What You Need to Know
Transfer duty is the WA state tax on property purchases, commonly called stamp duty. It is calculated as a percentage of the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher, and is collected by RevenueWA under the Duties Act 2008 (WA).
The amount you pay depends on the property price, whether you qualify as a first home buyer, and whether you are purchasing an established home, vacant land, or an investment property. First home buyers in the Perth metropolitan area—including all Kwinana corridor suburbs—pay zero duty on established homes up to $500,000 and zero duty on vacant land up to $350,000 as of 21 March 2025.
Transfer duty is payable at settlement, not at contract signing. You have 2 months from the settlement date to pay, or penalty interest accrues at around 8 to 9% per annum. This timing matters: budgeting for duty 8 to 12 weeks before settlement ties up cash that could sit in your offset account or earn short-term interest.
Duty Comparison
Transfer duty varies sharply between first home buyers and investors at the same price point. The table below shows the duty payable on common Kwinana corridor purchase prices.
| Purchase Price | First Home Buyer (Established) | First Home Buyer (Vacant Land) | Investor (Residential Rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $0 | $2,728 | $7,980 |
| $450,000 | $0 | $4,178 | $9,405 |
| $500,000 | $0 | $6,178 | $11,245 |
| $550,000 | $2,726 | $7,545 | $13,085 |
| $600,000 | $5,452 | $8,910 | $15,345 |
| $680,000 | $16,452 | $19,820 | $26,235 |
First home buyers in Baldivis, Wellard, Rockingham, Parmelia, Orelia, Calista and Medina pay zero duty on established homes up to $500,000. Duty tapers between $500,001 and $700,000 at $13.63 per $100 over $500,000. Vacant land buyers face a lower threshold: $350,000 full exemption, $450,000 taper ceiling.
Investors pay the full residential rate regardless of purchase history. A first-time buyer acquiring a rental property does not qualify for the concession because the concession requires owner-occupation.
Common Questions About WA Transfer Duty
Transfer duty is due at settlement or within 2 months of the settlement date, whichever comes first. It is not payable at contract signing. If you miss the 2-month deadline, RevenueWA charges penalty interest at around 8 to 9% per annum from the settlement date. The liable date is typically the settlement date, but in cases where possession is granted before settlement, the liable date may be the possession date, bringing the payment deadline forward.
Only if you intend to live in the property as your principal place of residence. The first home buyer concession requires that you occupy the property within 12 months of settlement and continue to occupy it for at least 12 continuous months. Investment purchases by first-time buyers do not qualify, even if you have never owned property before. The concession is tied to occupancy intent, not ownership history.
For a first home buyer, zero. The metropolitan concession provides full exemption on established homes up to $500,000. For an investor, the full residential rate applies: $9,405. Add $219.90 for transfer registration and $219.90 for mortgage registration to get the total upfront cost.
Yes. Vacant land buyers face a lower concession threshold: $350,000 full exemption and $450,000 taper ceiling, compared to $500,000 and $700,000 for established homes. A first-home buyer purchasing a $340,000 block in a Baldivis estate pays zero duty, but a $360,000 block attracts $1,363 in duty under the taper. If you fail to commence construction within 5 years, RevenueWA claws back the concession and charges penalty interest.
Yes. Select the investor option to see the full residential rate. Investment purchases never qualify for the first home buyer concession, so the duty payable is the same whether you are a first-time buyer or an established investor. The residential rate structure changes at $120,000, $150,000, $360,000, and $725,000, so the effective rate increases with the purchase price.
You pay duty on the higher of the two. Transfer duty is calculated on the purchase price or the market value assessed by the Valuer General, whichever is higher. A buyer negotiating a $450,000 sale on a property assessed at $470,000 will owe duty on $470,000. This catches below-market sales, family transfers, and distressed sales where the contract price sits below recent comparables.
If both of you are first home buyers and both intend to occupy the property, you both qualify for the concession and pay zero duty (or the tapered amount) on an eligible purchase. If one of you has owned property before or does not intend to occupy, the entire purchase is disqualified and you pay the full residential rate. Tenants in common and joint tenants are treated the same—both co-owners must meet the first home buyer criteria.
Timing does not affect transfer duty, but it does affect your concession eligibility if you are claiming the first home buyer exemption. You must not have owned a home anywhere in Australia before settlement, and you must occupy the new property as your principal residence within 12 months. If you still own your old home at settlement and have lived in it, you do not qualify for the first home concession.
Transfer registration is $219.90 for properties under $500,000 as of 2024. Mortgage registration is $219.90 per mortgage document. These are Landgate fees, separate from transfer duty, and are not reduced by the first home buyer concession. The fees are indexed annually, typically in July, so confirm current rates with your conveyancer before settlement.
No. Off-the-plan purchases are dutiable on the land component at contract (or settlement, depending on contract terms) and on the construction component at practical completion. The first home buyer concession applies to the total value, but you still pay duty at both stages. Most first-home buyers in Kwinana, Rockingham, Baldivis and Wellard purchase established homes and do not encounter this split liability.
RevenueWA charges penalty interest from 2 months after the liable date (usually settlement). The interest rate is around 8 to 9% per annum and accrues daily. If you owe $10,000 in transfer duty and pay 3 months late, you will owe around $200 in penalty interest. The interest compounds, so delays beyond 6 months can add significant cost.
No. Foreign buyers pay an additional 7% surcharge on top of the standard transfer duty, calculated on the full purchase price. The surcharge is not refundable and is not reduced by any concession. If you are a foreign person as defined under the Duties Act, add 7% of the purchase price to the calculator result to get your total duty liability.
