First Home Owner Grant Western Australia 2026

Quick answer: Western Australia offers a $10,000 First Home Owner Grant for new homes. The value cap was removed in metro Perth in March 2024, making WA one of the most generous states for first home buyers. You must be over 18, an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and have never owned residential property in Australia. Move in within 12 months and live there for at least 6 continuous months. Stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers apply on properties up to $500,000 (full exemption), with concessions to $700,000. Stack the FHOG with stamp duty concessions for total savings up to $28,000+. Apply through Department of Finance WA or via your lender. Updated April 2026 based on Department of Finance WA data.

Western Australia removed the FHOG value cap in March 2024 (Department of Finance WA). That makes WA one of the most generous states for first home buyers — no ceiling on property value, as long as it’s a new build. If you need financing for a new build, read our construction loans vs home loans guide to understand how progress payments work.

Who Is Eligible?

You need to tick every box. Miss one and Revenue WA will knock you back:

• First home buyer — you (or your partner) have never owned residential property in Australia
• Over 18 years of age
• Australian citizen or permanent resident (at least one applicant)
• New home — newly built, off-the-plan, or substantially renovated (never occupied post-renovation)
• Primary residence — move in within 12 months, live there for at least 6 continuous months
• Not a company or trust — the purchase must be by a natural person

What Counts as a “New Home”?

• A home you build yourself (owner-builder)
• A home built for you by a builder (contract to build)
• A brand new home that has never been lived in (buying off-the-plan or from a developer)
• A substantially renovated home (full gut-reno level, not just a new kitchen)

What Does NOT Qualify

• Established/existing homes
• Investment properties
• Homes you don’t plan to live in for 6+ months
• Vacant land on its own (you get the grant when you build, not when you buy land)

Value Caps: South vs North

What this means:

• If you’re buying a completed new home in Perth for $650,000, you don’t qualify (over the $600K cap)
• If you’re buying land for $280K and signing a building contract for $370K (total $650K) in Perth, you qualify (under the $750K land+build cap)
• If you’re building in Broome, the land+build cap is $1M

The land+build cap is higher than the purchase cap because the government wants people to build new homes, not just buy stock from developers (Department of Finance WA).

How Much Can You Save?

Stack the FHOG with stamp duty concessions:

Example: Building in Ellenbrook

If you’re not a first home buyer and you’re building that same home, you still save on stamp duty. Standard stamp duty on a $550,000 property is ~$22,500. Stamp duty on $220,000 land is ~$7,070. You save $15,430 just by splitting land and build into separate contracts. Check our Perth building costs guide for suburb-by-suburb construction pricing.

“Perth’s land prices are still among the most affordable of any capital city, which makes it easier to stay under the $750,000 land+build cap for the FHOG. In suburbs like Ellenbrook, Baldivis, and Byford, you can build a quality four-bedroom home and comfortably qualify for both the grant and stamp duty exemption.” — David Park, Housing Market Researcher at BuildBudget

See your WA first home buyer savings

Our calculator shows total project cost including FHOG and stamp duty savings for Western Australia.

Calculate Your Savings

How to Apply

If You’re Building (Most Common)

Your builder or lender usually handles the paperwork.

1. At contract stage — mention the FHOG when you sign your building contract
2. Lender lodges the application — most lenders do this as part of the loan process
3. Grant offsets a progress payment — the $10,000 gets knocked off a progress payment (typically first or final), so you pay less out of pocket
4. Or apply yourself — you can go directly through Revenue WA after construction starts

If You’re Buying a New Home

1. At settlement — your conveyancer or solicitor lodges the FHOG application on your behalf
2. Grant reduces your settlement figure — that’s $10,000 less you need on the day
3. Lender handles it — if you’re getting a home loan, your lender submits the application

What You Need to Apply

• Proof of identity (100 points of ID)
• Contract of sale or building contract
• Evidence the property is a new home
• Statutory declaration confirming eligibility
• If building: certificate of occupancy (when construction is complete)

Processing time: Typically 4–6 weeks once all documents are submitted.

FHOG + Building: Timeline

WA Stamp Duty for First Home Buyers

Updated March 2025:

Homes (New or Established)

Vacant Land (For Building)

Big savings: If you buy $320,000 land in Baldivis, you pay zero stamp duty on the land. Then when the build completes, you claim the $10,000 FHOG — as long as land plus build stays under $750,000 total (Department of Finance WA). For full stamp duty details, see our WA stamp duty guide.

Off-the-Plan Stamp Duty Concessions

This is a separate program from the FHOG. It runs until 30 June 2026.

