VIC Stamp Duty Calculator
Estimate the transfer duty payable on a property purchase in Victoria (VIC). The calculator applies Victoria's duty brackets and shows first home buyer concessions and foreign buyer surcharges where they apply.
Rates shown are a guide only. Confirm current rates with the State Revenue Office Victoria before relying on them.
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident
Victoria charges foreign purchasers an extra 8% of the property's dutiable value on top of ordinary land transfer duty. This is called foreign purchaser additional duty (FPAD). It applies to residential property and is worked out before any concession. Dutiable value is usually the price you pay, or the market value if that is higher.
In general you are a foreign purchaser if you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Different rules apply to New Zealand citizens, and to companies and trusts. The State Revenue Office decides who counts.
Example: a completed new apartment for $800,000
| Land transfer duty | $43,070 |
|---|---|
| Foreign purchaser additional duty (8%) | $64,000 |
| Total duty | $107,070 |
Buying an apartment or townhouse off the plan? A concession may reduce the land transfer duty, but not the foreign purchaser additional duty, which is still charged on the full value. Check with the State Revenue Office.
FIRB approval and the ban on established homes
Foreign persons generally need approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) before buying residential property in Australia. From 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, foreign persons are generally not allowed to buy established homes, with limited exceptions. New homes and vacant land to build a home on can generally still be bought with approval.
FIRB application fees are set by the Australian Government and change every year, so this page does not quote them. Check the current fee on foreigninvestment.gov.au before you sign a contract.
Foreign owners who do not normally live in Australia may also pay an absentee owner surcharge on Victorian land tax each year. That is a separate, ongoing cost and is not part of the duty shown here.
Rates from the State Revenue Office Victoria, checked 13 August 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm your figure with the State Revenue Office or your conveyancer before you buy.
Common questions
How much stamp duty does a foreign buyer pay in Victoria?
Ordinary land transfer duty plus foreign purchaser additional duty of 8% of the dutiable value. On a $800,000 property that is $43,070 plus $64,000, a total of $107,070.
Can a foreign buyer buy an existing home in Victoria?
Generally not between 1 April 2025 and 30 June 2029. The Australian Government has banned most foreign persons from buying established homes in that period, with limited exceptions. New homes and vacant land to build on can generally still be bought with FIRB approval.
Does the foreign purchaser surcharge still apply to a first home buyer?
If you buy on your own, yes. A foreign purchaser buying alone cannot get the first home buyer exemption or concession, and pays the foreign purchaser additional duty in full. It can be different if you buy the home with your spouse or domestic partner who is an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or, in some cases, a New Zealand citizen, and you live in it: the purchase may then qualify for first home buyer relief, and may also be exempt from the additional duty. Check your situation with the State Revenue Office before you buy.
How much does FIRB approval cost?
FIRB application fees are set by the Australian Government, depend on the price of the property, and change every year. ListHQ does not quote them. Check the current fee on foreigninvestment.gov.au.
What VIC calls it
In Victoria the tax most people call stamp duty is officially land transfer duty. It is a state tax, not a federal one, so the brackets, the concessions and the deadlines are all set by the State Revenue Office Victoria and differ from every other state and territory. A calculation done for Victoria does not transfer to a purchase across the border.
What changes the amount you pay
Duty is calculated on the dutiable value of the property — usually the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher — but several things move the final figure:
- Whether you are a first home buyer. Victoria runs its own concession or exemption for eligible first home buyers, with its own price caps and residency conditions. Eligibility is decided by the State Revenue Office Victoria, not by your lender or your agent.
- Whether you are a foreign purchaser. A surcharge applies on top of ordinary duty for foreign buyers in Victoria. It is separate from FIRB approval, which is a federal requirement and a different process again.
- What you are buying. Vacant land, an off-the-plan apartment, an established house and an investment purchase are not always treated the same way.
- Whether you will live there. Some concessions require you to move in within a set period and stay for a minimum time.
How to use the VIC calculator
- Enter the purchase price you are considering, not your deposit.
- Choose Victoria as the state — the brackets change completely between jurisdictions.
- Tell it whether you are a first home buyer and whether you are buying as a foreign purchaser, so any concession or surcharge is applied.
- Read the result as a planning figure, then confirm it with the State Revenue Office Victoria or your conveyancer before you make an offer.
What the estimate does not include
Duty is usually the largest single cost on top of your deposit, but it is not the only one. Budget separately for transfer and registration fees, mortgage registration, conveyancing or legal fees, building and pest inspections, and lenders mortgage insurance if you are borrowing above your lender's threshold. None of those are included in the figure this calculator returns.
Duty is normally payable within a set period after settlement. That deadline is set by the State Revenue Office Victoria and missing it can attract interest, so confirm the date early rather than at settlement.
Next steps
Once you know the duty, work out what the repayments look like with the home loan repayment calculator, browse mortgage brokers if you want help understanding loan options, then start looking at what is on the market — in your own language if English is not your first — from the multilingual property search.