What's available to you in the ACT
No Stamp Duty
Complete relief up to $1.02M
Income Based
Eligibility by capacity, not property type
All Property Types
New and existing homes qualify
Australia's highest threshold: ACT's $1.02M stamp duty threshold is unmatched - access premium properties with complete relief based on your income, not the property type.
National schemes you can pair with ACT
Nationwide| Scheme | Deposit | Who it suits | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Home Guarantee (HGS) | 5% | First home buyers (or not owned in 10 years) | Avoid LMI via government guarantee |
| Family Home Guarantee | 2% | Single parents/guardians with a dependent | No LMI; not restricted to first home |
| Help to Buy (shared equity, forthcoming) | 2%+ | Low‑to‑middle income buyers | Government equity lowers loan size and repayments |
| First Home Super Saver (FHSS) | — | Savers building a deposit | Tax‑advantaged savings via super |
ACT doesn't qualify for Regional HGS. Focus on standard HGS and maximising the HBC stamp duty benefits.
ACT programs
No traditional FHOG
- Replaced: First Home Owner Grant discontinued.
- Philosophy: Stamp duty relief more valuable than cash grants.
- Focus: Income-based eligibility rather than property type.
- Result: Larger savings for premium property purchases.
Home Buyer Concession Scheme
- Threshold: Duty waived up to $1,020,000 (from July 2025).
- Eligibility: Income-based criteria apply.
- Coverage: Both new and existing homes.
- Requirement: No property ownership in last 5 years.
ACT's premium market advantage
Canberra advantage: The $1.02M threshold covers most of Canberra's housing market, including premium suburbs like Forrest, Deakin, and Red Hill.
Maximising ACT's high-threshold benefits
Check your eligibility
Verify income thresholds and the 5-year ownership requirement for both you and your partner.
Get federal support
Apply for Home Guarantee Scheme through your broker - 5% deposit, no LMI, plus use FHSS.
Access premium markets
With the $1.02M threshold, consider properties that would be excluded from benefits in other states.
Note: Without cash grants, maximise your borrowing capacity and target the ACT's high-threshold advantage to access premium properties with significant stamp duty savings.
Canberra opportunities
Inner Canberra (premium suburbs)
- Forrest, Deakin, Red Hill: Premium locations now accessible
- Barton, Griffith: Parliament Triangle proximity with HBC benefits
- New Town, Reid: Inner north with heritage appeal
- Apartments/townhouses: Modern developments within threshold
Outer Canberra (family-friendly)
- Gungahlin: New suburbs with modern amenities
- Molonglo Valley: Latest development areas
- Tuggeranong: Established southern suburbs
- Weston Creek: Family areas well within threshold
Important things to know
The details that matter for your ACT strategy
Higher threshold from July 2025
The $1.02M threshold applies to transactions from July 1, 2025 - plan your timing accordingly.
5-year ownership rule
Neither you nor your partner can have owned property anywhere in the last 5 years (different from other states).
Income eligibility applies
The HBC scheme has income thresholds - check current limits before house hunting.
No cash grants available
ACT focuses on stamp duty relief rather than FHOG-style cash grants - but the savings can be massive.
Federal schemes have their own caps
While ACT has high thresholds, national programs like HGS retain their own property and income limits.
Access Canberra's premium markets?
We'll help you leverage ACT's high thresholds and income-based approach to access premium properties with maximum stamp duty savings.