'HomeBuilder' Grant

HomeBuilder is a time-limited, tax-free grant program to help the residential construction market to get through the Coronavirus pandemic. HomeBuilder will provide eligible owner-occupiers (including first home buyers) with a grant of $25,000 to build a new home or substantially renovate an existing home.

HomeBuilder will be available for building contracts signed between 4 June 2020 and 31 December 2020, where construction or renovation commences within three months of the contract date.

You should contact your relevant State or Territory authority on when and how to apply for HomeBuilder. You will be able to apply for HomeBuilder when the Government of the State or Territory that you live in, or plan to live in, signs the National Partnership Agreement with the Commonwealth Government.

HomeBuilder grants will be paid by the relevant State or Territory authority provided the applicant meets the eligibility criteria.

To access HomeBuilder, owner-occupiers must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• you are a natural person (not a company or trust);
• you are aged 18 years or older;
• you are an Australian citizen;
• you meet one of the following two income caps:
  • $125,000 per annum for an individual applicant based on your 2018/19 tax return or later; or
  • $200,000 per annum for a couple based on both 2018/19 tax returns or later;
• you enter into a building contract between 4 June 2020 and 31 December 2020 to either;
  • build a new home as a principal place or residence, where the property value (house and land) does not exceed $750,000; or
  • substantially renovate your existing home as a principal place of residence, where the renovation contract is between $150,000 and $750,000, and where the value of your existing property (house and land) does not exceed $1.5 million;
  • construction must commence within 3 months of the contract date

Owner-builders and those seeking to build a new home which will be used as an investment property, or renovate an existing home which is an investment property, will not be eligible for HomeBuilder. The registered or licensed builder (depending on the state or territory) must demonstrate that the contract price for the new build or substantial renovation is no more than a comparable product (measured by quality, location and size) as at 1 July 2019, if requested by the purchaser

No. HomeBuilder is an uncapped, time-limited grant.

Yes, if you meet the following criteria:

• If you own a property (house and land), and knock the house down to rebuild – this will be counted as a substantial renovation, and therefore subject to the renovation price range of $150,000 to $750,000 provided the total value (house and land) of the property does not exceed $1.5 million prerenovation;
• If you own vacant land before 4 June 2020, and then build, the total value of the land and new build cannot exceed $750,000; or
• If you buy the land after announcement, and then build, the total value of the land and build cannot exceed $750,000.

All dwelling types (house, apartment, house and land package, off-the-plan, etc) are eligible under HomeBuilder, in accordance with the requirement that the owner-occupier must contract to build a new dwelling or substantially renovate their existing dwelling. The applicant must also meet the eligibility requirements outlined above.

No – the HomeBuilder grant will not be taxed. This is consistent with existing state and territory First Home Owner Grant programs.

Yes. Provided you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for a HomeBuilder grant. However, HomeBuilder is not available for investment properties or to owner-builders.

You will be able to apply for HomeBuilder through your relevant State or Territory revenue office or equivalent authority, once the State or Territory Government that you live in (or plan to live in) signs the National Partnership Agreement.
States and Territories will backdate acceptance of HomeBuilder applications to 4 June 2020 once the National Partnership Agreement is signed. You should contact your relevant State or Territory revenue office for more information about when and how you will be able to apply for HomeBuilder.

The State or Territory revenue office will require certain documents to process your application. It is expected that you will need to provide the following at a minimum:

• proof of identity;
• a copy of the contract, dated and signed by you and the nominated registered or licenced builder;
• a copy of the builder’s registration or licence (depending on the state you live in);
• a copy of your 2018-19 tax return (or later) to demonstrate your eligibility against the income cap; and
• documents such as council approvals, building contracts or occupation certificates and evidence of land value.

More information on the documentation you will need to provide will become available through the relevant State or Territory authority.