--- title: "First Home Owner Grant ACT 2026 — Home Buyer Concession Scheme" description: "ACT replaced FHOG cash with stamp duty relief. Highest exemption threshold ($1,020K) but income-tested. Complete eligibility guide." source: HomeBuildBudget sourceUrl: https://homebuildbudget.com/guides/first-home-owner-grant-act lastUpdated: 2026-06-10 citationUrl: https://homebuildbudget.com/guides/first-home-owner-grant-act --- # First Home Owner Grant ACT 2026 — Home Buyer Concession Scheme ACT replaced FHOG cash with stamp duty relief. Highest exemption threshold ($1,020K) but income-tested. Complete eligibility guide. ACT replaced FHOG cash with stamp duty relief. Highest exemption threshold ($1,020K) but income-tested. Complete eligibility guide. Quick answer: The ACT does not offer a cash First Home Owner Grant. Instead, the Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) provides stamp duty relief with the highest exemption threshold in Australia — $1,020,000 (from July 1, 2025). Maximum saving: $35,238. The scheme is strictly income-tested: combined gross income of all buyers and domestic partners must be under $250,000/year (adjusted for dependents). You must not have owned residential property in Australia in the past 5 years. Both new and established homes qualify. Apply through your conveyancer at settlement using concession code HBC24 via the ACT Revenue Office. Updated April 2026 based on ACT Revenue Office data. The ACT replaced the traditional FHOG cash grant with stamp duty relief in 2019 (ACT Revenue Office). If you’re earning under $250,000/year (or adjusted for dependents), you pay zero stamp duty on properties up to $1,020,000. That threshold is nearly double what NSW offers ($800,000) and significantly higher than VIC ($600,000), QLD, or WA ($500,000). If you’re building in Canberra and need financing, read our construction loans vs home loans guide to understand the difference. Maximum concession: $35,238 (2025-26 financial year) This is where people get caught out. The income test applies to all buyers plus domestic partners. ## Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) ### Stamp Duty Thresholds (From July 1, 2025) ### Income Thresholds (From July 1, 2024) ## Who Is Eligible for the ACT Home Buyer Concession? ## What Properties Qualify? ## How Much Can You Save? ### Example 1: Building in Gungahlin (Land + Build) ### Example 2: Buying Established Home in Belconnen ### Example 3: High-Value Property in Dickson ### Calculate your ACT home costs ## How to Apply ### Step 1: Complete Buyer Verification Declaration (BVD) ### Step 2: Conveyancer Lodges with ACT Revenue Office ### Step 3: Stamp Duty Calculated at Settlement ### Off-the-Plan Unit Duty Exemption (RZ1) ## Key Points - No property ownership in last 5 years — Stricter than most states. If you owned residential property anywhere in Australia within the past 5 years, you’re out. This includes investment properties, inherited property, or a home you sold years ago. - Over 18 years of age (all buyers and domestic partners) - Income test — All buyers and domestic partners combined must be under the threshold for your dependent child count - Australian citizen or permanent resident (at least one applicant) - Principal place of residence — Move in within 12 months, live there for at least 6 consecutive months - Not a company or trust — Must be natural persons - Vacant land (if you’re building on it) - New homes (never been lived in) - Established/existing homes - Off-the-plan purchases ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Who Is Eligible for the ACT Home Buyer Concession? Tick every box or you don’t qualify: ### What Properties Qualify? The ACT scheme applies to all property types: ### Why doesn’t the ACT offer a cash grant? Policy decision. In 2019, the ACT Government replaced the $10,000 FHOG cash grant with stamp duty relief. The rationale was that stamp duty exemption delivers more value—especially for higher-priced properties—and the government was already transitioning away from stamp duty toward land tax over a 20-year period. ### What if my partner has owned property before but I haven’t? You don’t qualify. The 5-year ownership rule applies to all buyers and domestic partners. If your partner owned a property 3 years ago, you’re both disqualified—even if only your name is going on the new title. ### Can I get the concession if I’m buying land to build on? Yes. Vacant land purchases qualify under HBCS. If you’re buying a $350,000 block in Gungahlin to build on, you pay $0 stamp duty (assuming you meet the income test). ### What happens if I sell before 6 months? The ACT can claw back the concession. You declared you’d occupy as principal residence for 6 consecutive months within 12 months of settlement. If you sell or rent it out before meeting that requirement, you’re liable for the full stamp duty amount you saved. ### How does the income test work for couples? It’s combined gross income of all buyers and domestic partners. If you’re earning $140,000 and your partner earns $120,000, your combined income is $260,000—over the $250,000 threshold with no dependent children. You don’t qualify. ### How does this compare to other states? Stamp duty exemption thresholds for first home buyers: ### What’s this about land tax? The ACT is gradually phasing out stamp duty and replacing it with annual land tax over a 20-year period (started 2012, ending ~2032). This means: --- *Source: [HomeBuildBudget](https://homebuildbudget.com/guides/first-home-owner-grant-act)*