First Home Buyer Guide: Australian Capital Territory
ACT offers full stamp duty exemption through the Home Buyer Concession Scheme - potentially saving over $34,000!
🏛️ ACT's Home Buyer Concession Scheme
While ACT doesn't offer FHOG, the Home Buyer Concession Scheme provides full stamp duty exemption on properties up to $1 million - one of Australia's most generous duty concessions!
💵 HBCS Income Thresholds
The Home Buyer Concession Scheme has strict income requirements based on household composition:
Single Buyer
$170,000
Maximum gross income
Couple/Family
$227,000
Combined gross income
Note: Income is assessed on the previous financial year's taxable income plus any salary sacrificed amounts.
Available Schemes & Concessions
Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS)
Full stamp duty exemption for eligible first home buyers
- ✓ Income under $170,000 (single) / $227,000 (couple)
- ✓ Property up to $1,000,000
- ✓ Must be principal residence 12+ months
- ✓ Australian citizen/PR
Pensioner Duty Concession
Stamp duty concession for eligible pensioners
- ✓ Centrelink pension holder
- ✓ Property up to $750,000
- ✓ Must be downsizing
- ✓ Principal residence
First Home Guarantee (Federal)
Buy with 5% deposit, no LMI required
- ✓ Income under $125,000 (single) / $200,000 (couple)
- ✓ Property up to $750,000 (Canberra)
- ✓ Owner-occupier only
First Home Super Saver Scheme
Use super contributions for your deposit
- ✓ Voluntary contributions up to $50,000
- ✓ Tax-effective savings
- ✓ Available to all first home buyers
HBCS Stamp Duty Savings
| Purchase Price | Standard Duty | HBCS Duty | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $11,400 | $0 | $11,400 |
| $600,000 | $15,600 | $0 | $15,600 |
| $700,000 | $20,150 | $0 | $20,150 |
| $800,000 | $26,200 | $0 | $26,200 |
| $1,000,000 | $34,566 | $0 | $34,566 |
Note: Full exemption applies to properties up to $1,000,000 for eligible buyers meeting income thresholds.
Why ACT Has No FHOG
ACT abolished the First Home Owner Grant in 2019, replacing it with the more generous Home Buyer Concession Scheme. The reasoning was that stamp duty savings provide better value than a one-off grant:
Old System
- • $7,000 FHOG (new homes only)
- • Full stamp duty still payable
- • Complex eligibility rules
New System (HBCS)
- • Up to $34,566 duty exemption
- • New OR established homes
- • Higher property cap ($1M)