ACT Pensioner Duty Deferral Scheme
This page is a direct rule-based guide for AU_ACT_PENSIONER_DUTY_DEFERRAL (rule version 2025-26, effective 1 July 2025). It explains the ACT Pensioner Duty Deferral Scheme — a way for eligible pensioners to defer the conveyance (stamp) duty they still owe on a home purchase instead of paying it all at once.
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Quick Answer
You may qualify when you live in the ACT and hold a Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Gold Card while buying a home — checked as state = ACT and concession_card_type in the eligible pensioner card set.
It produces no cash payment. The scheme lets you defer the conveyance duty you still owe rather than pay it in a lump sum at settlement. The ACT Revenue Office places a charge on the property and applies interest at the set rate until the deferred amount is paid.
Outcome summary: instead of finding the full duty at settlement, an eligible pensioner can carry the amount as a deferred, interest-bearing charge on the home. It applies where you are above the full-exemption threshold and still owe part of the duty, so it complements the one-off Pensioner Duty Concession rather than replacing it.
What Is This Payment?
The Pensioner Duty Deferral Scheme has operated since 1 July 2020. It recognises that older buyers on a fixed income may struggle to pay conveyance duty in one payment at settlement, even when their overall finances are sound. Rather than waive the duty, the scheme lets eligible pensioners defer the amount owing.
The rule database tags this as a Group B benefit with eligibility_only as its result role. There is no fixed dollar figure attached: the amount deferred depends on the duty payable on your particular purchase. The deferred duty is secured by a charge registered on the property and accrues interest at the rate set by the ACT Revenue Office.
It is distinct from the one-off Pensioner Duty Concession, which fully exempts duty for purchases below a value threshold. Deferral is aimed at buyers who exceed that threshold and still owe part of the duty — it spreads the cost over time instead of removing it.
How Much Can You Get?
The amount block is eligibility_only with period: none. The scheme makes no cash payment; its value is the ability to defer conveyance duty you would otherwise pay in full at settlement.
- Deferred, not waived: the duty you owe is carried as a charge on the property rather than paid up front.
- Interest applies: the deferred amount accrues interest at the rate set by the ACT Revenue Office until it is paid.
- Secured on the home: a charge is registered against the property, so the deferred duty is repaid when the property is sold or as otherwise arranged.
Eligibility Conditions
The eligibility block is an all set, so every condition must pass.
- You are in the ACT:
state = ACT. The property being purchased is in the Australian Capital Territory. - You hold an eligible pensioner card:
concession_card_typeis a Pensioner Concession Card or a DVA Gold Card. These are the cards the scheme accepts as proof of pensioner status.
Beyond the rule conditions captured here, the ACT Revenue Office sets the operational requirements — including that you provide your contract of sale and proof of the eligible card, and that the duty still owing after any concession is what gets deferred.
Because deferral is most relevant when you are above the full-exemption threshold, it works alongside the Pensioner Duty Concession: the concession reduces or removes duty below the threshold, and deferral helps with the balance above it.
How To Apply
The channel is online through the ACT Revenue Office, with documents confirming your card and your purchase.
- Apply online via the ACT Revenue Office home buyer assistance pages.
- Provide your concession card (Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Gold Card) as evidence of eligibility.
- Provide your contract of sale so the duty payable can be assessed and the deferred amount calculated.
Read the official ACT Pensioner Duty Deferral Scheme guidance
Rule-Based Scenarios
Scenario 1: downsizing on the Pension
Margaret, an Age Pensioner with a Pensioner Concession Card, buys a smaller Canberra townhouse priced above the full-exemption threshold. Rather than pay the remaining conveyance duty at settlement, she applies to defer it, so the amount becomes an interest-bearing charge on her new home.
Scenario 2: a veteran buyer
David holds a DVA Gold Card and is purchasing a unit in the ACT. He still owes some duty after the relevant concession, so he uses the deferral scheme to carry that balance rather than draw down his savings at settlement.
Scenario 3: combining with the concession
Joan qualifies for the Pensioner Duty Concession, which reduces her duty below the value threshold but does not remove it entirely. She defers the remaining duty under this scheme so she does not have to pay the leftover amount immediately.
Scenario 4: not an eligible card holder
Peter is buying in the ACT but only holds a Health Care Card, which is not on the deferral scheme's accepted card list. He does not qualify for deferral and would need to look at other home buyer assistance options.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking the duty is waived: deferral does not cancel the duty — it postpones payment, secures it against the property, and adds interest until it is repaid.
- Confusing it with the Pensioner Duty Concession: the concession can remove duty below a value threshold; this scheme defers duty that is still owed above it.
- Assuming any concession card works: only a Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Gold Card is accepted for deferral, not a standard Health Care Card.
- Forgetting interest accrues: the deferred amount grows over time at the set rate, so it is not free money.
- Missing the document requirements: you need your contract of sale and proof of the eligible card before the deferral can be assessed.
- Leaving it until after settlement: deferral is part of arranging duty on the purchase, so deal with it through the ACT Revenue Office as part of buying the home, not after the fact.
Related Benefits
- ACT Pensioner Duty Concession — a duty concession for eligible pensioner home buyers.
- ACT Off-the-Plan Duty Exemption — duty relief on eligible off-the-plan purchases.
- ACT General Rates Rebate — a rebate on rates for eligible concession card holders.
- ACT Seniors Card — concessions and discounts for older Canberrans.
- Age Pension — federal income support for older Australians.
- Home Equity Access Scheme — a federal loan against home equity for pensioners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the scheme pay me money?
No. It does not pay cash. It lets you defer the conveyance duty you still owe on a home purchase instead of paying it in a lump sum at settlement.
Is the duty cancelled if I defer it?
No. The duty is postponed, not waived. A charge is placed on your property and interest is applied to the deferred amount until it is paid.
Which concession cards are accepted?
A Pensioner Concession Card or a DVA Gold Card. A standard Health Care Card is not accepted for this scheme.
How is this different from the Pensioner Duty Concession?
The concession can reduce or remove duty for purchases below a value threshold. The deferral scheme helps you postpone duty that is still owed when you are above that threshold.
What do I need to apply?
Apply online through the ACT Revenue Office and provide your eligible concession card and your contract of sale so the duty owed can be assessed.
When does the deferred duty get paid?
The deferred amount is secured against the property and is repaid when the property is sold or as otherwise arranged with the ACT Revenue Office, with interest applied in the meantime.
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