What's available to you in the ACT
No Stamp Duty
No property price limit (from 1 July 2026)
No Income Test
Income threshold removed 1 July 2026
All Property Types
New and existing homes qualify
Australia-first change: From 1 July 2026 the ACT became the first jurisdiction to remove stamp duty for eligible first home buyers with no income threshold and no price limit. The key test: every buyer (and their domestic partner) must not have owned property in the past 5 years.
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). Try the calculator | 2%+ | Low‑to‑middle income buyers | Government equity lowers loan size and repayments |
| First Home Super Saver (FHSS) | N/A | Savers building a deposit | Tax‑advantaged savings via super |
Focus on standard HGS and maximising the HBC stamp duty benefits.
ACT Home Guarantee Scheme Property Price Cap
Single cap applies across the entire ACT. Reviewed July 2026.
See what this could mean in dollars: my free cost to complete calculator estimates ACT stamp duty, first home buyer concessions and the total cash you may need to complete a purchase at your price point.
ACT programs
No traditional FHOG
- Replaced: First Home Owner Grant discontinued.
- Philosophy: Stamp duty relief more valuable than cash grants.
- Focus: Duty exemption for any property type, new or established.
- Result: Larger savings for premium property purchases.
Home Buyer Concession Scheme
- Duty payable: Nil - no property price limit (from 1 July 2026).
- Eligibility: No income threshold from 1 July 2026.
- Coverage: Both new and existing homes.
- Requirement: No property ownership in the last 5 years - applies to all buyers and their domestic partners.
ACT's premium market advantage
Canberra advantage: With no price limit from 1 July 2026, the exemption covers the whole Canberra market, including premium suburbs like Forrest, Deakin, and Red Hill.
Maximising the ACT's duty exemption
Check your eligibility
Verify the 5-year ownership requirement for every buyer and their domestic partner - no income test applies from 1 July 2026.
Get federal support
Apply for Home Guarantee Scheme through your broker - 5% deposit, no LMI, plus use FHSS.
Access premium markets
With no price limit on the duty exemption, consider properties that would be excluded from benefits in other states.
Note: Without cash grants, maximise your borrowing capacity and use the ACT's uncapped duty exemption 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, all duty-free for eligible buyers
Outer Canberra (family-friendly)
- Gungahlin: New suburbs with modern amenities
- Molonglo Valley: Latest development areas
- Tuggeranong: Established southern suburbs
- Weston Creek: Family areas, duty-free for eligible buyers
Important things to know
The details that matter for your ACT strategy
Expanded from 1 July 2026
Transactions before 1 July 2026 fell under the old rules (income threshold and $1.02M price cap) - the exemption with no limits applies from 1 July 2026.
5-year ownership rule
Neither you nor your partner can have owned property anywhere in the last 5 years (different from other states).
No income test from 1 July 2026
The HBC scheme's income threshold was removed for transactions from 1 July 2026 - eligibility now rests on the 5-year ownership rule and residency requirements.
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 the ACT duty exemption has no price limit, national programs like the 5% Deposit Scheme keep their own price caps ($1,000,000 ACT-wide).
Access Canberra's premium markets?
We'll help you check your eligibility for the ACT's uncapped duty exemption and pair it with the right federal schemes.
Still working it out? See how the process works, step by step, or start with the First Home Buyer Guide.