Updated 30 June 2018 to reflect recent changes to SA Stamp Duty.
Read this article if you want to learn about calculating Stamp Duty in Queensland.
Do you know how to calculate SA Stamp Duty? Online calculators give you the results, but there’s a lot behind the scene’s to consider, and we like to dig in to the details…
Use the online stamp duty calculator to get the results, or keep reading to learn what happens behind-the-scenes.
Important points to note about SA Stamp Duty
- If you are purchasing residential or primary production land, you pay stamp duty at the conveyance rate.
- For non-residential and non-primary-production properties purchased after 1 July 2018, there is no stamp duty.
- No concessions for regular home buyers or first home buyers
- Until 30 June 2018, there’s an off-the-plan concession or rebate on the stamp duty premium
Conveyance Rate of Stamp Duty in South Australia (Transfer Duty)
Stamp Duty really is just a tax we pay for nothing much in return.
How to calculate SA stamp duty:
| Your Purchase Price | Standard Rate of SA Stamp Duty |
| $0 – $12,000 | $1 for every $100 or part of $100 |
| $12,001 – $30,000 | $120 plus $2 for every $100 or part of $100 over $12,000 |
| $30,001 – $50,000 | $480 plus $3 for every $100 or part of $100 over $30,000 |
| $50,001 – $100,000 | $1,080 plus $3.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $50,000 |
| $100,001 – $200,000 | $2,830 plus $4 for every $100 or part of $100 over $100,000 |
| $200,001 – $250,000 | $6,830 plus $4.25 for every $100 or part of $100 over $200,000 |
| $250,001 – $300,000 | $8,955 plus $4.75 for every $100 or part of $100 over $250,000 |
| $300,001 – $500,000 | $11,330 plus $5.00 for every $100 or part of $100 over $300,000 |
| Over $500,000 | $21,330 plus $5.50 for every $100 or part of $100 over $500,000 |
To calculate your stamp duty, use this online stamp duty calculator.
From 1 January 2018, Foreign purchasers will pay a stamp duty surcharge at 4% of the purchase price.
SA Stamp Duty Discounts
There’s various SA stamp duty exemptions or concessions, we’ll cover all of the most common so that you can see whether or not you may be eligible for a discount or waiver of the fee.
Concessions for Home Buyers
Unfortunately for South Australians, there are no special SA stamp duty concessions for home buyers, although there are a few other situations that may qualify you for a concession or rebate.
Concessions for First Home Buyers
You also miss out on any special stamp duty concessions or rebates as a First Home Buyer, and therefore you’ll be liable for the standard rate of stamp duty, above.
However, you may be eligible for the First Home Owners Grant when purchasing a brand new property or building a new home. Click here to read more about the grants for First Home Buyers in South Australia.
What If I’m Purchasing Vacant Land?
If you’re purchasing vacant residential land in South Australia, you’ll pay the standard rate of duty, above.
What If I’m Purchasing Off-the-Plan?
If you purchase off-the-plan in South Australia between 20 June 2016 and 30 June 2018, you could be eligible for the Off-the-Plan Apartment concession or rebate.
Plus, there’s a pre-construction grant of $10,000 available to eligible purchases between 22 June 2017 and 30 September 2017 (additional rules apply).
What Qualifies Me for the Off-the-Plan Concession or Rebate?
- It must be a building that:
- is yet to be constructed, not substantially complete, or is to be substantially renovated
- It must be an apartment
- A multi-story development (2 or more storeys), excluding townhouses
- A self-contained residence
- Contract date between 20 June 2016 and 30 June 2018
- There’s a concessional rate of duty for purchases up to $500,000
- For purchases over $500,000 you receive a rebate (rather than a formula that calculates a lower rate of duty, you receive a lump sum discount, depending on the stage of development)
How is the Off-the-Plan Concession Calculated?
For purchases of up to $500,000 there is a pre-determined formula for calculating your concession.
It’s heavily reliant on 3 criteria:
- Dutiable Value (DV). How much you pay in stamp duty.
- Market Value (MV). This is most commonly your Purchase/Contract Price.
