Queensland First Home Owner Grant Explained
Queensland's First Home Owner Grant is $30,000 for new homes under $750,000 — the eligibility rules, how it's paid, and what it stacks with.
The Queensland government will pay you $30,000 towards your first home — a grant, not a loan, provided you follow the rules.
It was due to shrink to $15,000 on 1 July 2026, but the 2026-27 state budget extended the full $30,000 for eligible contracts going forward. That's well above the typical $10,000 to $15,000 elsewhere. The catch: it only applies to new homes, and the eligibility rules are fussy. Here's the full picture.
New homes only — the grant is a construction incentive in a party hat
The grant exists to get homes built, so it only applies to homes that are new: a brand new build, a place bought off the plan, a home nobody has ever lived in, or a substantially renovated one (taken back to the frame, not a fresh coat of paint). Buying an established home? No grant — though the stamp duty concession covered below still applies.
There's also a price ceiling: the home and land together must be valued under $750,000. Owner-builders qualify too — for them the key date is when foundations are laid rather than when a contract is signed.
The eligibility checklist
The rules screen for genuine first-time buyers who will actually live in the place. To qualify:
- You're 18 or older, and at least one applicant is an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Neither you nor your spouse has received a first home owner grant anywhere in Australia before
- Neither of you has owned residential property in Australia that you lived in — an exception exists for investment-only property held since 2000 that you never occupied
- The home is new (or substantially renovated) and valued under $750,000
- You'll move in within a year and live there for at least six continuous months
🏠Reality check
The six-month residence requirement has teeth. Move out early, or rent the whole place from day one, and Queensland Revenue Office can ask for the entire $30,000 back.
The stacking game — where it gets genuinely good
The grant stacks with almost every other first home lever, and the combination is where the real money is.
Buy or build a new home in Queensland and you also pay zero stamp duty — the state tax on property purchases — with no price cap, under the first home (new home) concession. On a $700,000 build, that's roughly another $17,000-plus saved.
Add the First Home Super Saver scheme (building your deposit with lightly taxed super contributions) and the federal 5% deposit guarantee (skipping lenders mortgage insurance), and a new-build buyer can be tens of thousands of dollars ahead of someone buying established.
🧱Quick win
The $30,000 grant can usually count towards your deposit. On a $600,000 new home, the grant alone covers the full 5% deposit under the federal guarantee scheme.
Getting the money in your hands
You apply either through Queensland Revenue Office directly or via an approved agent — usually your bank or lender. The lender route is popular because they can often front the grant at settlement or first construction drawdown, exactly when you need it.
Payment timing depends on how you're buying: at settlement for a completed new home, at first drawdown for a construction loan. Apply through QRO yourself and you'll wait until after the transaction completes.
Keep your paperwork complete — contract, ID, proof you've moved in when asked. QRO audits residence requirements, and 'I meant to move in' is not a defence.
The bottom line
If you're set on an established home, the grant isn't for you — your win is the stamp duty concession. But if a new build or off-the-plan purchase is on your list, $30,000 plus zero duty is hard to ignore.
Run the full numbers — grant, duty saving, deposit, repayments — before you commit either way. The gap between new and established, once every scheme is counted, is often bigger than buyers expect.
FAQ
Is the Queensland First Home Owner Grant still $30,000?
Yes. It was due to revert to $15,000 after 30 June 2026, but the 2026-27 Queensland budget extended the $30,000 grant for eligible new-home contracts. It applies to new homes valued under $750,000.
Can I get the QLD grant for an established home?
No. The grant only applies to new homes — new builds, off-the-plan purchases, homes never lived in, or substantially renovated ones. Established home buyers can still claim the first home stamp duty concession, worth up to around $17,350 on homes under $710,000.
Do I have to live in the home to keep the grant?
Yes. You must move in within one year of settlement or construction completion and live there continuously for at least six months. Fall short and Queensland Revenue Office can require full repayment.
Run your own numbers
Sources: figures checked against ATO published rates and thresholds for FY2025-26 at the review date. See how we check our numbers.
⚠️ General information only — not tax or financial advice. Figures relate to FY2025-26 unless stated otherwise.