FIRB application fees for the 2026-27 financial year start at $4,600 and rise in brackets with the value of the property. For the price range most overseas buyers of new Australian housing sit in, the fee is above $15,000. This is the application fee a foreign person pays when seeking foreign investment approval before buying residential property in Australia — separate from the purchase price and separate from state duty.
Every figure below comes from the Schedule of Fees, Version 8 (1 July 2026), and Guidance Note 10 — Fees, Version 11 (31 July 2026), both published by the Australian Treasury. Checked on 3 September 2026.
The short version: FIRB application fees for 2026-27 start at $4,600 for residential land other than established dwellings valued under $75,000, and step up by bracket — $15,600 up to $1m, $31,300 up to $2m, $62,600 up to $3m. The fee for an established dwelling is exactly three times the fee for other residential land at the same value. Fees are indexed on 1 July each year.
What the fee is, and who pays it
The fee is payable when you notify an investment proposal or apply for an exemption certificate. Treasury states that the statutory timeframe of 30 days for making a decision does not start until the correct fee has been paid, so the fee is what starts the clock rather than something settled later.
The fee generally depends on the value and the kind of investment proposed. It is indexed on 1 July each year, so the exact amount depends on the financial year in which the application is made.
On the other side of the line, a buyer who is an Australian citizen does not pay a FIRB fee at all, and a first home buyer of a new home may be eligible for the Queensland first home owner grant. That gap is the single largest cost difference between the two groups of buyers.
The 2026-27 fee schedule for new dwellings and vacant land
The table below is from the Schedule of Fees for residential land other than established dwellings — the category that covers new dwellings and vacant land.
| Consideration | Fee — notifiable action |
|---|---|
| Less than $75,000 | $4,600 |
| $1m or less | $15,600 |
| $2m or less | $31,300 |
| $3m or less | $62,600 |
| $4m or less | $93,900 |
| $5m or less | $125,200 |
Established dwellings cost three times as much
At the same value, the fee for an established dwelling is exactly three times the fee for other residential land. Guidance Note 10 also refers to a ban on foreign persons purchasing residential land (established dwellings), with limited exceptions — for example Build to Rent developments, or established dwellings acquired incidentally as part of a broader commercial transaction.
| Consideration | Other residential land | Established dwelling |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $75,000 | $4,600 | $13,800 |
| $1m or less | $15,600 | $46,800 |
| $2m or less | $31,300 | $93,900 |
| $3m or less | $62,600 | $187,800 |
How to work out your fee
The method is simple: take the consideration for the acquisition and read off the bracket. Unlike state duty, this is not a percentage of the property value.
- A property at about $700,000 sits in the “$1m or less” bracket → $15,600
- A property at about $950,000 is still in the “$1m or less” bracket → $15,600
- A property at about $1.3m falls into the “$2m or less” bracket → $31,300
Because the fee steps rather than scales, a small movement in a negotiated price can push an application into the next bracket. Buying at $1,010,000 rather than at $1m attracts the “$2m or less” fee.
There is also a joint tenants rule. Where two or more people acquire an interest as joint tenants, Guidance Note 10 states that generally only one fee is payable for the acquisition. Each joint tenant is liable for the full amount until it is paid, and a part payment by one reduces what the others owe. Treasury’s own example: two joint tenants acquiring residential land (no established dwellings) for $2 million are liable for a fee of $31,300; after the first pays $20,000, both remain liable for the remaining $11,300. Note that this is a fee rule about how many fees are charged — it is not an exemption from needing approval.
To see how price ranges sit against these brackets in practice, compare the current Brisbane projects.
Buying in a development that holds an exemption certificate
A developer can apply for an exemption certificate to sell new or near-new dwellings in a development to foreign persons without each foreign purchaser having to seek approval separately. The fee structure has three parts:
- The developer pays an initial fee for the certificate — $67,400 for a new or near-new dwelling exemption certificate.
- A reconciliation fee is then paid every six months, based on the number of dwellings acquired by foreign persons.
