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First Home Buyer Grants & Schemes by State (2026)
By James Alexander · 2026-02-01T00:00:00+11:00 · 8 min read
A dated guide to first-home grants, transfer-duty relief and the 5% Deposit Scheme, with links to official rules for each state and territory.
First-home assistance is not one national grant. It is a mix of state and territory grants, duty relief and federal programs, each with different conditions. This guide highlights the major options as reviewed on 23 September 2026; it is a starting point, not an entitlement check or a complete list of incentives.
Check the linked government rules before signing a contract or budgeting for assistance. Contract date, settlement date, property type and postcode, citizenship or residency, co-buyer and partner history, occupancy, and lender approval can all affect the outcome. Older contracts may be assessed under different rules.
The former Home Guarantee Scheme became the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme on 1 October 2025. Eligible first buyers may buy with a deposit from 5% without paying lenders mortgage insurance through a participating lender. Place and income caps were removed, but property-price caps and other buyer, property and lender criteria still apply. A low deposit does not mean automatic loan approval.
The separate Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee was folded into the main scheme, and the former Family Home Guarantee now operates as the scheme's Single Parent Stream (deposit from 2%, and you do not need to be a first home buyer). Use the official postcode tool to check the cap for a specific property rather than relying on a capital-city versus regional label.
Weigh the trade-off as well as the saving. A smaller deposit means a larger loan, more interest over the life of the loan, higher repayments, and less equity buffer if property values fall.
No place or income cap does not mean unrestricted access. The property cap, buyer rules and participating-lender assessment remain important.
The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets eligible buyers request the release of voluntary super contributions and associated earnings towards a first home. Contributions counted are capped at $15,000 per financial year and $50,000 in total, associated earnings are calculated notionally by the ATO rather than being your fund's actual returns, and release timing has specific ATO rules. Seek advice from a registered tax agent or licensed adviser before using it.
NSW's First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme may exempt eligible first buyers from transfer duty on homes up to $800,000, with a concession to $1 million. The $10,000 First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant is separate: a completed new home has a $600,000 cap, while a land-and-build arrangement can have a $750,000 combined cap. Check which transaction you are entering.
Victoria's First Home Owner Grant is $10,000 for eligible new homes up to $750,000; it does not cover established homes. Eligible first buyers can receive a transfer-duty exemption up to $600,000 and a concession to $750,000. The former $20,000 regional grant has closed, so do not budget for an additional regional payment.
Queensland's $30,000 First Home Owner Grant applies to eligible new homes within its grant value limit, and the 2026 State Budget continued the $30,000 amount for eligible contracts signed from 1 July 2026. Transfer duty is a separate question: eligible first buyers of new homes can receive a full exemption for contracts from 1 May 2025, without the old $800,000 duty cap. For established homes, the exemption and concession thresholds still apply. From 1 August 2026, home concessions are limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and specified foreign retirees.
WA's $10,000 First Home Owner Grant supports eligible new homes, with the grant value cap depending on location: for transactions from 7 May 2026, $800,000 south of the 26th parallel and $1 million north of it. For contracts from 7 May 2026, eligible first-home transactions pay no transfer duty up to $600,000 and a concessional first-home owner rate through $800,000. The contract date matters: earlier contracts were assessed under lower thresholds that changed in May 2024 and again in March 2025.
South Australia offers a grant of up to $15,000 and full duty relief for eligible new homes (and vacant land to build on), with no property-value cap for contracts from 6 June 2024; established homes do not get that first-home duty relief. Tasmania's grant is $20,000 for eligible new-home transactions commencing from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027; its established-home duty exemption is not available for transactions settling after 30 June 2026. In the ACT, eligible buyers pay no duty under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme from 1 July 2026, with the property-value and income caps removed; other eligibility conditions still apply. The Northern Territory's HomeGrown Territory Grant is $50,000 for eligible first buyers of new homes under qualifying contracts to 30 September 2027; it replaced the former $10,000 grant.
Before signing, check the state or territory revenue-office rules for the exact contract date and property, the federal scheme's postcode cap, and any ATO timing requirements. A broker can help compare loan options, but the government agency and lender determine the relevant entitlements and approval.
Some state and federal programs can be used together, but each has separate eligibility and application rules. Do not add grant amounts, duty relief and estimated LMI savings into a single promised saving.
Pendium Finance can help you compare suitable loans from lenders on our panel and identify assistance programs worth checking. If you want to use the 5% Deposit Scheme, ask us to confirm whether a participating lender is available for your circumstances. Confirm grant and duty eligibility with the relevant government office, and obtain a property-specific cost estimate before relying on any assistance in your purchase budget.
This article is general information only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or taxation advice and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs. You should consider seeking independent advice before making any financial decisions. Pendium Finance Pty Ltd (Credit Representative 543457) is authorised under LMG Broker Services Pty Ltd (Australian Credit Licence 517192) and provides credit assistance, not personal financial advice.
Written by James Alexander, Director at Pendium Finance — more about the team.
Tags: first home buyer, FHOG, stamp duty exemption, 5% Deposit Scheme, FHSSS, first home owner grant
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