Queensland First Home Owner Grant 2026: How to Apply for the $30,000 FHOG

Queensland's First Home Owner Grant is currently sitting at $30,000 — the highest state-level first home grant in Australia. That money lands in your account at settlement or first draw-down, and it requires zero repayment. But the $30,000 rate expires on 30 June 2026. After that date, the grant drops back to $15,000, and there is no indication it will be extended again.

If you are actively looking at new homes, the application process is simpler than most people expect. The main risks are eligibility traps you can stumble into before you even realize it.

What the grant actually covers

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) applies exclusively to brand-new homes. It does not apply to established or second-hand properties. Qualifying transactions include:

• A new house, unit, or townhouse that has never been lived in or sold as a residence
• A property purchased off the plan
• A house-and-land package where the home is constructed under a building contract
• An owner-builder home, where foundations are poured by or after 20 November 2023
• A home that has undergone substantial renovations, meaning almost all of the original structure has been physically replaced by the licensed vendor

The total value of the property — land plus construction contract plus any post-signing variations — must not exceed $750,000.

Who qualifies

Every applicant and co-applicant must meet all of the following:

• Be a natural person (not a company or trust)
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Hold Australian citizenship or permanent residency (at least one applicant on the contract must qualify)
• Never previously owned residential property in Australia as a principal place of residence — this includes your spouse or de facto partner

There is no income test for the FHOG. Eligibility is determined entirely by your prior ownership history and the value of the new home.

After settlement or construction completion, at least one applicant must move in within 12 months and live there continuously for at least six months. Failure to meet this occupancy condition can trigger a mandatory repayment of the full grant plus penalties.

How to apply

The application is lodged with the Queensland Revenue Office (QRO) and can be submitted in two ways:

Through your lender: Most banks and mortgage brokers are approved agents for the QRO. If you are financing through a lender, you can submit your FHOG application through them at settlement. The grant is typically applied directly against the settlement funds.

Direct to the QRO: If you are an owner-builder or financing without a traditional lender, you apply directly on the QRO website. Direct applications must be submitted within one year of construction completion.

You will need to provide:

• A copy of the contract of sale or building contract
• Evidence of identity (passport or driver's licence)
• Evidence of residency status (citizenship certificate or permanent residency visa)
• Statutory declaration confirming you meet the personal eligibility criteria

The $750,000 building contract variation trap

This is where first home buyers lose their grant — often without realizing it until after the contract is signed.

The $750,000 price cap is calculated against the total value of your property at completion, not just the contract price you signed. That means every variation you approve during construction — upgraded cabinetry, different tiling, additional fencing, a larger alfresco area — adds to your total. If those variations push the final figure to $750,001, you forfeit the $30,000 grant entirely.

Builders routinely underquote base packages to get contracts signed, then present upgrades during the build. A practical rule: keep your contract price at $700,000 or below to give yourself a $50,000 variation buffer. Do not rely on a verbal assurance from your builder that variations "won't affect your eligibility." Get written confirmation from your mortgage broker that any proposed variation keeps you under the cap before approving it.

The 30 June 2026 deadline

For buyers using a building contract, the contract must be signed by 30 June 2026 to receive the $30,000 rate. For owner-builders, the foundations must be laid by that date. If your contract is executed on 1 July 2026 or later, the grant reverts to $15,000.

Given typical construction timelines of 12 to 18 months, buyers who sign contracts in June 2026 will not receive the grant until settlement in late 2027 or early 2028 — but they will still receive $30,000, not $15,000, as long as the contract date is before the cutoff.

Combining FHOG with other programs

The FHOG can be stacked with other first home buyer programs:

• Transfer duty exemption: First home buyers purchasing a new home pay $0 in transfer duty under Queensland's uncapped new-home exemption (for contracts signed on or after 1 May 2025). On a $750,000 new home, that saves approximately $26,775.
• First Home Guarantee: A federal program that allows eligible buyers to purchase with a 5% deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). The income caps and place limits were removed on 1 October 2025.
• Boost to Buy: Queensland's shared equity scheme, which contributes up to 30% of the purchase price for new homes, reducing your required deposit to 2%.

Stacking these programs on a $750,000 house-and-land package can reduce the cash required at settlement to under $10,000, even before accounting for the FHOG payment itself.

Ready to map out exactly how to combine these programs for your situation? The Queensland First Home Buyer Guide walks through every scheme, the application sequence, and the contract clauses that can cost you thousands if you miss them.

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