//First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) in Queensland
Your Comprehensive Guide
Buying your first home is a significant milestone, and the Queensland Government offers valuable support through the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) to make it more achievable. At InDepth Mortgage, we specialise in helping first-time buyers navigate these opportunities to secure the best possible mortgage solutions. This guide outlines key aspects of the FHOG, including eligibility, grant amounts, and important requirements. we also highlight recent changes to the federal Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) effective October 1, 2025, which can complement the FHOG for greater savings.
What is the First Home Owner Grant?
The FHOG is a one-time payment from the Queensland Government to assist eligible first-time buyers in purchasing or building a new home. It is designed to offset some of the costs involved in entering the property market and is separate from federal initiatives like the Home Guarantee Scheme, administered by Housing Australia. Eligibility for the HGS does not impact your FHOG entitlement.
The grant is paid per new home, not per applicant, and applies only to new or substantially renovated homes—not established properties.
Eligible Properties
Eligible property types may include new or substantially renovated houses, units, townhouses, duplexes, granny flats, tiny homes, kit homes, modular homes, or even homes in manufactured home parks, as long as they meet the criteria.
Grant Amounts
The FHOG amount depends on the timing of your transaction:
- $30,000 for contracts signed between November 20, 2023, and June 30, 2026 (inclusive).
- $15,000 for contracts signed before November 20, 2023.
For owner-builders (those building without a comprehensive contract):
- $30,000 if foundations are laid between November 20, 2023, and June 30, 2026 (inclusive).
- $15,000 if foundations were laid before November 20, 2023.
After June 30, 2026, the grant reverts to $15,000 for all eligible transactions.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the FHOG, you (and any co-applicants, including your spouse) must meet several requirements. The Commissioner of State Revenue may exercise discretion in exceptional cases, such as for applicants under 18 or those with legal disabilities.
Property Value
The total value of the home and land (including any contract variations) must be less than $750,000. If it’s $750,000 or more, you’re ineligible.
Type of Home
The grant is exclusively for new homes that haven’t been previously occupied or sold as a place of residence. This includes:
- Brand-new builds.
- Off-the-plan purchases (e.g., units in new developments where the lot is unregistered).
- Substantially renovated homes (where most structural or non-structural components are removed or replaced, affecting the majority of rooms—not just cosmetic work like painting or partial renovations).
- Homes relocated to a new site (e.g., kit or modular homes), provided they haven’t been occupied since relocation.
Established homes do not qualify.
Age and Status
You must be a natural person (not a company or trust) aged 18 or older at the time of the transaction.
Citizenship or Residency
At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Permanent residents include those with a permanent visa or New Zealand citizens holding a special category visa (with a current passport). Joint applicants may qualify if one meets this criterion.
Income
There is no income test—your earnings don’t affect eligibility.
Previous Grants or Ownership
- You (or your spouse) must not have received an FHOG in any Australian state or territory previously. If a prior grant was repaid (including penalties), you may reapply.
- Neither you nor your spouse can have owned residential property in Australia:
- On or after July 1, 2000, that you lived in.
- Before July 1, 2000, regardless of whether you lived in it.
If you’ve owned an investment property since July 1, 2000 (used solely for rental and never lived in), you may still qualify for the FHOG on a new home as your principal residence. You’ll need to provide evidence like lease agreements, utility bills, or tax returns covering the full ownership period.
Residence Requirements
You must occupy the home as your principal place of residence within 1 year of settlement or completion and live there continuously for at least 6 months. Renting out the entire home before moving in won’t disqualify you from the FHOG (though it may affect stamp duty concessions). Renting rooms during your residency is allowed if it doesn’t impact your use of the property. You may need to verify occupancy later with documentation.
Investment Properties
The FHOG is not available for properties bought as investments.
Disqualifying Arrangements
You may be ineligible if involved in arrangements to bypass rules, such as:
- Schemes primarily to obtain the grant rather than buy a home.
- Receiving financial help from ineligible relatives who will frequently occupy the home (unless for genuine family reasons). Bank loans don’t count as such help.
If disqualified, the grant won’t be paid, or you’ll repay it if already received.
Use our tools to estimate key figures and make informed decisions.
Eligible Transactions
Qualifying deals include:
- New Home Purchases: Including house-and-land packages or relocated homes.
- Off-the-Plan: Single contract for land and build on an unregistered lot.
- Substantial Renovations: Seller must be GST-registered, provide a tax invoice, and confirm no prior occupation/sale post-renovation.
- Contract to Build: Comprehensive contract from foundations to completion; land must be owned by you beforehand. Building detached dwellings (e.g., granny flats) on a relative’s land is allowed if value < $750,000, with required docs like contracts, statutory declarations, and valuations.
- Owner-Builder: Self-managed builds without a full contract; must result in a class 1a dwelling with a final inspection certificate.
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Home Guarantee Scheme
The federal Home Guarantee Scheme can be used alongside the FHOG for even greater savings. This programme allows more first-home buyers to purchase with just a 5% deposit, with the government guaranteeing the rest (avoiding Lender's Mortgage Insurance). There are no income limits and varying property price caps. Contact InDepth Mortgage to discuss how these programmes might benefit you.
Application Process
Apply within 1 year of possession (for buyers) or completion (for builders/owner-builders) via approved agents like banks or directly to the Queensland Revenue Office. At InDepth Mortgage, we can guide you through this as part of your loan process.
The InDepth Advantage
Why Finance Your First Home With InDepth?
At InDepth Mortgage, we have a deep knowledge of the market, products, and various loan policies. We specialise in first-home buyer incentives, low-deposit options, and guarantor loans. Unlike banks (or listing agents for that matter), we work for you, comparing options to find the lowest rates and best terms. We'll explain everything clearly, from principal and interest vs. interest-only repayments to features like offset and redraw accounts, just to name a few.
Last updated: October 2025. Verify details with InDepth Mortgage, Queensland Revenue Office, or other official sources for the latest information.