- Construction Stage (C). There are 6 pre-defined stages of construction, and each stage has a corresponding “percentage”.
- Stage 1: No work commenced (0%)
- Stage 2: Floor slab and external walls erected (20%)
- Stage 3: Internal frames and first fix of plumbing and electrical work fitted (40%)
- Stage 4: Wall and ceiling linings completed (60%)
- Stage 5: Joinery, tiling and second fix carpentry completed (80%)
- Stage 6: Ready for occupation (100%)
The formula is: (see above for definitions/abbreviations)
DV = (MV x 0.35) + (MV x 0.65 x C)
How is the Off-the-Plan Rebate Calculated?
For purchase prices over $500,000 the same 6 stages are applied. However, rather than a concessional rate of duty being calculated, you receive a rebate which reduces according to the stage of development at the time of contract.
Therefore, you’d calculate the full rate of duty and deduct the amount below, depending on the stage of completion at the time of signing the contract.
The rebate for purchases over $500,000 the rebate (discount) is:
| Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 |
| $15,500 | $12,800 | $9,750 | $6,500 | $3,250 | $0 |
You can read more about the off-the-plan concession and rebate on the SA Government website.
Other SA Stamp Duty Exemptions or Concessions
There’s a few other scenarios’ where you could be eligible for an exemption or concession of the SA stamp duty.
The big one is for non-residential non-primary-production land, with the phasing out of stamp duty for qualifying land, commencing 1 July 2016 (i.e. this does NOT apply to residential property).
- Qualifying land must be non-residential non-primary-production land
- The abolition of stamp duty on qualifying land is from 1 July 2018.
Other examples where you may be eligible for an exemption:
- You’re transferring the ownership to a spouse (a few rules apply)
- Family Law agreements
- And a few other less common scenario’s. Here’s the link to the list on the government website.
Other Government Fees:
There are many possible fees that you could encounter, depending on the nature of your transaction, however in this article we’ll address only the 3 you’re most likely to encounter during a property transaction.
- Transfer Registration
- Mortgage Registration
- Mortgage Discharge Registration
In the South Australian State Budget each year, the Treasurer will announce changes to the fees.
Transfer Registration (when a ‘transfer of ownership’ is occurring)
When you purchase a property, there is a legal document that transfers the ownership of that property in to your name.
And the transfer of ownership has to be registered, and the State Government charges a fee for managing the register.
In good news for South Australians, the cost of a Transfer Registration isn’t too bad on a national scale.
Transfer Registration Fee in South Australia from 1 July 2018:
| Your Purchase Price | Transfer Registration fee |
| $0 – $5,000 | $163 |
| $5,001 – $20,000 | $182 |
| $20,001 – $40,000 | $199 |
| Over $40,000 | $280 plus $82.50 for every $10,000 |
This is not Transfer (stamp) duty, it’s a completely different fee.
Mortgage Registration (when you are borrowing money)
The mortgage gives the bank the right to sell your property if you don’t pay them back.
- As at 1st July 2018 the Mortgage Registration Fee in South Australia is $163.
The mortgage registration ensures that the mortgage can be viewed by a simple title search.
This therefore prevents you from selling your home and not paying back the lender – because the transfer of ownership wouldn’t be able to happen unless the previous mortgage was discharged.
Mortgage Discharge Registration (when you are refinancing or selling)
This is payable when your existing mortgage is being discharged (released).
- Mortgage Discharge Registration Fee as at 1st July 2018 is $163.
This is usually payable when you’re refinancing or selling.
However, if you’re purchasing a property, your new lender may prepare a Mortgage Discharge and charge you this fee. Your solicitor arranging the settlement, will pass on that fee to the seller so that you’re not out of pocket.
Resources
If you’d like more information on Stamp Duty in South Australia from the State Government Resources, you can try here:
About SA Transfer Duty
https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/taxes-and-duties/stamp-duties/real-property-land
SA Stamp duty concessions and exemptions
https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/taxes-and-duties/stamp-duties/document-guide-self-determined
SA Fees and Charges
https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/planning-and-property/buying-a-home-or-property/researching-a-property/fees-and-charges
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