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Home > First Home Owner Grant > Eligibility for the Grant

Eligibility for the Grant

More Information

Supporting documentation

To be eligible for the Grant, you and any joint applicants must satisfy all the eligibility criteria.

In addition, any person who has a relevant interest in the land on which the home is situated must be an applicant and must also satisfy the eligibility criteria:

You must have an eligible transaction in relation to the purchase or construction of your first home and
You must reside in the home to which your application relates as your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months. The period of occupation must start within one year after the eligible transaction is completed.

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What is considered a 'home'

Clarifying what is 'a home' when applying for the Grant
Not all types of buildings are classified as homes.
A home is a building fixed to land, that:

may lawfully be used as a place of residence
and

is a suitable building for use as a place of residence

Meaning of 'home'?
Converting non-residential premises to a home?

Characteristics of a person that may be eligible for the Grant

You must be a natural person, not a company or person acting in the capacity of trustee

You, or a joint applicant, must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident

You must be at least 18 years of age when you entered into the eligible transaction (The Commissioner may consider an exemption from this requirement in certain circumstances)

You and your spouse must not have received an earlier grant under the First Home Owner Grant Act 2000 or under a corresponding Act of an Australian State or Territory

You and your spouse must not have previously held an interest in residential property in Australia prior to 1 July 2000. This includes investment homes

You and your spouse must not have previously held an interest in residential property in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 in which you or your spouse have resided (Ownership of an investment property after 1 July 2000 will not prevent you from obtaining the Grant provided you have NOT lived in the home)

Requirements to live in the property

You must reside in the home, for which the Grant is claimed, as your principal place of residence within one year after the eligible transaction for that home is completed

If you entered into an eligible transaction on or after 1 January 2004, you must have moved into the home as your principal place of residence within one year of the completion of the eligible transaction; and you must remain in continuous occupation in that home for a period of at least six months

If you entered into an eligible transaction before 1 January 2004, you must have moved into the home as your principal place of residence within one year of the completion of the eligible transaction. There is no minimum period for which you are required to reside in the home

For further information on principle place of residence, refer to Practice Direction FHOG 10.2.
The Commissioner may extend the time in which you must move in to the home, or approve a period of occupation less than six months, where there are good reasons for doing so.

Home purchase process can affect the Grant

The legal arrangements you make or the way you finance your home purchase can have implications for whether you qualify for the Grant, the information you need to provide, or when the Grant can be paid.

You should check below to clarify your circumstances prior to applying.

Oral contracts

Instalment arrangements

Rental purchase agreements