Pre-Construction Purchases:

• 100% stamp duty concession (up to $50,000) for pre-construction homes valued up to $750,000
• Tapered concessions for $750,000–$850,000
• Applies to townhouses, villas, apartments, community-title properties

Purchases During Construction:

• 75% concession for purchases during construction (up to $750,000 value)

Why this matters: If you’re buying a $700,000 off-the-plan apartment in Perth, standard stamp duty is ~$27,285. With the 100% concession, you pay $0. That’s a $27,000 saving on top of the $10,000 FHOG.

Deadline: 30 June 2026. If you’re considering off-the-plan, sign before this date.

Source: WA Government 2024-25 Budget announcements, Acceptance Finance, Home Group.

Common Questions

Can I get the FHOG if I’ve owned property overseas?

Yes. The grant only looks at Australian residential property. If you owned a flat in Singapore or a house in the UK, that doesn’t count. As long as you’ve never owned residential property in Australia, you’re in the clear.

What if my partner has owned a home before?

This is where people get caught out. If either you or your partner has ever owned residential property in Australia, neither of you qualifies, even if only one name is going on the title. Revenue WA looks at the couple, not the individual.

Can I use the FHOG as part of my deposit?

Usually no. The FHOG is applied at settlement or during construction (against a progress payment). Most lenders won’t let you count it toward your 5-10% deposit because the money doesn’t hit your account until later. However, some lenders factor the grant into your borrowing capacity.

Off-the-plan purchases are sometimes an exception — check with your lender.

Does the land+build cap include variations?

Yes. If you sign a building contract for $370K but then approve $40K in variations, your total build cost is $410K. Add your land value to that. If the combined total exceeds $750,000, you lose the grant. Watch variations closely.

“WA builders often quote a low base price and then add $30,000–$50,000 in site works, upgrades, and ‘provisional sums’ during the build. Make sure your contract includes a comprehensive list of inclusions — otherwise those variations can push you over the $750,000 cap and cost you the entire $10,000 grant.” — James Thornton, Construction Cost Analyst at BuildBudget

Can I rent out the property after 6 months?

Yes. Once you’ve done your 6 consecutive months living there, the place is yours to do what you want. Plenty of first home buyers move out and rent it after that. It’s a way to start building equity while you rent somewhere that suits your lifestyle better.

What if I sell before 6 months?

You’ll have to pay the full $10,000 back. Revenue WA doesn’t do partial refunds. If something comes up and you genuinely can’t stay (medical reasons, family breakdown), contact Revenue WA before you move out. They have discretion in hardship cases, but you need to ask, not just disappear.

Can I get the FHOG and stamp duty exemption together?

Yes, and you should. They’re separate schemes. If you’re building a new home in Perth for under $750,000 (land+build), you get the $10,000 FHOG plus stamp duty exemption on land under $350,000 (Department of Finance WA). Stack them. The government set it up specifically to encourage first home buyers to build.

“The off-the-plan stamp duty concession running until June 2026 is the hidden gem in WA. If you’re buying a pre-construction apartment under $750,000, you can stack three benefits: $10,000 FHOG, 100% stamp duty concession, and zero land duty. That’s up to $60,000 in combined savings — but the deadline is firm.” — Emma Whitfield, Property Finance Analyst at BuildBudget

What about the off-the-plan concession?

That’s a third benefit, separate from FHOG and standard stamp duty relief. If you’re buying pre-construction (off-the-plan) for up to $750,000, you can get:

• $10,000 FHOG
• 100% stamp duty concession (up to $50,000 saved)
• Total combined benefit: up to $60,000

But this expires 30 June 2026. If you’re buying off-the-plan, move before the deadline.

Run the numbers with our free building cost calculator to see exactly how FHOG and stamp duty savings affect your total project cost. For a national overview, see how much it costs to build a house across Australia.

Information current as of April 2026, based on Revenue WA and WA Department of Finance guidelines. Check your eligibility with Revenue WA before making decisions. Rules can change mid-year.

Key Takeaways

• Western Australia offers $10,000 FHOG for new homes with no value cap in metro Perth (removed in recent reforms)
• Full stamp duty exemption on new homes/vacant land up to $500K, reduced rates up to $700K for established homes
• Vacant land stamp duty fully exempt up to $350,000 land value for first home buyers
• Must occupy as principal place of residence for minimum 6 continuous months
• Combined savings of $10K grant + stamp duty exemption worth $20K–$30K+ depending on property value
• Application lodged through Revenue WA or via lender/conveyancer during settlement

Data Sources

All information sourced from official government agencies:

• Revenue WA — First Home Owner Grant Information, accessed April 2026
• WA Department of Finance — FHOG eligibility and stamp duty concessions, 2026

Related Guides

• Cost to Build a House in Perth
• Stamp Duty WA
• How Much to Build in Australia
• First Home Owner Grant VIC
• First Home Owner Grant NSW