Written by James Hurwood
Reviewed by Stephen Zeller
Last updated 10/01/2024
Don't quite understand stamp duty? You might want to watch this explainer from Selling Houses Australia host, Andrew Winter.
Knowing your costs is crucial when buying a home, and that goes doubly for stamp duty, which may be the biggest cost you pay after the cost of the property itself. With that in mind, our General Manager of Money, Stephen Zeller has the following tips for property-buyers in WA:
Stamp duty costs differ depending on where you’re looking to purchase a property in Australia. When calculating the estimated stamp duty for a home you’re looking to purchase, make sure you have selected the correct state or territory, as you may be underestimating or even overestimating the charges payable.
Stamp duty can sometimes be forgotten about when looking at properties to purchase and calculating the final costs. When completing your sums purchasing a property and figuring out how much savings you will need, don’t forget to include the stamp duty fees as well.
Our experienced Home Loan Specialist team help customers all over Australia, and they can assist you with any stamp duty questions you may have on your mind. Speak to the team via phone or email and they’ll be happy to help you find the answers to your questions.
The table below displays the general rates of duty and transfer fees imposed on property and land transfers in Western Australia.¹ These rates are based on the dutiable value of the property, which either refers to the property’s purchase price or its total value (in situations where it has not been conventionally sold or the property is worth more than what was paid for it).
| Dutiable value of the property | Stamp duty payable |
| $0-$120,000 | $1.90 per every whole or part $100 |
| $120,001-$150,000 | $2,280, plus $2.85 per every whole or part $100 above $120,000 |
| $150,001-$360,000 | $3,185, plus $3.80 per every whole or part $100 above $150,000 |
| $360,001-$725,000 | $11,115, plus $4.75 per every whole or part $100 above $360,000 |
| $725,001+ | $28,453, plus $5.15 per every whole or part $100 above $725,000 |
So, say you buy a home in WA for $400,000. All else being equal, you’d pay $11,115 and then $4.75 for every $100 or part of $100 between $360,000 and $400,000.
The difference between $360,000 and $400,000 is $40,000, which divided by $100 gives you 400. Multiple 400 by $4.75 and we get $1,900; adding this to the original $11,115 gives you a total of $13,015 payable in stamp duty on your property purchase.
However, it’s important to note that your house-buying costs don’t end there. You may also have to pay for things like:
In WA, you’re required to pay stamp duty within one month of a duties assessment notice being issued. You must make sure you’ve paid all required duties in order to receive a certificate of duty and avoid incurring late payment penalty tax.
If you’re buying a home with the help of a solicitor or conveyancer, they will typically handle the payment of your stamp duty come settlement time.
In WA, stamp duty may be paid to the state’s revenue office (the WA Department of Finance) either by credit card, BPay, post or cheque.2 However, if you’ve engaged a solicitor or conveyancer to help you navigate the homebuying process, they’ll generally handle the payment of any duty you’ve incurred.
First home buyers ostensibly have to pay stamp duty in WA. However, they may be eligible for the state’s First Home Owner Rate (FHOR), which is a concessional rate of duty.3 For the full list eligibility requirements, visit the WA Government’s website.
If you’ve satisfied the FHOG’s eligibility requirements, the only further eligibility requirement you’ll need to meet in order to receive the FHOR regards the value of the property in question.
There are two different sets of property value thresholds: one for home and land transactions, and one for vacant land transactions. If the transaction’s value falls under the first threshold, you’ll be eligible for a full exemption; if the transaction’s value falls under the second threshold but above the first one, you’ll be eligible for the concessional rate.
Below are the relevant price caps and thresholds for WA’s FHOR for each property type.
| Home and land | Vacant land | ||
| Value of the transaction | Payable stamp duty | Value of the transaction | Payable stamp duty |
| $0-430,000 | $0 (full exemption) | $0-300,000 | $0 (full exemption) |
| $430,001-530,000 | $19.19 for every whole or part $100 in excess of $430,000 | $300,001-400,000 | $13.01 for every whole or part $100 in excess of $300,000 |
Along with the FHOR concession for first home buyers listed above, you may be eligible for a full stamp duty exemption in WA if you are:⁴
Visit the WA Government’s website for a full list of potential exemptions and their eligibility criteria.
Any foreign persons purchasing residential property in WA must pay the relevant stamp duty as well as an additional duty of 7%.⁵ This applies whether they’re looking to buy a new home or an established home, and whether they plan on using it as a place of residence or an investment property.
Stephen has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and holds a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking. He’s also a member of both the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) and the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA).
Stephen leads our team of Home Loan Specialists, and reviews and contributes to Compare the Market’s banking-relating content to ensure it’s as helpful and empowering as possible for our readers.
1 WA.gov.au. Transfer duty assessment. 2022.
2 WA.gov.au. Pay duty. 2022.
3 WA.gov.au. Duties Fact Sheet – First Home Owner Rate. 2022.
4 WA.gov.au. Apply for a transfer duty exemption. 2022.
5 WA.gov.au. Foreign Transfer Duty Fact Sheet. 2022.
