5% Deposit Scheme expanded on 1 October 2025
No income cap, uncapped places, and price caps lifted. This is the dominant federal pathway and the one most first home buyers will plan around.
How to use these schemes together (the stacking rules)
Most of these programs can be combined, but with limits:
- 5% Deposit Scheme + state FHOG + state stamp duty exemption + FHSS — the cleanest stack. The 5% scheme waives LMI; the FHOG puts cash in your pocket; the duty exemption cuts the upfront; FHSS adds tax-effective savings.
- Family Home Guarantee + state FHOG + state stamp duty exemption + FHSS — for single parents.
- Help to Buy + state FHOG (new home) + state stamp duty exemption + FHSS — the highest-leverage stack when you qualify. You cannot also use the 5% Deposit Scheme on the same property.
- Keystart or HomeStart + FHSS — for WA and SA buyers specifically.
What you can't double-dip: the deposit itself (the FHOG can't count as your 5% deposit for the 5% scheme); LMI waiver (you can use either Help to Buy or the 5% scheme, not both); Help to Buy + 5% Deposit Scheme on the same property.
Use the calculator to see your actual numbers
Rules and figures differ between states, and the calculator is the fastest way to see what you'll actually need. Open the calculator with your state and price, and it shows you deposit, stamp duty, LMI, FHOG, Help to Buy equity share, and total cash needed to settle.
Open the calculator → 60-second eligibility check →
Editorial methodology
All figures on this page are sourced from the relevant state revenue office, Housing Australia, or the ATO. We verify against primary sources before publishing; we do not rely on third-party summaries.
Where a threshold or grant amount is subject to indexation or to the relevant state budget, we flag it with a "CHANGED" or "NEW" pill on the comparison table. Where the figure is from a budget that has not yet been passed by Parliament, we say so explicitly.
This page was last reviewed against primary sources on 5 October 2026. The next scheduled review is January 2027 (after most state budgets have been handed down).
If you spot something that has changed since publication, tell us — we update the figures and re-publish with a fresh "Updated" date.
We publish neutral, factual information about Australian first home buyer schemes. We are not a lender, broker, scheme administrator, or financial adviser, and we don't recommend any particular property, project or product. Final eligibility is determined by the participating lender, the state revenue office, or the scheme administrator — not by this site. Always confirm details with a licensed adviser and the relevant authority before signing a contract.