First home buyer grants and schemes in Queensland — complete 2026 guide
Queensland Revenue Office, Queensland Government, Stanford Financial, Federal Government Home Guarantee Scheme — April 2026. All figures current as of publication date.
Queensland currently has one of the most generous first home buyer support packages in the country. A $30,000 state grant, zero stamp duty on new homes, a federal deposit guarantee scheme and a shared equity program mean eligible buyers can access well over $50,000 in combined support — but there is a critical deadline approaching that every first home buyer in QLD needs to know about right now.
The $30,000 First Home Owner Grant drops to $15,000 after this date. Your contract must be signed before 30 June 2026 — settlement can occur after this date. If you are considering buying in QLD act now to secure the full grant amount.
- 1.The four schemes available to QLD first home buyers
- 2.The $30,000 First Home Owner Grant — act before June 30
- 3.Stamp duty concessions — what you actually pay in 2026
- 4.The First Home Guarantee — buy with 5% and no LMI
- 5.Boost to Buy — the shared equity scheme
- 6.How to stack multiple schemes together
- 7.A real example of maximum combined benefits
- 8.Common mistakes that cost buyers their grants
1. The four schemes available to QLD first home buyers
Queensland first home buyers in 2026 can access support from both the state and federal governments. Here is a quick overview of every scheme currently available before we go into the detail of each one:
2. The $30,000 First Home Owner Grant — act before June 30
The Queensland First Home Owner Grant is a one-off tax-free payment from the state government for eligible buyers of new homes. The current boosted amount of $30,000 applies to contracts signed before 30 June 2026 — after that date the grant reverts to $15,000.
Your contract of sale must be signed before 30 June 2026 to receive $30,000. The settlement date does not matter — only the contract signing date. If you sign in June but settle in August you still receive the full $30,000 grant.
To be eligible for the FHOG in Queensland you must:
The $30,000 grant is paid at settlement — not at contract signing. You still need genuine savings available on the day of contract. Some lenders will take the incoming grant into account when assessing your overall position but they cannot use it as your actual deposit. Always confirm your lender's approach before signing a contract.
3. Stamp duty concessions — what you actually pay in 2026
From 1 May 2025 Queensland introduced some of the most generous stamp duty concessions for first home buyers in the country. The rules differ depending on whether you are buying new or established:
| Metric | What it includes | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| New home | Any price — no price cap | $0 — zero duty |
| Established home | Under $700,000 | $0 — zero duty |
| Established home | $700,000 to $800,000 | Partial — sliding scale |
| Established home | Above $800,000 | Full standard duty |
| Vacant land — new build | Any price | $0 — zero duty |
Before 1 May 2025 the stamp duty concession for new homes had a price cap. From 1 May 2025 there is no upper price limit for new homes — you pay zero stamp duty on a $400,000 townhouse and zero on a $900,000 new build. This is one of the most generous stamp duty policies for first home buyers in Australia.
4. The First Home Guarantee — buy with 5% and no LMI
The federal First Home Guarantee allows eligible first home buyers to purchase with just a 5% deposit without paying Lender's Mortgage Insurance. The government guarantees up to 15% of the property value — bridging the gap to 20% that lenders require to waive LMI.
From October 2025 the First Home Guarantee was significantly expanded — place limits were removed meaning unlimited eligible buyers can access the scheme, income caps were removed and price caps were raised to $1,000,000 in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. This is a genuinely significant expansion that makes the scheme accessible to a much broader range of first home buyers in SEQ.
5. Boost to Buy — the shared equity scheme
The Queensland government's Boost to Buy scheme allows eligible buyers to purchase with just a 2% deposit by having the state government co-own a portion of the property with you. The government contributes up to 30% of the purchase price for new homes and up to 25% for existing homes — reducing your mortgage size and ongoing repayments significantly.
Boost to Buy means the Queensland government owns a share of your home. When you eventually sell you repay the government's contribution proportional to the sale price — not the original contribution amount. If the property grows in value the government's share grows too. Always get independent financial and legal advice before entering a shared equity arrangement.
6. How to stack multiple schemes together
The most powerful benefit of Queensland's first home buyer support in 2026 is the ability to combine multiple schemes simultaneously. Here is what you can stack:
| Metric | What it includes | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| FHOG $30,000 + zero stamp duty on new home | Both state grants apply simultaneously | Yes |
| FHOG $30,000 + First Home Guarantee 5% deposit | State grant combined with federal scheme | Yes |
| Zero stamp duty + First Home Guarantee | State concession with federal deposit scheme | Yes |
| FHOG + Boost to Buy shared equity | Grant combined with state shared equity | Yes |
| First Home Guarantee + Boost to Buy | Federal and state deposit schemes | Cannot combine |
7. A real example of maximum combined benefits
Here is what a first home buyer purchasing a new home in Brisbane before 30 June 2026 could access under the most favourable stacking scenario:
| First Home Owner Grant — new home under $750k | +$30,000 |
| Stamp duty saving — new home, no price cap | +$24,525 |
| LMI saving — First Home Guarantee on $700k purchase | +$14,000 approx |
| Total combined benefit | ~$68,525 |
After 30 June 2026 the FHOG drops to $15,000 — reducing the maximum combined benefit by $15,000 to approximately $53,525. If you are eligible and considering buying in QLD the next 8 weeks represent a genuinely significant financial window. The contract date — not settlement — is what matters.
8. Common mistakes that cost buyers their grants
This article is general information only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Grant eligibility, amounts and conditions are subject to change. Always verify current conditions at qro.qld.gov.au and seek independent advice from a qualified conveyancer or financial adviser before acting. Data sourced from Queensland Revenue Office and Queensland Government as of April 2026.
General information only. This article does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed financial adviser or mortgage broker before making investment decisions.
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