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Queensland Government - Queensland Revenue Office
Queensland Government - Queensland Revenue Office

Building a home and HomeBuilder grant

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    If you contracted a licensed builder to build a new home to live in, you may have been eligible for the HomeBuilder grant.

    The HomeBuilder grant closed to new applications on 14 April 2021. If you applied, you have until 30 June 2025 to complete your application and provide all supporting documents. We will not accept late applications.

    Supporting documents

    You will need to provide these documents. They do not need to be certified.

    • A copy of the comprehensive building contract dated between 4 June 2020 and 31 March 2021
    • A copy of your Australian Taxation Office notice of assessment for the year ended 30 June 2019 or 30 June 2020 with your tax file number concealed (If applying with your spouse, you both must provide the notice for the same year.)
    • A copy of your Australian birth certificate, Australian passport or Australian citizenship certificate
    • A copy of photo ID such as an Australian driver licence, Australian proof of age card or Australian firearm licence (not needed if you have provided a copy of your Australian passport)
    • Certificates to confirm name change or marital status (e.g. marriage, divorce, death, separation)
    • A copy of the contract of sale for land, if less than 12 months from date of your application
    • A copy of a valuation or market appraisal by a bank, licensed independent valuer or real estate agent, or the most recent rates notice (if more than 12 months from the date of your application)
    • A copy of a title search or registration confirmation statement that shows you and your spouse (if applying as a couple) as registered owners on the title
    • A letter from your builder stating when excavation and site preparation for your new home commenced
    • Evidence from a building certifier showing foundations have been laid. Alternatively, a letter from your builder (with a photo of the laid foundations) will suffice
    • A copy of a receipt or letter from your builder confirming that they have received the first progress payment for the building works under the contract (i.e. base or slab stage).

    Check the status of your application

    • Incomplete—you have started your application but information is missing. We will not process incomplete applications. You need to complete your application by 30 June 2025.
    • Documents required—you have not provided all the documents we need. All supporting documents must be provided by 30 June 2025 to complete your application. We will not process an application in this status.
    • Submitted for processing—your application is ready to be processed. It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct supporting documents were provided. If you are unsure, email homebuildergrant@treasury.qld.gov.au now.
    • Lodged—your application has progressed. It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct supporting documents are provided before 30 June 2025. If you need to provide more documents, you must email them to homebuildergrant@treasury.qld.gov.au now.

    Log in and check the status of your application.

    Log in to HomeBuilder

    When the grant is paid

    The grant is paid into your nominated bank account after all the supporting evidence is submitted. This includes evidence that each applicant’s name is registered on the title, the foundations have been laid and the first progress payment for the building works has been made to the builder.

    If you have borrowed from a financial institution, you can nominate the payment to go directly to your mortgage account.

    The grant is paid per home, and only once to an individual or couple. It is not available to investors who do not intend to live in the property or to owner-builders.

    The grant is:

    • $25,000 for contracts signed between 4 June and 31 December 2020
    • $15,000 for contracts signed between 1 January and 31 March 2021.

    Your obligations

    You must move into your new home as your principal place of residence after the final certificate has been issued and live there continuously for 6 months.

    You can rent out one or more rooms in the home during this 6-month period, as long as this arrangement doesn’t affect your use of the home. However, renting out any rooms in the first year after you first move in may affect your eligibility for the first home vacant land concession.

    We may ask you to verify that you have met these requirements later, by providing us with documents that support the period of occupancy for all applicants.

    Requirements for building applications

    • You must meet the eligibility criteria.
    • Your comprehensive building contract is with a licensed builder, whose licence began before:
      • 4 June 2020 for contracts signed before 29 November 2020
      • 29 November 2020 for contracts signed on or after that date.
    • The contract was signed between 4 June 2020 and 31 March 2021.
    • The contract was entered into at arm’s length or otherwise at a fair market price.
    • The amount paid (including GST) to build your new home, plus the value of the land and any existing structures, was $750,000 or less.
    • You are the registered owner on the title when the foundations are laid and the first progress payment is made. (In some situations, the grant may be paid where title registration has been delayed due to factors outside of your control.)
    • Excavation and site preparation for your new home must have commenced within 18 months of signing the contract.
    • The foundations must have been laid and the first progress payment made to your builder.

    Comprehensive building contract

    You have a comprehensive building contract if a licensed builder agrees to build a home, from commencement to completion of construction so that it is ready for occupation.

    Examples

    In these examples, the individuals also need to meet the eligibility criteria and application deadlines.

    Mohammad bought a block of land with the foundations of a house already laid and certified. He entered into a contract with a builder to finish the project that was partially completed by the previous owner.

    Because the foundations were already laid before Mohammad signed a new contract, he is not eligible for the grant. His contract is not a comprehensive home building contract.

    Bruce is building a duplex on a vacant block of land. He intends to live in one home and sell the other once it is completed. All up, his building contract is for $800,000.

    Each home, including the land, will cost him approximately $600,000.

    Bruce is not eligible for the grant because the building contract and land is more than $750,000.

    Mark has a contract to build his home. The house and land will be just under $750,000, excluding the plumbing work.

    Mark, being a licensed plumber, will do all plumbing work himself. This will ensure that the contract stays under the eligibility limit .

    Mark is not eligible for the grant because he has a scheme to obtain the grant.

    Neelam’s father is a licensed builder. He entered into a contract with Neelam to build her house. All up, the house and land will cost her $600,000.

    Given the relationship between them, the contract is not at arm’s length.

    Neelam has a comparison quote from an independent builder and is satisfied that the contract with her father is based on commercial terms.

    So long as Neelam can prove that the contract is on commercial terms, she will be eligible for the grant.

    Also consider…

    Last updated: 3 May 2023