Buying guide · 3 min read · Checked 21 October 2026

First Home Buyer Grants and Schemes in Victoria: What You Can Get in 2026

In short

In Victoria you may get no stamp duty up to $600,000 (reduced duty up to $750,000), a $10,000 First Home Owner Grant for a new home up to $750,000, the federal 5% Deposit Scheme for homes up to $950,000 in Melbourne, Help to Buy shared equity for lower incomes, and the First Home Super Saver scheme. The Victorian Homebuyer Fund closed in September 2025.

At a glance

First home buyer help in Victoria, October 2026
Stamp duty exemption or concession	No duty up to $600,000; reduced duty $600,001 to $750,000
First Home Owner Grant	$10,000 for a new home worth up to $750,000
5% Deposit Scheme	5% deposit (2% for single parents), no lenders mortgage insurance; up to $950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong, $650,000 elsewhere
Help to Buy	Government share up to 30% (existing) or 40% (new); 2% deposit; income under $103,000 single or $165,000 joint
First Home Super Saver	Up to $15,000 a year and $50,000 in total from voluntary super contributions
Victorian Homebuyer Fund	Closed to new applicants on 10 September 2025

Victorian stamp duty relief

First home buyers pay no land transfer duty on a home worth up to $600,000, and a reduced amount between $600,001 and $750,000. It applies to new and established homes. Above $750,000 you pay full duty. On a $700,000 home, the State Revenue Office calculator will show your exact concession.

You generally need to move in within 12 months of settlement and live there for at least 12 months.

First Home Owner Grant

A $10,000 grant for a new home that has never been sold, lived in or leased, worth up to $750,000. For off-the-plan purchases, the cap applies to the contract price. Established homes do not qualify. Since 26 November 2025, New Zealand citizens who meet the other conditions can also apply.

5% Deposit Scheme

Since 1 October 2025, the federal 5% Deposit Scheme has had no income caps and no limit on places. You can buy with a 5% deposit without paying lenders mortgage insurance, or with 2% if you are a single parent or single legal guardian. In Victoria the price cap is $950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong and $650,000 elsewhere.

Help to Buy

Help to Buy opened on 5 December 2025. The government takes an equity share of up to 40% of a new home or 30% of an existing one, so you borrow less, and you need a 2% deposit. From 1 July 2026 the income caps are $103,000 for singles and $165,000 for couples and single parents. In Victoria the price caps are $950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong and $650,000 elsewhere. There are 10,000 places a year.

You can buy back the government’s share over time. You generally cannot use Help to Buy and the 5% Deposit Scheme on the same purchase.

First Home Super Saver

You can make voluntary contributions to super and later withdraw them, with earnings, for a first home deposit: up to $15,000 a year and $50,000 in total. Talk to your accountant or super fund about the tax treatment before you start.

For off-the-plan buyers

Victoria’s temporary off-the-plan duty concession is open to all buyers, not just first home buyers, for contracts signed before 21 April 2027. It applies to apartments, units and townhouses in a subdivision with common property, at any price.

What you can combine

Stamp duty relief, the First Home Owner Grant (for a new home) and the 5% Deposit Scheme can generally be used together if you meet each one’s conditions.
The First Home Super Saver scheme can sit alongside the others as part of your deposit.
Help to Buy and the 5% Deposit Scheme are alternatives: you choose one.

Rules change often. Check each scheme’s official page, or ask a broker, before you sign a contract.

Questions

What people ask us

How much is the First Home Owner Grant in Victoria?

$10,000, for a new home worth up to $750,000. Established homes do not qualify.

What is the 5% Deposit Scheme price cap in Melbourne?

$950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong, and $650,000 elsewhere in Victoria. There are no income caps and no limit on places.

Is the Victorian Homebuyer Fund still open?

No. It closed to new applicants on 10 September 2025. Help to Buy is the federal shared equity scheme now open.

Can I get stamp duty relief on an established home?

Yes. The first home buyer duty exemption and concession apply to new and established homes up to $750,000.

Sources

Written by Luke Fornieri, licensed estate agent, Fornieri & Azar, East and South East Melbourne. Checked 21 October 2026. General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Grants, duty and rules change, so check the sources or ask us about your situation.