What is a first home owners grant?
First home owner grants (FHOGs) are provided by Australian state or territory governments and are often worth tens of thousands of dollars. These grants are generally available to eligible buyers who buy or build a brand new home.
A first home owner grant can usually be applied for alongside other exemptions and concessions for eligible first homebuyers.
How much is the first home owner grant around Australia?
The amount you can receive through a first home owner grant will depend on the state or territory you intend to buy or build your new home in. Here’s what you may be able to access at the time of writing:
- New South Wales: $10,000
- Northern Territory: $50,000
- Queensland: $30,000
- South Australia: $15,000
- Tasmania: $20,000
- Victoria: $10,000
- Western Australia: $10,000
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) does not currently offer a first home owner grant.
Eligibility for the first home owner grant in Australia
Each state and territory uses their own strict criteria when determining your eligibility for the grant. Different rules may also apply depending on the date in which you entered into the property contract.
Make sure you check your state or territory government’s website to confirm these details and how they apply in your situation.
Some general eligibility criteria of most the first home owner grants are:
- At least one or both applicants must be 18 years or older.
- At least one applicant must be a permanent resident or Australian citizen.
- You generally cannot have owned property in Australia before a certain point in time (like 1 July 2000), or at all.
- You usually have to move into the home as your primary place of residence within a certain period of time and stay there continuously for a period of time.
- You generally cannot use the grant when purchasing an investment property.
- You cannot have previously received a first home owner grant.
- You cannot be buying as a company or trust.
The home you’re buying can usually be a house, townhouse, apartment, or unit that’s newly built, purchased off the plan, or substantially renovated.
Substantially renovated homes can be those that fit the following:
- Most of the home was removed or replaced,
- no one has lived in the home prior to, during, or after the renovations, and
- it’s the first time the home has been sold since the renovations have been completed.
This means you probably can’t buy an old ‘fixer-upper’ house, renovate it, and expect to receive a first home owners grant. You’ll need to buy an eligible property that’s been substantially renovated by a builder or seller prior to the sale.
Here’s how eligibility differs in certain states and territories:
New South Wales
If you purchase a newly built home or one that’s been substantially renovated by the seller, its purchase price needs to be $600,000 or less.
If you buy vacant land and sign a building contract, the NSW Government will add up the value of the land, building contract, and cost of any building variations you make, and the total can’t exceed $750,000.
You or your spouse, partner, or co-buyer can’t have previously owned a home before 1 July 2000 and must occupy your new home as your primary place of residence within 12 months of the construction or purchase and occupy it for 12 continuous months.
Northern Territory
The $50,000 HomeGrown Territory Grant can be accessed by first home buyers building or buying a new home. You may also be able to use it for a new transportable home, as long as it’s permanently fixed and legally approved to be lived in, states the Northern Territory Government.
Other general eligibility includes:
- At least one applicant must be over the age of 18.
- You live in the new home for at least 12 months after taking possession of it or once the construction is complete.
- You must not have owned a home before anywhere in Australia.
- You sign a contract to buy or build a home in the NT before 30 September 2027.
If you’re not a first home owner, you may still be able to access $30,000 as part of the FreshStart New Home Grant when buying or building a new home.
Queensland
The value of your eligible new home will need to be less than $750,000 (including land and contract variations) in order to access the state’s first home owner grant.
Generally, you’ll also need to:
- Move into your new home as your principal place of residence within a year of the completed transaction and live there continuously for six months.
- Have not owned residential property in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 that you lived in, or before 1 July 2000 whether you lived in it or not.
South Australia
There’s currently no property value caps in South Australia like in other states.
You must reside in your new home as your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months, commencing within 12 months after the completion of the property transaction.
Tasmania
Tasmania also doesn't enforce property value caps for first home buyers accessing its state-based grant. Though, if you’re building a new home, the build must be completed within 24 months, states the Tasmanian Government.
Generally, you’ll also need to:
- Move into your new home as your principal place of residence within a year of the completed transaction and live there continuously for six months.
- Have not owned a residential property in Australia before 1 July 2000, or owned and occupied a residential property for more than six months after 1 July 2000.
Victoria
In Victoria, first home buyers must be buying or building an eligible home for up to $750,000, and it must be occupied as their principal place of residence for at least 12 months, starting within 12 months of the settlement or construction finishing.
You won’t be eligible if you’ve owned a residential property in Australia before 1 July 2000, or lived in a home in Australia for at least six months that you owned or part-owned on or after 1 July 2000.
Western Australia
Western Australia applies two different price caps to its first home buyers grant, depending on where a first home buyer’s new home is located:
- Buyers can spend up to $800,000 if the home is located south of the 26th parallel of south latitude, which runs through Shark Bay. This would include properties in Perth and Geraldton.
