First Home Owner Grant

What the First Home Owner Grant is - and what it is not

The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is a state or territory payment designed to help eligible buyers purchase or build a new home. It is not a universal “first home buyer bonus”, and it is not the same thing as a stamp duty concession or the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme.

• FHOG: a state or territory grant that usually targets new homes or builds.
• Stamp duty concession: a state or territory reduction or exemption on transfer duty.
• Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme: a low-deposit pathway that can help eligible buyers avoid LMI.

The biggest mistake buyers make is mixing these together. You can sometimes stack benefits, but each one has its own rules, value caps, property-type rules and application process.

State and territory FHOG snapshot (current official starting points)

Important: treat the table above as a planning snapshot, not the final word. Grants, caps and deadline settings can change, and some states have extra rules for citizenship, occupancy, off-the-plan transactions or previous ownership. For the other major state cost lever, compare this with the stamp duty guide. If you are also checking low-deposit eligibility, pair it with the Home Guarantee Scheme guide.

What usually counts as an eligible home

In most jurisdictions, the grant is aimed at new supply. That usually means:

• a newly built home that has not previously been sold or occupied
• an off-the-plan home
• a house-and-land or land-plus-build path that fits the state rules
• in some places, a substantially renovated home or an owner-builder path

Established homes are usually where people get disappointed. A buyer hears “first home owner grant” and assumes it applies to any first home, when in reality many states reserve it for new homes only. That is why this page stays narrow: FHOG is a new-home support page, not a general “help for first home buyers” page.

Common eligibility rules you should check early

Although every jurisdiction is different, the most common grant tests include:

• First-home status: you, and often your partner or spouse, must not have owned and occupied residential property before.
• Citizenship or residency: at least one applicant usually needs to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, with some state-specific extensions.
• Owner-occupier rule: you usually need to move in within a set timeframe and live there for a minimum period.
• Property type and value: many states use a new-home rule, a value cap, or both.
• Application timing: in most states the grant is applied for through the lender, bank or approved agent, or directly through the state revenue office within the required period.

How FHOG fits with stamp duty, low-deposit schemes and your deposit plan

FHOG is a cash grant. That means it can reduce your own cash contribution or help cover part of the total funds required. But it is only one layer of the plan.

• It does not automatically remove stamp duty.
• It does not replace the need to fit lender policy or the right property price cap.
• It can work alongside a government low-deposit guarantee pathway where you meet both sets of rules.

The most sensible way to use FHOG is to model it as part of the full buying stack: deposit, buying costs, buffer and expected timing.

How to apply without slowing down your purchase

In many cases the grant is applied for through an approved agent such as your lender, but some states also let you apply directly. The cleanest workflow is:

1. Check the state revenue rules before you sign.
2. Confirm whether the property type and value fit the grant.
3. Make sure your broker, lender and conveyancer are all working from the same assumption.
4. Keep proof of identity, contract and occupancy documents ready.

If you are buying a new build, a land-and-build package or off-the-plan property, get the legal and timing detail checked early. The rules are usually more technical than they look from the headline grant page.

Common FHOG mistakes first home buyers make

1. Assuming all first homes qualify. Many grants are new-home only.
2. Using old grant amounts. The headline amount can change by contract date.
3. Ignoring occupancy rules. You usually need to live in the property yourself.
4. Not checking both buyers. A partner’s ownership history can change eligibility.
5. Treating the grant as the whole solution. It helps, but it does not solve a weak deposit plan or a tight borrowing position.

Next steps

1. Check the official state or territory grant page that matches your intended purchase.
2. Confirm whether the property is truly “new” for grant purposes.
3. Check whether the grant can be stacked with duty concessions or the scheme calculator pathway you are considering.
4. Use the guide for the full process or the broker page if you want your numbers mapped properly before you sign.