Land tax is a state and territory tax on the unimproved or site value of land you own, usually excluding your home. It is not stamp duty, which is a one-off tax when you buy, and it is not council rates. Thresholds, rates, valuation methods and assessment dates all differ, and some owners, including trusts, companies and absentees, pay different rates.
The Northern Territory does not charge land tax. Everywhere else does, in some form. The figures below are the general rates for individual owners, as published by each revenue office at the time of this review. Always confirm the current assessment year, and any surcharge that applies to you, with that office.
This explainer sits with the Never Lose Interest stamp duty, how negative gearing works and buying versus renting guides.
This is general information only. It is not a land tax assessment, and it is not personal advice.
How does land tax usually work?
In most states you add up the taxable value of the land you own in that state, other than land that is exempt, and you pay tax if the total is above a threshold. Your home, used as your principal place of residence, is generally exempt, but you have to meet that office's occupancy and notification rules. Vacant land, investment properties, holiday homes and some commercial land are often taxable.
The tax is calculated on the land value, not on the value of the house. Valuation is done by the state valuer-general, sometimes using a three-year or five-year average. Assessment is usually based on ownership at a fixed date, such as midnight on 31 December or 30 June.
Trusts, companies, super funds, joint owners and foreign or absentee owners can be assessed at different rates, or without the same threshold. The tables in this article are the general individual scales. If the title is in a trust or a company, do not use the individual table.
Land tax is an annual or quarterly holding cost. It belongs in any investment-property or rent-versus-buy calculation, and it is usually deductible if the land is used to produce assessable income, subject to the ordinary rental deduction rules.
New South Wales
Revenue NSW assesses land tax on the combined land value of your taxable NSW property. The general and premium thresholds have been fixed from 1 January 2025:
- general threshold: $1,075,000
- premium threshold: $6,571,000
Rates for the 2026 land tax year, and from 2024 onwards on the Revenue NSW page, are:
- more than $1,075,000 but less than $6,571,000: $100 plus 1.6% of the land value above $1,075,000
- more than $6,571,000: $88,036 plus 2% of the land value above $6,571,000
Revenue NSW uses unimproved land values from the NSW Valuer General, and compares a three-year average of your land value with the threshold. The threshold is not applied to each property separately. Surcharge land tax for foreign owners has its own rates, and the general and premium thresholds do not apply to that surcharge. Special trusts also have different treatment.
Victoria
The State Revenue Office calculates land tax on the site values of all taxable land you owned at midnight on 31 December of the year before the assessment year. The general rates below apply from the 2024 land tax year through to 2033, and the page was updated on 29 September 2026.
| Total taxable value | Land tax payable |
|---|---|
| Less than $50,000 | Nil |
| $50,000 to less than $100,000 | $500 |
| $100,000 to less than $300,000 | $975 |
| $300,000 to less than $600,000 | $1,350 plus 0.3% of the amount over $300,000 |
| $600,000 to less than $1,000,000 | $2,250 plus 0.6% of the amount over $600,000 |
| $1,000,000 to less than $1,800,000 | $4,650 plus 0.9% of the amount over $1,000,000 |
| $1,800,000 to less than $3,000,000 | $11,850 plus 1.65% of the amount over $1,800,000 |
| $3,000,000 and over | $31,650 plus 2.65% of the amount over $3,000,000 |
Trusts have a separate surcharge scale, with a lower starting threshold. Absentee owners pay a surcharge on top of the general rates. Check the State Revenue Office if either applies.
Queensland
The Queensland Revenue Office assesses land tax on freehold land you own at midnight on 30 June. Your home may be exempt. For individuals (Australian citizens, permanent visa holders, or people who usually live in Australia), you are liable if the total taxable value of land you own solely, plus your share of jointly owned land, is $600,000 or more.
The individual rates published on the QRO page, last updated 23 July 2024, are:
| Total taxable value | Rate of tax |
|---|---|
| $0 to $599,999 | Nil |
| $600,000 to $999,999 | $500 plus 1 cent for each $1 more than $600,000 |
| $1,000,000 to $2,999,999 | $4,500 plus 1.65 cents for each $1 more than $1,000,000 |
| $3,000,000 to $4,999,999 | $37,500 plus 1.25 cents for each $1 more than $3,000,000 |
| $5,000,000 to $9,999,999 | $62,500 plus 1.75 cents for each $1 more than $5,000,000 |
| $10,000,000 or more | $150,000 plus 2.25 cents for each $1 more than $10,000,000 |
The QRO example of $680,000 taxable value produces tax of $1,300. Because that page's last-updated date is 23 July 2024, confirm these bands still apply for the 30 June date you are assessing. Companies, trustees and absentees use other tables. Land owned by a superannuation fund is taxed at the company and trustee rates.
South Australia
RevenueSA publishes official 2026-27 general rates. The general threshold is $936,000. The trust threshold is $25,000. Thresholds are indexed each year for changes in site values. If the calculated tax is less than $20, no assessment is issued.