- They can spend up to $1,000,000 if the property is located north of the 26th parallel of south latitude, which could include properties in Carnarvon and Broome.
You won’t be eligible for the FHOG if you’ve:
- Owned residential property anywhere in Australia before 1 July 2000.
- Owned residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property as a place of residence before 1 July 2004.
- Owned residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property as a place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months that began on or after 1 July 2004.
How to apply for the First Home Owner Grant
There are usually two ways you can apply for the first home owner grant in your state or territory:
- If your home loan lender is an ‘approved agent’, it can submit your application directly on your behalf,
- Or you can lodge an application through your relevant state or territory government’s website.
You’ll usually need to submit your application within a certain period of time, like within 12 months of the settlement on your new home or of construction being completed. Check with your state or territory government for more details.
Are first home buyers exempt from stamp duty in Australia?
If you’re eligible, you may be able to access a stamp duty exemption or concession in your state or territory. This exemption or concession carries much of the same eligibility criteria as the first home owner grant, except the home you’re buying doesn’t always need to be brand new.
Here’s how stamp duty exemptions and concessions apply in each state and territory, at the time of writing:
- ACT: As a first home buyer, you can apply to pay no stamp duty through the Home Buyer Concession (HBC) Scheme. There’s no income threshold or property price limit that applies, but you’ll need to not have owned a property in the last five years.
- NSW: A full exemption applies to homes worth $800,000 or less, while those valued between $800,000 and $1,000,000 may qualify for a concessional rate.
- Northern Territory: A full exemption applies to house and land packages bought from a building contractor in a single transaction and signed between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2027.
- Queensland: A full exemption applies to brand new homes and vacant land with no property price caps applying. A concession may apply to existing homes worth $800,000 and under.
- South Australia: The property must be a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, or vacant land that will be used to build your new home on. No property price caps currently apply to contracts entered into on or after 6 June 2024.
- Tasmania: As of 30 June 2026, Tasmania no longer offers stamp duty exemptions or concessions to first home buyers.
- Victoria: A full exemption applies to homes worth $600,000 or less, while those valued between $600,001 and $750,000 may qualify for a reduced duty.
- Western Australia: A concessional rate may apply to home and land purchases worth less than $800,000 and vacant land worth less than $550,000. No stamp duty will apply for home and land purchases under $600,000 and vacant land under $450,000.
When does the first home owners grant get paid to successful applicants?
The first home owners grant is generally paid out once the property transaction is complete and your application has been approved. If you’re building a new home, you may be able to access the grant money once construction has begun.
Does the first home owners grant count towards a deposit?
You may be able to use a first home owners grant as part of your deposit, however, most grant money won’t be provided until after your home settlement. This means you may need to supply your lender with the money upfront as part of the deposit, before you can access money from the grant. It will also depend on your home loan provider’s criteria, as some may accept proof of your eligibility for the grant as a sufficient guarantee, whereas others may not.
Can I get a first home owners grant if I buy with my parents?
You’ll only be able to get a first home owners grant when buying with a parent or guardian if they also meet the eligibility criteria.
Parents who aren’t eligible but are still looking to assist their children when buying a new home may instead be interested in being a guarantor on the home loan. This may help your child avoid having to pay lenders mortgage insurance (LMI), but also means you’d take responsibility for the loan repayments in the event that your child cannot repay them. There’s significant financial risk when it comes to being a guarantor, so it’s worth getting financial advice before signing on.
Can permanent residents get the first home owners grant?
If you’re a permanent resident you’ll be able to access the first home owners grant as long as you satisfy the other eligibility requirements. Residents on temporary visas won’t usually be eligible unless applying with an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Can you get the first home owners grant on existing homes?
You generally can’t get a first home owners grant when buying an existing property.
You may be able to access a grant when buying a substantially renovated property, but this will depend on the terms and conditions of your state or territory government.
Can you use the first home owners grant to buy land?
The first home owners grant cannot be used to buy vacant land on its own. You’ll usually need to be buying land in which you intend to build a home on. You may be able to access stamp duty exemptions or concessions when buying vacant land though, but terms and conditions will apply depending on which state or territory it’s located in.
Can you get the first home owners grant if you’re married?
As a married couple, you can generally access a first home owner grant, as long as you both meet the eligibility criteria in your state or territory.
Why do governments give out first home owner grants?
This type of grant can incentivise first home buyers to add to the supply of new homes in their particular state or territory, and helps with the costs of first home ownership. Adding to a state or territory’s housing supply can help ease the strain on the already-tight Australian housing market.
