The Queensland first home owners’ grant is a state government initiative to help first owners to get their new first home sooner. Depending on the date of your contract, you’ll get $15,000 or $20,000 towards buying or building your new house, unit or townhouse (valued at less than $750,000). You can even buy off the plan or choose to build yourself. It’s a great opportunity to buy or build a new home in our great state.
How a Queensland First Home Owners’ Grant Can Help You
If your thinking of buying or building a new home, this could be what gets you started. It could get you something more than you were expecting. It can get you into your first home sooner.
Eligibility Check
- You’re at least 18 years of age
- You’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or you’re applying with someone who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident)
- You or your spouse have not previously owned property in Australia)
- You’re building or buying a new home
- The value of the home is under $750,000.00
Application Requirements
Anyone who will own any part of your new home must be included on the application. Only one grant is payable per new home and you only need on application for your new home, regardless of the number of applicants.
Your application must be:
- Signed by all applications
- Witnessed
- Completed in full
- Accompanied by supporting documentation.
See the supporting documentation checklist provided with the application form (https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/first-home-owner-grant-forms) for information you need to include in your application.
Additional Information
In order to determine whether or not you are eligible for the grant, we may ask you for additional information.
There are penalties for giving false or misleading information.
Application Process
Once your application is submitted, we must process most applications within 10 working days of receiving all required information. If you apply through an approved bank or lending institution, you may get the grant sooner.
Conditions and Penalties
In some cases, we may pay the grant before you move into your new first home. However, as a condition of the grant , you must tell us and repay the grant if you do not:
- Complete the transaction of buying or building your new home
- Move into the new home within 1 year of becoming the registered owner
- Live in the new home for a continuous period of 6 months
There are penalties if you don’t tell the Office of State Revenue within 14 days of finding out that you are unable to meet these conditions.
Documents To Supply With Your Application
When you apply for the Queensland First Home Owners' Grant, you'll need to provide supporting documentation with your application form(https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/first-home-owner-grant-forms). The form's checklist has a complete list and shows you which documents you should have with you when you see your approved agent or the documents you need to include with your form if sending the application to the Office of State Revenue.
Examples of documents you may need are listed here. It's a good idea to make sure you have these ready and confirm what you need to provide against the checklist.
The application form will tell you which documents are mandatory for your situation. To avoid delays, make sure you include these documents with your application.
Proof of identity
Examples include:
- Australian birth certificate or Australian passport
- Australian citizenship certificate, current passport and visa
- Australian driver licence
- Australian proof of age card
- Medicare card, car registration, debit/credit card
- Utility bill (electricity, gas), bank statement, home insurance policy
- Certificates to confirm name change or marital status (e.g. marriage, divorce, death, separation).
Financials
Some questions on the form ask for evidence such as:
- Valuation of home
- Statutory declaration and evidence of financial help (other than a commercial loan)
- Statutory declaration if a related person is providing financial help and will be living in or using the home frequently.
Buying a New Home
A new home includes off-the-plan and substantially renovated homes and manufactured and kit homes. Documents you must provide with your application include:
- Contract, signed and dated by seller and applicants
- Registration confirmation statement that shows the applicants as the registered owners
- Final inspection certificate.
Other documents you might need include:
- Statement from the seller to confirm home has not been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence
- Statement from seller detailing GST and type and extent of renovations
- Form 1 Transfer (stamped and lodged), evidence of consideration paid, seller statement, valuation certificate where contracts don't apply.
Building a home
Documents you must provide with your application include:
- Contract, signed and dated by builder and applicants
- Registration confirmation statement that shows the applicants as the registered owners
- Final inspection certificate.
Other documents you might need are:
- Valuation
- Rates notice
- Stamped
- contract to buy vacant land or stamped Form 1 Transfer.
Building Your Own Home (Owner Builder)
As an owner builder, you must provide these documents with your application:
- Registration confirmation statement that shows the applicants as the registered owners of the land on which the home is built
- Final inspection report for laying of foundations
- Final inspection certificate.
- Copies of receipts for structural building costs
- Valuation by independent third party after completion.