Bought Your First Home Since 7 May and Paid Stamp Duty? Check Whether You Are Owed a Refund

Kixstart Property Brief | First-home buyers

Some WA first-home buyers who signed after the new thresholds took effect may have paid too much transfer duty at settlement. The refund is not automatic in every case, and the date that matters is usually the date of the contract, not settlement.

The change is now operational

Western Australia increased the first home owner rate of duty thresholds for agreements entered into on or after 7 May 2026. RevenueWA has now applied the new rates to its systems.

For an eligible purchase of a new or established home:

• No transfer duty is payable where the dutiable value is $600,000 or less.
• A concessional rate applies from $600,001 to $800,000.
• Above $800,000, the general transfer duty rate applies.

For eligible vacant land:

• No transfer duty is payable where the dutiable value is $450,000 or less.
• A concessional rate applies from $450,001 to $550,000.
• Above $550,000, the general transfer duty rate applies.

The official term is transfer duty. Most buyers still call it stamp duty.

Who should check their settlement documents?

Check your documents if all of the following apply:

• You are an eligible first-home buyer.
• You entered into the purchase agreement on or after the commencement date.
• You bought a new home, an established home or eligible vacant land within the relevant value thresholds.
• Your transaction settled before RevenueWA’s systems were updated, or your Certificate of Duty shows that a higher rate was used.
• You paid transfer duty at settlement.

RevenueWA says eligible transactions entered into between the announcement date and 28 July 2026 that had already settled can be reassessed and a refund issued. Transactions that had not settled could be modified using the new rates.

Do not assume you are owed a refund simply because you bought during that period. Eligibility, dutiable value and the rate actually used on your assessment all matter.

The contract date matters more than the settlement date

RevenueWA states that the first home owner rate is determined by the date the agreement was entered into. For a standard purchase, check the date on the signed Offer and Acceptance. A later settlement date does not move an earlier contract into the new rate period.

The dutiable value also applies to the whole property being transferred, not only one buyer’s share.

What the current home rate looks like

For eligible homes above $600,000, the current duty is $16.15 for every $100, or part of $100, above $600,000. That produces the following indicative assessments:

• $600,000: no transfer duty.
• $650,000: $8,075.
• $700,000: $16,150.
• $750,000: $24,225.
• $800,000: $32,300.

These figures illustrate the current first home owner rate. They are not estimates of an individual refund. The refund is the difference between the amount paid and the correct reassessed amount for that transaction. Buyers should use RevenueWA’s calculator and their Certificate of Duty rather than relying on a general example.

The grant and the duty concession are different

The $10,000 First Home Owner Grant generally applies to eligible buyers purchasing or building a new home. The first home owner rate of duty can also apply to an established home where the buyer would otherwise meet the grant eligibility rules.

The grant cap for eligible homes south of the 26th parallel, including metropolitan Perth, is now $800,000. The Government also removed the previous link that could prevent an eligible buyer from receiving the duty concession merely because the total home value exceeded the grant cap. The separate duty thresholds still apply.

How to check and request a reassessment

Start with your settlement agent or conveyancer. Ask which first home owner rate was applied and request a copy of the Certificate of Duty if you do not already have it.

If a higher rate was paid and you have been approved for the grant or pre-approved for the first home owner rate, RevenueWA says buyers can request a reassessment through RevenueWAConnect. Its fact sheet requires two documents:

• The contract of sale or transfer document.
• The Certificate of Duty.

RevenueWA may request other information depending on the transaction. Follow the current portal prompts and keep your settlement records available.

For a home, apply before 12 months after the buyer is registered on the Certificate of Title, generally the settlement date. For vacant land, the deadline is the later of 12 months after the home is ready to be occupied or three months after the grant is paid. Do not leave the check until the deadline is close.

A five-minute document check

Before contacting anyone, find:

• The signed Offer and Acceptance or land contract.
• The contract date.
• The purchase price and any valuation used for duty.
• The settlement statement.
• The Certificate of Duty.
• Any first-home-owner pre-approval or grant correspondence.

Then ask one direct question: Was this transaction assessed using the first home owner rate that applies to the contract date?

What this change does not mean

The higher thresholds do not make every first-home buyer eligible. The usual first-home-owner conditions still matter. Foreign transfer duty can also remain payable where a purchaser is a foreign person, even if the first home owner rate applies to the transaction.

The change also does not mean buyers should stretch their budget to reach a higher price point. A duty concession reduces an upfront cost. It does not improve borrowing capacity, protect against overpaying or make an unsuitable property affordable.

If you are still deciding what to buy, our brief on what Perth’s more balanced market means before making an offer explains how to compare alternatives, check recent sales and set a walk-away price. Buyers considering vacant land can also read our 12-month analysis of Perth land-sales activity.

Principal sources

• RevenueWA: 2026-27 Housing Taxation Package
• RevenueWA: First Home Owner Rate fact sheet
• RevenueWA: Apply for a refund of duty
• RevenueWA: Transfer duty assessment and current rates

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This article provides general information only. It is not legal, taxation, financial, lending, valuation or investment advice. Eligibility and duty outcomes depend on the transaction and the buyer’s circumstances. Check the current RevenueWA guidance and obtain advice appropriate to your position before acting.