No first home buyer in the ACT will have to pay stamp duty from 1 July 2026.
The 2026-27 ACT Budget delivers on ACT Labor’s election commitment, making the Territory the first jurisdiction in Australia to abolish stamp duty for all first home buyers. Stamp duty exemptions will also be expanded for pensioners, eligible National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants and all home buyers who have not owned property in the last five years.
This reform removes one of the biggest upfront barriers to home ownership and opens the door for more Canberrans to get into the housing market sooner.
The Government is also backing in planning reforms with a major package of tax cuts to support the development of the ‘missing middle’:
- removing stamp duty on all new unit-titled properties bought by owner-occupiers and continuing the concession for owner-occupiers buying off-the-plan units
- expanding this concession to all turn-key units (a newly constructed unit that was not sold off-the-plan), and
- introducing a time-limited 50% reduction in the codified Lease Variation Charge for missing middle developments, lowering overall development costs while maintaining a return to the community.
To streamline the delivery of ‘missing middle’ housing, the Government will also deliver the Canberra House Pattern Book – a collection of pre-approved plans for ‘missing middle’ homes chosen through a design competition.
Homeowners, developers and builders will be able access these quality, validated, and ready to build designs, for $1000; a fraction of cost of commissioning custom architectural plans.
As the designs are pre-approved, projects will be able to proceed without a development application, providing greater certainty and accelerating project delivery timeframes.
The ‘Missing Middle’ Housing Reforms approved by the Government will enable more low-rise housing including terraces, townhouses and multi-occupancy housing in most residential blocks in Canberra, giving Canberrans greater housing choice. The changes to the Territory Plan have been approved by the Planning Minister and are currently before the Legislative Assembly.
The housing measures in the ACT Budget will expand access to secure, suitable and affordable housing across the Territory and support the Government’s commitment to enabling 30,000 new homes by the end of 2030 and meeting the ACT’s targets under the National Housing Accord.
Since 2019, the Home Buyer Concession Scheme has helped Canberrans buy more than 25,000 homes, saving them an average of $16,000 in taxes.
Quotes attributable to Chief Minister, Andrew Barr:
“This Budget marks a major milestone in our long‑term tax reform program, delivering a fairer system and improving housing affordability for Canberrans. At its core, there has been a sustained focus on removing barriers to home ownership, and today we announce the completion of a key element of this reform by abolishing stamp duty for all first home buyers.
“Stamp duty has long been one of the biggest upfront hurdles to entering the housing market. From 1 July 2026, that barrier is gone for first home buyers in the ACT. We made this commitment, and this Budget delivers it in full.
“These changes mean first home buyer owner‑occupiers can purchase a home without paying a cent in stamp duty, helping more Canberrans get into the market sooner and with greater confidence.
“We are also extending stamp duty relief to pensioners and to people purchasing new unit‑titled homes, giving older Canberrans more choice to downsize and better match their housing to their needs. That, in turn, frees up larger homes for growing families.
“Together, these reforms open the door for more renters to become owners, support younger households to build their future in Canberra, and ensure our tax system works better for the next generation.”
Quotes attributable to Treasurer and Minister for Planning and Sustainable Development, Chris Steel:
“The elimination of stamp duty for first home buyers compliments the Federal Government’s tax reforms by supporting younger generations of Canberrans to own their own home.
“The changes to lease variation charges will lower overall development costs and encourage builders to bring forward more ‘missing middle’ housing projects sooner. Every Canberran that buys a new unit-titled ‘missing middle’ home to live in won’t pay a cent in stamp duty.
“The Pattern Book will fast track more low-rise ‘missing middle’ homes that are well-designed and will fit in well with Canberra’s streets and climate.
“Canberra has a long history of pattern book housing, and it’s a model that we are returning to again to speed up the development of new homes and boost supply.”
