Calculate Land Transfer Stamp Duty
What is Stamp Duty in the Northern Territory?
According to the Territory Revenue Office, stamp duty is charged on transfers of property in the Northern Territory, calculated on the greater of the purchase price or market value.
💡Did you know? The NT takes a completely different approach to first home buyer support than every other state and territory. Rather than a stamp duty exemption or concession, first home buyers get large cash grants instead, and duty is calculated using a mathematical formula rather than simple brackets for most residential purchases.
How is stamp duty calculated?
For properties valued up to $525,000, the NT uses a formula rather than flat brackets:
Duty = (0.06571441 × V²) + (15 × V), where V is the property value in thousands of dollars
For example, on a $500,000 property: (0.06571441 × 500²) + (15 × 500) = $16,428.60 + $7,500 = $23,928.60.
Above $525,000, flat percentage rates apply instead:
| Dutiable Value Range | Rate |
|---|---|
| $525,001 to $3,000,000 | 4.95% of the dutiable value |
| $3,000,001 to $5,000,000 | 5.75% of the dutiable value |
| Over $5,000,000 | 5.95% of the dutiable value |
Source: Territory Revenue Office: Stamp duty
☝️ Hot Tip: Use a Stamp Duty Calculator to help work out how much it will cost you in the Northern Territory.
Can Stamp Duty be part of my deposit in the Northern Territory?
The short answer is no. Let’s take a look at an example of a buyer purchasing an established home in the Northern Territory.
Purchase Price: $650,000 established home, with a 10% deposit
Deposit on purchase = $65,000
Money lent to you via a home loan = $585,000
Costs made up of:
- Stamp Duty on purchase (flat 4.95% rate, since above $525,000): $32,175
- Mortgage registration fee: $181.00: see Territory Revenue Office
- Transfer fee: $181.00
- Solicitor/Conveyancer (estimate): $1,500
- Building and pest inspections (estimate): $500
Who needs to pay Stamp Duty?
- ✅ The buyer pays it: not the seller.
- ✅ Stamp duty is payable within 60 days of the transaction date: a notably longer window than most other states.
What is the Stamp Duty for Foreign Buyers in the Northern Territory?
The Northern Territory is the only Australian jurisdiction that does not charge a foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge at all. It also has no land tax, making it a genuine outlier among Australian property markets on both fronts.
Are there any exemptions from Stamp Duty in the Northern Territory?
The NT doesn’t run a general first home buyer stamp duty exemption or concession the way other states do. Everyone pays the same rates above regardless of buyer type. Instead, the NT leans heavily on cash grants and one targeted exemption:
- HomeGrown Territory Grant: $50,000 for eligible first home buyers building or purchasing a new home, for contracts entered into before 30 September 2026. This is a cash grant, not a duty reduction.
- House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE): a full stamp duty exemption where you buy vacant land and a new home is built under a single contract with the builder (not restricted to first home buyers). Available for eligible contracts until 30 June 2027.
- Home owner discount: eligible owner-occupiers purchasing a home to live in may be able to access an additional discount on top of the schemes above, whether or not it’s their first property. Because the discount amount can vary, it’s worth confirming your specific eligibility and figure directly with the Territory Revenue Office when you’re ready to buy.
⚠️ Time-sensitive: The $50,000 HomeGrown Territory Grant’s contract deadline of 30 September 2026 is coming up fast. If you’re a first home buyer considering a new build in the NT, this is worth acting on sooner rather than later.
How much will Stamp Duty cost me in the Northern Territory?
$29,566. The average stamp duty amount for the average purchase property price in the Northern Territory!
NOTE: The above amount of stamp duty is calculated in July 2026 and the property price is from the ABS Total Value of Dwellings release for the March 2026 quarter, with the average (mean) property price in the Northern Territory being $597,300, the lowest of any state or territory.
Chat to the Well Money team to check for more information about stamp duty in the Northern Territory and to see what we can do to help.
I’m not quite sure what applies to me. Can you help?
If you are looking to purchase a home or investment property in the Northern Territory, our team at Well Money can help. To chat about your deposit, lending and first home ownership options book in a time to sit down with us, or feel free to call on 1300 899 724.