What is the First Home Owner Grant in QLD?
The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is a one-off, tax-free grant available to eligible first-home buyers in Queensland. It’s designed to help first-time homeowners cover some of the considerable costs involved in purchasing a property in Queensland, but strict limits and eligibility criteria apply.
How much is the First Home Owner Grant in QLD?
The First Home Owner Grant in Queensland is $30,000 for eligible first-home buyers to buy or build a new home (until June 2025). The FHOG in QLD was doubled in November 2023 making it the biggest grant available anywhere in Australia.
To be eligible under the program, properties must be valued below $750,000, including:
- A new house, unit, townhouse or duplex (including off-the-plan)
- Vacant land (with a contract to build)
- A new granny flat built on a relative’s land
- A home moved from one site to another (including kit homes or modular homes)
- Substantially renovated homes (when all or most of the structural or non-structural elements are renovated or removed)
- A home in a manufactured home park
QLD First Home Owner Grant eligibility criteria
- Applicants must be 18+ years of age
- You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or applying with someone who is)
- You must be a first-home buyer who has not owned a property to live in or received the grant previously
- You must be buying or building a new home in Queensland
- You must move into your new property within a year of buying, and live there for at least 6 months
- The grant is not available to property investors, or properties purchased through a trust or company
Is the QLD First Home Owner Grant available if you’ve previously owned an investment property?
If you've owned or partly owned an investment property since 1 July 2000 (when the FHOG was introduced), you may still be eligible for the QLD FHOG to buy another property that will be your first home to live in. You’ll need to provide evidence that you have not lived in the investment property while you owned it. You may be asked to provide supporting documentation, including:
- tenancy or lease agreements
- electricity or phone accounts
- tax return details declaring the rental property.
QLD FHOG savings analysis on a $600,000 home loan
| With $30,000 QLD FHOG | Without QLD FHOG | |
|---|---|---|
Loan amount | $600,000 (reduced to $570,000) | $600,000 |
Interest rate | 6.00% p.a. | 6.00% p.a. |
Monthly repayments | $3,417.44 (save $179.86) | $3,597.30 |
Total to repay | $1,230,278 ( save $64,751) | $1,295,029 |
Total interest payable | $660,278 (save $34,751) | $695,029 |
See First Home Owner Grants in each state & territory
Do you need to show genuine savings when using a grant?
Mansour Soltani , Home Loans Expert
“Government grants can help first-home buyers get into the property market sooner, but lenders still want to see at least 5% of the loan amount in genuine savings. Some lenders will take rental payments as genuine savings if you can provide a rental ledger. Keep in mind that the home loan isn’t the only cost you’ll need to budget for as you’ll need to consider extra costs such as home insurance, council rates, maintenance, etc.”
Mansour Soltani , Home Loans Expert
How to apply for the QLD First Home Owner Grant
You can apply for the First Home Owner Grant through your lender (who will also manage the application) or directly with the Queensland Revenue Office (QRO).
If you apply via your lender
Complete the First Home Owner Grant application form and submit it to your lender with the supporting documents of the property purchase. You’ll also be asked to provide 100 points of Australian or state-issued documents that the lender can use for your home loan application. The lender will lodge your FHOG application on your behalf.
If you’re approved for the FHOG, you’ll usually receive the payment at settlement if you’re buying a newly-established home or at the first drawdown of funds for contracts to build a new home. If you’re building a home as an owner-builder, you’ll receive the grant when the final inspection certificate is issued.
If you apply via the Queensland Revenue Office
You can lodge your grant application online and upload your supporting documents via Queensland Revenue Office FHOG Online Application Portal. You’ll be able to track the status of your application online. You could alternatively post or email your completed application form and supporting documents to the QRO.
If you’re approved for the FHOG, you’ll usually receive payment within 10 working days of submitting your completed application and supporting documents.
How to fill out the QLD First Home Owner Grant application form
1
Complete the eligibility checklist
Verify your eligibility for the First Home Owner Grant. Tick the relevant box for questions 1 to 13. Questions 9 to 13 will establish if disqualifying conditions exist.
2
Enter your personal details
Each applicant must fill out their personal information, including name, date of birth, address, contact details, etc. If you’re applying with a spouse, they must also enter their details within the same section under ‘Applicant 2’. There’s a separate section for spouses that won’t appear on the grant application.
3
Provide your property and transaction details
Enter the details of the property you’re buying, including the street address or a lot number if a street number is not allocated (e.g. new housing estates or developments). You’ll also be asked to provide transaction details, such as if you have a contract to buy an established home or build a new one.
4
Provide your bank account details
If you’re applying directly through QRO, you will need to nominate the bank account you’d like the grant paid into. If you’re applying through your lender, they will record your payment details for you.
5
Sign the declaration
Each applicant must agree to and sign the declaration to confirm that all information provided is true and correct, and that they’ve read and understood all the details completed on the application form.
6
Submit your application
Submit your completed First Home Owner Grant application form to your lender or the Queensland Revenue Office for review. You will be contacted if any details are missing or if further clarification is needed.
Other support for first-home buyers in QLD
First Home Guarantee
The First Home Guarantee (FHBG) is a nationwide program that helps eligible first-home buyers purchase a property with a deposit as low as 5%, including in regional areas under the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee (RFHBG). Housing Australia guarantees up to 15% of the value of a first home, meaning you’d avoid lender’s mortgage insurance (LMI).
In Queensland, the FHBG price cap is $700,000 for homes in capital cities and regional centres and $550,000 for the rest of the state.
There’s also the Family Home Guarantee (FHG) to help eligible single parents or guardians buy a property with a deposit as low as 2%, with Housing Australia guaranteeing up to 18% of the property’s value.
Can you combine the QLD first-home buyer grant and First Home Guarantee?
Yes, it’s possible to use both the $30,000 QLD first-home buyer grant and FHBG if you qualify, according to Housing Australia. However, the FHOG is typically available only at settlement (i.e. after the completion of your property transaction), so it can’t directly be put towards the minimum 5% deposit for the FHBG.
Can you use the QLD First Home Owner Grant as part of your home loan deposit?
Mortgage brokers we spoke to said in certain situations lenders might consider including your FHOG as part of your deposit, most commonly with off-the-plan property transactions.
Even if a lender does not accept FHOG funds as part of your deposit, being eligible for it may still help you when applying for a loan. For example, lenders may factor in the one-time payment when assessing your borrowing capacity, pending grant approval, according to ANZ.
First-home buyer QLD stamp duty exemption
- First-home buyers may be eligible for an exemption on stamp duty in Queensland for properties valued under $700,000. That’s a potential saving of up to $17,350. Concessional rates may apply after that up to values of $800,000.
- A full stamp duty exemption also applies for first-home buyers purchasing vacant land under $350,000 (concessions apply thereafter for land valued up to $500,000).
