Stamp Duty Victoria 2026: What Changed in the State Budget

The 2026-27 Victorian Budget was handed down on 5 May 2026. For anyone buying or selling property in Victoria, the question is simple: did stamp duty rates move, and are there new surcharges to plan around? This article walks through every stamp duty line item in the official Budget Papers, citing page numbers as we go. The short version: only one thing changed, the off-the-plan concession was extended by six months, and every other concession, exemption and rate continues unchanged.

The headline: no stamp duty rate changes in the 2026-27 Budget

The Budget contains no changes to land transfer duty rates or thresholds for residential or commercial property. The general rate scale, the foreign purchaser surcharge and every named concession continue on existing settings. Land transfer duty is forecast to raise $10.0 billion in 2026-27, down 5.6% from $10.6 billion in 2025-26 (BP5 p.169). The fall is attributed to cyclical market conditions. See our Victorian Budget 2026-27 property guide for the full picture.

What did change: off-the-plan concession extended six months

The single stamp duty change in this Budget is a six-month extension of the temporary off-the-plan land transfer duty concession. Contracts signed on or after 21 October 2024 and before 21 April 2027 are now eligible (BP3 p.100). The previous end date was 21 October 2026. The concession applies to apartments, units and townhouses, and is available to owner-occupiers and investors. The Budget forecasts the extension alone will reduce revenue by $0.6 million in 2026-27, rising to $13.6 million in 2029-30 (BP3 p.100). For full eligibility, see our off-the-plan concession explainer.

First home buyer concessions: continue unchanged

The Budget contains no changes to first home buyer stamp duty settings. The existing concession for properties up to $750,000 continues on current terms. BP5 Table 5.2 records forecast forgone revenue from the first home buyer concession at $740 million in 2026-27 (BP5 p.196), the largest single stamp duty concession by dollar value in the table. The $10,000 First Home Owner Grant for new builds also continues. The Budget Papers are silent on future changes beyond 2026-27. Our first home buyer Budget article covers thresholds and eligibility in full.

Pensioner, principal place of residence and family farm concessions: continue unchanged

The Budget contains no changes to the pensioner concession, the principal place of residence concession, the family farm exemption, the deceased estate exemption or the young farmer concession for first farmland. Forecast forgone revenue for 2026-27 from BP5 Table 5.2 (p.196): deceased estate transfers $243 million, pensioner and concession card holders $83 million, principal place of residence $81 million, family farms $67 million, and family farms first farmland for buyers under 35 $1 million. The Budget Papers do not announce any review of these settings.

Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty: no changes

Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty (FPAD) settings are unchanged in the 2026-27 Budget. The existing exemption for corporations and trustees continues, with forecast forgone revenue of $40 million in 2026-27 (BP5 p.196). The Budget contains no announcements on the FPAD rate. BP5 notes a Federal Court class action on FPAD and the Absentee Owner Surcharge has been narrowed to pre-1 January 2018 revenue following an October 2025 High Court judgment, with financial impact unable to be quantified (BP5 p.205). For more, see our FPAD article.

Commercial and Industrial Property Tax transition: continues

The transition from stamp duty to the Commercial and Industrial Property Tax (CIPT), which commenced on 1 July 2024, continues without change. Commercial and industrial properties move into the new system at their next sale from that date, paying duty one final time. After 10 years, an annual CIPT applies and no further duty is payable on subsequent sales. BP5 reports that more than 12,000 properties have entered the reform, and that businesses are forecast to pay $714 million less in land transfer duty over the next four years (BP5 pp.171-172). See our CIPT explainer and commercial conveyancing services.

Stamp duty revenue forecast for 2026-27 and beyond

Land transfer duty is forecast to raise $10.0 billion in 2026-27, down from $10.6 billion in 2025-26 (BP5 p.169). The Budget Papers attribute the fall to a cyclical decline in activity, not policy change. From 2026-27, revenue is forecast to grow at an average 7.4% a year, reaching $12.4 billion by 2029-30 (BP5 pp.171-172). Settlement volumes were up 11.1% year-on-year to March 2026, with average duty per transaction up 5.7% (BP5 p.173). Dwelling prices are forecast to grow 3.9% to June 2027, then 5.0% a year on average through the forwards (BP5 p.172).

Frequently asked questions

Did stamp duty change in the Victorian Budget 2026? Yes, but only one item. The off-the-plan stamp duty concession was extended by six months, with eligible contracts now needing to be signed before 21 April 2027 (BP3 p.100). No rates, thresholds or other concessions were changed.

What is the new stamp duty rate in Victoria 2026? The 2026-27 Budget did not change land transfer duty rates. The existing rate scale continues on its current terms. The Budget Papers do not publish a fresh rate table because rates are unchanged from 2025-26.

How much is stamp duty in Victoria for first home buyers? The concession for properties valued up to $750,000 continues unchanged. BP5 forecasts forgone revenue from this concession at $740 million in 2026-27 (BP5 p.196). For exact duty on a specific purchase price, request a quote.

Is stamp duty going up in Victoria? The Budget contains no rate increases. Total land transfer duty revenue is forecast to fall from $10.6 billion in 2025-26 to $10.0 billion in 2026-27 (BP5 p.169), then grow at an average 7.4% a year to 2029-30 (BP5 pp.171-172). Growth is attributed to volumes and prices, not rates.

What is land transfer duty in Victoria? Land transfer duty is the formal name in Victorian legislation for stamp duty. Both terms refer to the same tax payable on the transfer of property.

Talk to Tick Box about your transaction

Stamp duty is one of the largest single costs in any property purchase. Whether you are buying off-the-plan, claiming a first home buyer concession, or transferring a commercial property mid-CIPT-transition, the rules need to be applied correctly to your contract. Tick Box Conveyancing handles the lot, from contract review to settlement. Get an instant quote, or read about our house conveyancing and off-the-plan conveyancing services.

---

This article summarises the Victorian Budget 2026-27 as published on 5 May 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. For matters specific to your transaction, contact Tick Box Conveyancing.