- Tasmanian first home buyers who sign a contract to build during specific periods may be eligible to access a $20,000 First Home Owner Grant from 1 July 2026
- The payment is lower than the $30,000 previously offered to 30 June 2026
- The grant applies to new homes only, with no price or income caps, but applicants must meet age, residency, and ownership requirements.
- Tasmania also scrapped its first home buyer stamp duty concessions from 1 July 2026
It’s a hard slog breaking into the property market but there are a number of government schemes and concessions that support first home buyers to purchase their own homes.
The Tasmanian government’s First Home Owner Grant is not as generous as it once was but still offers a cash boost to get you into your own home sooner. Let’s check the details.
How much is the First Home Owner Grant in Tasmania?
- Tasmanian first home buyers who sign a contract to build will be eligible for a $20,000 grant from 1 July 2026 - after the state government ended the boosted payment that saw earlier homebuyers receive $30,000.
The $20,000 payment will be available for the 12 months to 30 June 2027. Eligibility for the grants depends on when the transaction originated. Contracts signed during 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2024 or 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 fall within the qualifying windows for the $30,000 payment. Those signed after 30 June 2026 may be eligible for the $20,000 payment.
Under the scheme, a new home is one that has not previously been occupied or sold as a place of residence. The grant is not available for existing or established homes.
However, unlike many other states and territories, Tasmania has no price limit on the value of your first home to be eligible for Tasmania’s First Home Owners Grant. Similarly, your income also does not affect eligibility for the grant.
First Home Owner Grant eligibility
All applicants for the grant must meet the eligibility criteria:
Apply as a person, not a company
Be 18 years old or over
Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. (If more than one applicant, only one applicant is required to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.)
Occupy the home as your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of an eligible transaction
Applicants are not eligible as first home owners, if they or their partner have:
owned a residential property in Australia before 1 July 2000
owned and occupied a residential property for more than six months in Australia after 1 July 2000
received the first home owner grant before
Finding a competitive home loan
An important factor in any first home purchase is finding a loan that offers a competitive interest rate and is best suited to your needs. The table below features home loans with some of the lowest interest rates on the market for owner occupiers.
Lender Home Loan Interest Rate Comparison Rate* Monthly Repayment Repayment type Rate Type Offset Redraw Ongoing Fees Upfront Fees Max LVR Lump Sum Repayment Extra Repayments Split Loan Option Tags Features Link Compare Promoted Product Disclosure
Disclosure
How to apply for the First Home Buyer Grant in Tasmania?
To apply for the First Home Owner Grant, you can lodge an application through an approved agent (your lender or mortgage broker). Alternatively, you can lodge your own application through the Tasmanian State Revenue Office.
When is the grant paid?
If the application is lodged via the State Revenue Office, the grant will be paid after completion of the eligible transaction. Earlier payment may be authorised by the Commissioner if deemed appropriate.
If your application was lodged by an approved agent (generally, the lender you’re financing with), the payment will be made when:
Contract to build | Payment is made following completion of the laying of the foundations (typically the first progress payment). |
Purchasing a new home or an off-the-plan home | The grant is paid to your financial institution on settlement of your property. |
Payment is made on receipt of an occupancy certificate. |
Can first home buyers get stamp duty discounts in Tasmania?
Qualifying for stamp duty relief in Tasmania comes down to the type of home you buy and when you purchased it.
Stamp duty exemption for first home buyers purchasing established homes won't apply after 30 June 2026. They will pay full stamp duty rates from 1 July 2027.
If you buy or build a new home, you may be eligible for the reduced FHOG of $20,000 after 1 July 2026, but cannot receive stamp duty relief. Alternatively, you may choose to opt for full stamp duty exemption but not receive the FHOG.
The previous deal
Eligible home buyers who bought an existing home valued at $750,000 or less between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026 (inclusive) were not required to pay any property transfer duty.
Those who purchased between 7 February 2018 to 17 February 2024 were entitled to a 50% stamp duty discount. (Home value caps for earlier time periods appear on the State Revenue Office of Tasmania website.)
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the relief, purchasers must:
- be a natural person (not a company)
- be at least 18 years of age
- must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. (If there is more than one applicant, at least one of them must meet this criteria.)
- not have previously owned a home (or have a spouse/partner who's owned a home) in Australia
- not have previously received a first home owner grant in any other state or territory of Australia or the duty concession or exemption, or have a spouse/partner who has
- complete the application form and lodge it with all relevant supporting documentation.
What are 'established' homes?
An established home is considered a home other than a new home.
A new home is a home that has not been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence, or one that has been substantially renovated and has not been occupied or sold as a place of residence since the renovations were completed.
Residential requirements
To qualify, the buyer must occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of six months, beginning within 12 months of the transfer. (There may be some flexibility with this requirement depending on individual circumstances although approval must be sought.)
To comply, the Tasmanian government requires home owners form a genuine connection with the property as their principal place of residence. It says it should generally be the place where you usually eat and sleep. Leaving personal belongings at a vacant residence is not sufficient in meeting the residency condition.
Applications can be submitted electronically or by mail, with supporting documentation.
What other schemes and grants can first home buyers use?
Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme
The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, formerly the Home Guarantee Scheme, is a federal government initiative designed to help prospective buyers purchase their own homes sooner.
Essentially, the scheme offers first home buyers the opportunity to purchase a home with a deposit as low as 5% without the need to pay Lenders' Mortgage Insurance (LMI). This means you can borrow up to 95% of the property value, with the federal government effectively providing the lender with a guarantee of up to 15% of the property's value.
The scheme also takes in the former Regional First Home Guarantee and the Family Home Guarantee, which allows eligible single parents to access home loans with a deposit as low as 2%. It can be used in conjunction with Tasmanian government grants and concessions.
The First Home Super Saver Scheme
The First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS) is a federal government initiative that provides the opportunity to save money for your first home via your superannuation fund. Essentially, the scheme allows you to make voluntary contributions (both before-tax concessional and after-tax non-concessional). In practical terms, it can help you save for a deposit faster by allowing you to benefit from the tax discounts that superannuation can offer.
Under the scheme, you can salary sacrifice up to $15,000 of your wages per year towards the FHSSS, taking advantage of a discounted tax rate of 15% for super contributions. You are limited to contributing a total of $50,000 across all years and can have these contributions released, along with their associated earnings, to fund a first home purchase. The earnings are at a deemed rate of return, not the actual earnings made by your super fund.
Read more about state First Home Owner/Buyer Grants and stamp duty concessions in other Australian states:
Frequently Asked Questions
You generally can’t use the FHOG on established properties as it’s designed to support purchases of new builds, off‑the‑plan homes, or major renovations.
The FHOG can reduce how much you need to save upfront, but it doesn’t replace the requirement for a genuine deposit. Lenders are still expecting that you'll contribute most of it yourself, and you’ll need a minimum of 20% to avoid paying LMI.
Yes, if you fail to meet the residency or eligibility conditions after settlement, the FHOG can be revoked, and you may be required to repay the grant. Revenue offices regularly conduct audits to check if conditions are being met.