- Where the developer already holds, or has applied for, a new dwelling exemption certificate covering the same development, the initial fee for a near-new dwelling certificate is nil.
So the certificate does not make the cost disappear — it moves where it is charged. Whether your particular purchase is covered by a certificate, and whether you still need your own approval, is something to confirm with the developer and with your solicitor before signing.
The annual vacancy fee, and the return you have to lodge
There is an annual vacancy fee for foreign owners of residential dwellings where the dwelling is not residentially occupied or rented out for at least 183 days (approximately six months) in a year.
The obligation most owners overlook is the return, not the fee. Guidance Note 10 states that a foreign person who owns a dwelling in Australia must lodge a vacancy fee return with the ATO every year, within 30 days of the end of each vacancy year — and that if the return is not lodged in time, the vacancy fee becomes payable even where the dwelling was occupied for more than 183 days.
The ATO tells you the amount after the return is lodged. For vacancy years starting on or after 9 April 2024, the amount is usually double the original application fee.
Are the fees refundable?
This is an application fee, not a fee for a result, and paying it does not mean the proposal will be approved. Guidance Note 10 states that the Treasurer may waive or remit the whole or part of a fee that is payable if satisfied it is not contrary to the national interest, that all applications for waivers or remissions are considered case by case, and that all decisions are final. Where a fee is overpaid, the overpaid amount is refunded.
The practical implication: settle what kind of property you are buying, and what your own status is, before lodging.
Who does not pay a FIRB fee
The fee follows the approval requirement: if you are not a foreign person and do not need approval, there is no application fee. An Australian citizen is not a foreign person. Whether a particular visa holder, or a spouse buying together with a citizen, needs approval is determined under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 and the associated regulations, and should be confirmed against the official guidance and with a solicitor before you commit — the tests are specific and holding a partner visa does not on its own settle the question.
Note also that the definition of a foreign person for this federal regime is not the same as the Queensland definition used for state duty. The state-level charges are covered in our guide to foreign buyer duty and the land tax surcharge in Queensland.
Frequently asked questions
When in the buying process is the fee paid?
With the application, before signing an unconditional contract — or where the contract is conditional on foreign investment approval, as soon as it is signed. Treasury notes that the 30-day statutory decision period does not begin until the correct fee has been paid.
Does the seller share the fee?
No. The fee sits with the applicant — the buyer — and is separate from the purchase price.
Is the fee tax deductible?
How the fee is treated for income tax and capital gains tax purposes depends on your circumstances. This is a question for a registered tax agent rather than for an agent or a developer.
Do the fees rise every year?
Fees are indexed on 1 July each year. The figures in this article are the 2026-27 amounts; check the current Schedule of Fees before you budget for a later year.
How are fees calculated across several properties?
Each application is charged on the consideration for the acquisition it covers. There is no mechanism that bundles separate properties into a single fee. If the property you are looking at is a new build, see how house and land packages are put together and what transfer duty is charged on.
Next steps
The application fee is a fixed, knowable number — the two costs that get missed are the annual vacancy fee and the vacancy fee return. Because the schedule is indexed each 1 July, and because established dwellings sit at three times the fee, this is worth pricing at the budgeting stage rather than at contract stage.
Book a consultation to work through the numbers against a specific property, or see the house and land packages in Brisbane we currently have.
Sources
- Australian Treasury — Schedule of Fees, Version 8 (1 July 2026)
- Australian Treasury — Guidance Note 10: Fees, Version 11 (31 July 2026)
- foreigninvestment.gov.au — Fees (last updated 31 July 2026)
- Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (Cwlth) and the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Regulations 2020
- ATO — Residential application
- Foreign Investment Review Board
Note: the fees, brackets and obligations in this article were checked against the Australian Treasury publications on 3 September 2026, for the 2026-27 financial year. Policy can change — check foreigninvestment.gov.au or take professional advice before making a decision.
This article is general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances, financial situation or objectives. It is not legal, financial or taxation advice. You should obtain independent professional advice before making any property decision.