2026-27 general rates, on total taxable site value, are:
| Total taxable site value | Tax |
|---|---|
| Does not exceed $936,000 | Nil |
| Exceeds $936,000 but not $1,504,000 | $0.50 for every $100 or part of $100 above $936,000 |
| Exceeds $1,504,000 but not $2,188,000 | $2,840 plus $1.00 for every $100 or part of $100 above $1,504,000 |
| Exceeds $2,188,000 but not $3,504,000 | $9,680 plus $2.00 for every $100 or part of $100 above $2,188,000 |
| Exceeds $3,504,000 | $36,000 plus $2.40 for every $100 or part of $100 above $3,504,000 |
Trust rates are higher, and start above $25,000. The 2025-26 general threshold was $833,000.
Western Australia
The Department of Treasury and Finance assesses land tax on non-exempt land, generally land you are not using as your principal place of residence, owned at midnight on 30 June of the previous financial year. You must pay if the aggregated taxable value exceeds $300,000. The taxable value is the lesser of the current unimproved value or 150% of the previous year's unimproved value. Land in different ownerships is not usually aggregated.
Rates, as published on 20 May 2026, are:
| Aggregated taxable value | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 to $300,000 | Nil |
| $300,001 to $420,000 | $300 |
| $420,001 to $1,000,000 | $300 plus 0.25% of the amount over $420,000 |
| $1,000,001 to $1,800,000 | $1,750 plus 0.9% of the amount over $1,000,000 |
| $1,800,001 to $5,000,000 | $8,950 plus 1.8% of the amount over $1,800,000 |
| $5,000,001 to $11,000,000 | $66,550 plus 2% of the amount over $5,000,000 |
| $11,000,001 and over | $186,550 plus 2.67% of the amount over $11,000,000 |
Metropolitan region improvement tax also applies to land in the Perth metropolitan area, at 0.14% of the amount over $300,000, where the aggregated taxable value is above $300,000.
Tasmania
The State Revenue Office calculates land tax on assessed land value. The scale "from 1 July 2025", still shown on a page last published on 2 September 2026, is:
| Total land value | Tax |
|---|---|
| $0 to $124,999.99 | Nil |
| $125,000 to $499,999.99 | $50 plus 0.45% of the value above $125,000 |
| $500,000 and above | $1,737.50 plus 1.5% of the value above $500,000 |
Values of properties in the same classification and ownership are aggregated. Confirm there has been no later change for the year you are assessing. Foreign investors can also face a surcharge. Check the SRO for that rate and for principal residence exemptions.
Australian Capital Territory
Land tax applies to residential property that is not your principal place of residence, such as rented or vacant property. It is assessed quarterly, based on the property's status on 1 July, 1 October, 1 January and 1 April. There is no daily pro-rating within a quarter.
From 1 July 2026 the fixed charge is $1,778 a year. A valuation charge is then applied to the average unimproved value (AUV), which for 2026-27 is generally the average of the unimproved values over 2022 to 2026. The ACT Revenue Office says the marginal rates were unchanged in 2026-27:
| AUV | Valuation charge |
|---|---|
| Up to $150,000 | 0.54% of the AUV |
| $150,000 to $275,000 | $810 plus 0.64% of the AUV above $150,000 |
| $275,001 to $1,000,000 | $1,610 plus 1.24% of the AUV above $275,000 |
| $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 | $10,600 plus 1.25% of the AUV above $1,000,000 |
| $2,000,000 and higher | $23,100 plus 1.26% of the AUV above $2,000,000 |
That annual valuation charge is split across the four quarters. Unit title properties are apportioned by unit entitlement. A foreign ownership surcharge can also apply.
Northern Territory
The NT Government states that there is no land tax in the Northern Territory. Stamp duty still applies when you acquire property, as covered in the stamp duty explainer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay land tax on my own home?
Usually no, if the property is your principal place of residence and you meet that state's exemption rules. You may need to apply or notify the revenue office. A home you have moved out of, or a holiday house, can become taxable.
Is land tax calculated on the house and the land?
No. It is calculated on the unimproved or site value of the land, using the valuer-general's figures, which may be averaged over several years.
If I own property in two states, are the values added together?
No. Each state assesses only the land in that state. Within a state, most offices add together the taxable land you own in the same ownership.
Can I deduct land tax on an investment property?
Generally yes, if the land is used to produce assessable rental income, subject to the ordinary deduction rules in how negative gearing works. Land tax on your own home is not deductible.
Why is my assessment higher than last year when I did not buy anything?
Land values can rise, averages can catch up, thresholds can change, and a change in use, such as moving out of a home, can remove an exemption.
General information warning
This article is general information only. It is not a land tax assessment or personal advice, and it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Thresholds, surcharges and exemptions change, and trust, company and absentee rates can be very different from the individual tables. Check the current assessment with the relevant revenue office, or speak with a registered tax agent, before you rely on a figure.
Sources
- Revenue NSW, Land tax thresholds and rates.
- State Revenue Office Victoria, Land tax (current rates), updated 29 September 2026.
- Queensland Revenue Office, Land tax rates for individuals, last updated 23 July 2024.
- RevenueSA, Rates and thresholds, including official 2026-27 general and trust rates.
- Government of Western Australia, Land tax assessment, last updated 20 May 2026.
- State Revenue Office Tasmania, Rates of land tax, last published 2 September 2026, rates from 1 July 2025.
- ACT Revenue Office, How land tax is calculated and Land tax.
- NT Government, Property taxes, stating there is no land tax in the NT.
Last reviewed: November 2026.