First Home Owner Grants in NSW & QLD (2026)

The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is a one-off government payment to help eligible first home buyers buy or build a new home. This guide explains, in plain English, how the grant works in NSW and QLD in 2026 — the amounts, who’s eligible, and how it’s paid. These are general facts, not financial advice — grant amounts and rules change, so always confirm with your state’s revenue office.

How much is the First Home Owner Grant?

Queensland: According to the Queensland Revenue Office, eligible first home buyers can receive a grant of $15,000 or $30,000 towards buying or building a new home. The increased $30,000 grant applies to eligible contracts and, per the Queensland Government, continues for eligible contracts signed from 1 July 2026. The grant applies to new homes valued under $750,000 (including land). There is no grant for established (existing) homes in QLD.

New South Wales: Under the First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant, eligible first home buyers can receive $10,000 towards a new home, subject to price caps (for example, buying a newly built home up to a set value, or building on land up to a combined cap). As with QLD, the NSW grant is for new homes — not established ones.

(Sources: Queensland Revenue Office (qro.qld.gov.au) and Revenue NSW (revenue.nsw.gov.au). Grant amounts and caps change — always confirm the current figures.)

The grant is for NEW homes only

A key point many first home buyers miss: the First Home Owner Grant applies to new homes — properties that have not previously been lived in or sold as a place of residence. This includes newly built houses, off-the-plan apartments, and building your own home. Established (second-hand) homes do not qualify for the grant — though first home buyers of existing homes may still qualify for stamp duty concessions (see our NSW and QLD stamp duty guides).

Who is eligible?

While each state sets its own detailed rules, the common eligibility requirements include:

• First-time ownership: You (and generally your spouse/partner) must not have previously owned residential property in Australia. Importantly, this applies even if a previous property was an investment you never lived in — prior ownership of any kind can disqualify you.
• Principal place of residence: You must move into the home and live in it as your main home, usually within 12 months of settlement/completion, and stay for a continuous minimum period (commonly six months).
• New home: The property must be new, as above.
• Value caps: The property must fall under the state’s price threshold (e.g. under $750,000 in QLD, including land and contract variations).
• Citizenship/residency: States have residency and, increasingly, citizenship or permanent-residency requirements.

Because eligibility depends on your specific circumstances, always confirm with your state revenue office (QRO or Revenue NSW).

What counts toward the value threshold

In Queensland, the $750,000 threshold includes the land and any contract variations — meaning extras added into your building contract count toward the total. It’s worth understanding exactly what’s included in your contract value so you know whether a property falls under the cap. If you’re unsure how the threshold applies to a specific contract, confirm it directly with QRO or your conveyancer before signing.

How is the grant paid?

The First Home Owner Grant is generally not paid to you as cash to spend freely. For most buyers applying through a lender, it’s applied at settlement (for a completed new home) or at the first construction drawdown (for a build) — so it reduces the funds needed rather than arriving as spending money. If you apply directly through the revenue office, timing and payment differ. Your lender usually handles the application as part of your home loan.

Can you get the grant AND stamp duty concessions?

Often, yes — the First Home Owner Grant (for new homes) is separate from stamp duty concessions, and eligible buyers can generally receive both. There are also federal schemes — like the First Home Guarantee (which allows a deposit as low as 5%) and others — each with their own rules. Because these schemes interact and change, confirm what you’re eligible for with the relevant body.

The bottom line

The First Home Owner Grant can put $10,000 (NSW) or up to $30,000 (QLD) toward a new home for eligible first home buyers — but it’s for new homes only, requires you to genuinely live there, and depends on price caps and your eligibility. Established-home buyers don’t get the grant but may still get stamp duty relief.