The ACT’s 2025-26 Budget focuses on tax reform, including reduced conveyance duties, increased land tax exemptions, new thresholds for general rates, a short-term rental levy, and adjusted motor vehicle duty for zero-emission vehicles.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Treasurer, Chris Steel, has announced the release of the province’s 2025-26 Budget on 24 June 2025.

This budget emphasises tax reform by shifting revenue from conveyance duty to general rates, alongside other tax measures.

The key tax measures are as follows:

Conveyance duty (stamp duty) concessions

Conveyance duty, or stamp duty, is a tax paid in the ACT on the purchase of property, including homes, land, and commercial properties.

The changes in the 2025-26 budget are:

  • Residential owner occupiers: They will see a reduction in the duty rate for property values up to AUD 260,000 to AUD 0.28 per AUD 100 or part thereof (reduced from AUD 0.40 per AUD 100 or part thereof). The benefit is available for eligible owner occupiers, for transactions with dutiable amounts up to AUD 1,455,000.
  • Commercial conveyance duty: The tax free threshold has increased by AUD 100,000 to dutiable amounts of up to AUD 2 million.
  • Home buyer concession scheme: Eligible home buyers will pay no duty for properties with a dutiable value of up to AUD 1,020,000 (increased from AUD 1 million). A partial concession applies for properties over AUD 1,020,000, capped at AUD 35,238 (increased from AUD 34,270).
  • Duty concessions: Eligible pensioners and people with disabilities will pay no duty for properties with a dutiable value of up to AUD 1,020,000 (up from AUD 1 million). A partial concession applies for properties over AYD 1,020,000, capped at AUD 35,238 (increased from AUD 34,270).
  • Off the plan duty and RZ1 duty exemptions: Applicants will pay no duty on eligible properties with a dutiable value of up to AUD 1,020,000 (increased from AUD 1 million).

Land tax

  • Fixed charges are increased annually by 5%.
  • The number of parcels of land that can access the Affordable Community Housing land tax exemption has increased from 250 to 1,000.

Commercial general rates

From 2025-2026 onwards, a new high-value threshold for commercial general rates will apply to properties with an average unimproved value (AUV) of AUD 5 million or more, taxed at a rate of 5.9670%.

Residential general rates

From 2025-2026 onwards, a new high-value residential non-unit general rates threshold will apply to properties with an average AUV of AUD 1 million or more, taxed at a rate of 0.5734%.

Utilities network facilities tax

The utilities network facilities tax in the ACT will rise by an additional 2.5 percentage points above the wage price index for the fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.

Short term rental accommodation levy

A 5% levy will be imposed on short-term rental bookings of 28 days or less, with the booking service provider liable for the payment.

Motor vehicle duty 

Starting 1 September 2025, zero-emission vehicle concessions will be reduced, requiring a minimum 2.5% duty on new transactions.