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Taxes, duties, levies and royalties
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In this section
  1. Lodging applications
  2. Pay your transfer duty
  3. Buying a property
  4. First home buyers
  5. Buying off-the-plan
  6. Surcharge purchaser duty
  7. Buying a business
  8. Deceased estate transfers
  9. Family transfers
  10. Landholder duty
  11. Compliance

Transfer duty

The NSW state budget includes two changes to transfer duty that will take effect from 1 July 2019. The changes include:

  • annual indexation of transfer duty thresholds, and
  • surcharge duty exemptions for holders of a retirement visa (subclass 405 or 410).

You must pay transfer duty – once known as stamp duty – in NSW when you buy:

  • property, including your home or holiday home
  • an investment property
  • vacant land or a farming property
  • commercial or industrial properties, or
  • a business, which includes land.

You must also pay transfer duty when you acquire land, or an interest in land, without buying it. For example:

  • a declaration of trust
  • a gift, or
  • a transaction effecting a change in the beneficial ownership of a property.

In some circumstances, you may be eligible for a concession or exemption from transfer duty, such as:

  • when you are a beneficiary of a deceased estate, or
  • the transfer is between a married couple or de facto couple.

When to pay transfer duty

You must pay transfer duty within three months of signing a contract for sale or transfer, except in the case of off-the-plan purchases.

If you buy off-the-plan and you intend to live in the property, you may be able to defer your transfer duty liability for up to 12 months.

Calculating transfer duty

Use our online calculator to work out how much transfer duty you’ll need to pay.

Transfer duty calculator

You must pay transfer duty based on the property’s sale price or its current market value, whichever is higher.

  • We charge a standard transfer duty rate, as well as a premium duty rate, for residential properties worth more than $3 million (or $3.04 million from 1 July 2019).
  • If the buyer and seller are related or associated, or you’re not transferring the whole property, the property must be valued by a suitably qualified person.

If you are buying a residential property in NSW, use the residential property buyer tool to find out the taxes and duties you may need to pay, as well as exemptions and grants that you are entitled to receive.

Standard transfer duty calculations before 1 July 2019

Property valueTransfer duty rate
$0 to $14,000 $1.25 for every $100 (the minimum is $10)
$14,001 to $30,000 $175 plus $1.50 for every $100 over $14,000
$30,001 to $80,000 $415 plus $1.75 for every $100 over $30,000
$80,001 to $300,000 $1,290 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $80,000
$300,001 to $1 million $8,990 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $300,000
Over $1 million $40,490 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1 million

Transfer duty calculator

Standard transfer duty calculations from 1 July 2019

Property valueTransfer duty rate
$0 to $14,000 $1.25 for every $100 (the minimum is $10)
$14,001 to $30,000 $175 plus $1.50 for every $100 over $14,000
$30,001 to $81,000 $415 plus $1.75 for every $100 over $30,000
$81,001 to $304,000 $1,307 plus $3.50 for every $100 over $81,000
$304,001 to $1,013,000 $9,112 plus $4.50 for every $100 over $304,000
Over $1,013,000 $41,017 plus $5.50 for every $100 over $1,013,000

Transfer duty calculator

Premium transfer duty calculation (residential properties over $3 million) before 1 July 2019

Property value Premium rate
Over $3 million (residential properties only) $150,490 plus $7.00 for every $100 over $3 million

Transfer duty calculator

Premium transfer duty calculation (residential properties over $3,040,000) from 1 July 2019

Property value Premium rate
Over $3,040,000 (residential properties only) $152,502 plus $7.00 for every $100 over $3,040,000

Transfer duty calculator

Premium rate for residential properties also used for business

The premium rate applies to residential properties only. If your property is worth more than $3 million (or $3.04 million from 1 July 2019) and part of it is used for business, we’ll only take into account the part that’s used for residential purposes when applying the premium transfer duty threshold.

Transfer duty calculator

Rate for land over two hectares

For large properties, the premium transfer rate is calculated only on the first two hectares of land you own, as a proportion of your overall parcel of land. The remainder of your property will be charged at the standard rate.

For example:

  • your 10 hectare property is worth $20 million
  • two hectares is 20 per cent of the total area
  • 20 per cent of the value is $4 million
  • you’ll pay the premium rate on the dutiable value exceeding $3,040,000.00
  • the remaining portion will be charged at the rate for property worth over $1 million.

Transfer duty calculator

Pay your transfer duty

Your solicitor or conveyancer can lodge an application for assessment on a contract for sale or transfer of land on your behalf. They’ll also arrange for duty to be paid. This is typically done as part of the settlement process. They'll also know if you are entitled to any exemptions or concessions.

If you’re not using a solicitor or conveyancer, you must lodge an application and pay duty yourself.

Requesting a refund

You can apply for a refund (PDF, 259 KB) if you’ve paid transfer duty on a contract for sale or transfer that doesn’t go ahead.

You must apply within:

  • five years of the transfer duty assessment being made, or
  • 12 months after the agreement is cancelled.

When applying for a refund, we’ll ask you for:

  • the original contract for sale or transfer
  • evidence the agreement has been cancelled – eg a photocopy of the Deed of Rescission (signed by both parties) or letters from both parties confirming the agreement has been cancelled
  • a copy of the original purchaser declaration.

Late payments

If you don’t pay your transfer duty on time, you’ll be charged interest on the amount you owe. We may also charge additional penalties.

Objections and reviews

You can lodge an objection or request a reassessment if you’re dissatisfied with an assessment or decision we’ve made.

Business transactions

From 1 July 2016, the NSW government abolished transfer duty on the sale of business assets, including intellectual property, goodwill and statutory licences.

However, you still must pay transfer duty on any land the business holds. Duty will be assessed on the value of the land, including leasehold interests, fixtures and goods.

If you're transferring or assigning a lease not connected to any business assets, complete the declaration for urgent stamping of transfers and assignment of leases form (PDF, 226.6 KB).

Other transactions

Other transactions that may require transfer duty include:

  • establishing a trust over property in NSW
  • transferring an option to purchase land in NSW
  • foreclosing a mortgage on property in NSW
  • purchasing shares in an unlisted NSW company.

Read more about other occasions when transfer duty may apply.

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