The duty on your business purchase has a due date. Get an indicative assessment within 2 business days.
- Indicative assessment within 2 business days, with settlement typically 1 to 8 weeks depending on the lender
- Loans from $100K to $5M
- Buyers of a business that comes with a lease, fit-out or plant, and buyers of a significant interest in a company or unit trust that holds NSW land
- Pays transfer duty or landholder duty, on its own or added to the loan for the purchase
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead) options across our 90+ lender panel
The sale contract is signed, or close to it, and your lawyer has worked out the duty. It is a cash cost on top of the price, and it has a deadline. Stamp duty finance is a business loan that pays that duty to Revenue NSW. This page covers duty on buying a business or an interest in a landholding company or trust. It can be a separate facility or part of the acquisition loan. Joseph Farhat and his team look at the duty amount, the date it falls due, the business you are buying and the security on offer. They then look for a lender that can fund it in that time.
Who we can help access finance
- Buyers of a cafe, gym or retail business where the sale includes an assignment of the existing lease, plus the fit-out and equipment.
- Buyers of a workshop or manufacturing business where fixtures and plant are sold in the same agreement as the premises lease.
- Purchasers taking 50% or more of a private company whose NSW land is worth $2 million or more, who now owe landholder duty.
- Buyers taking 20% or more of the units in a private unit trust whose NSW land is worth $2 million or more, as part of buying into the business the trust runs.
- Buyers whose acquisition loan covers the price but leaves the duty and settlement costs to be paid from their own cash.
- Owners buying a second business who want to leave the cash in the first one where it is working.
- Buyers whose duty figure has been confirmed and who need funding arranged before the due date.
How Stamp Duty Finance Works
From 1 July 2016, NSW abolished duty on transfers of marketable securities (shares and units) and on business assets such as goodwill. Landholder duty still applies to some share and unit purchases, and a business purchase can still carry transfer duty. Revenue NSW says transfer duty must be paid when the sale includes land or an interest in land. A lease is an interest in land, including the assignment of an existing commercial or retail lease. Fixtures are always dutiable. Goods such as moveable plant and equipment become dutiable when they are in the same agreement as other dutiable property. Goodwill, intellectual property, statutory licences, debtor receivables, stock-in-trade and road-registered vehicles are not dutiable. Revenue NSW gives the example of a salon sold for $200,000 with its lease. Duty applied to $90,000: the lease, fit-out, equipment and furniture. The goodwill and stock were excluded. The buyer pays the duty.
The duty itself buys nothing a lender can hold as security. The loan is secured by something else: the business assets being bought, property you or the business already own, and usually a personal guarantee from the directors. Where your home is offered, it is at risk if repayments are not met, so get independent legal advice before you sign. A loan pays the duty. Revenue NSW decides the amount owed, and your lawyer deals with any question about the assessment.
Your lawyer confirms which parts of the sale are dutiable and handles the lodgement. Your accountant checks the figures and whether the business can carry the extra repayments. We are a finance broker, not a lawyer, accountant or tax adviser. Joseph Farhat and his team review the duty figure, the deadline and your security, then place the loan with a lender from a panel of 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders and manage it through to settlement.
What Lenders Assess for Stamp Duty Finance
The duty and the deadline
your lawyer's calculation or the assessment, and how many weeks remain before payment is due.
The business being bought
its trading history, its profit, and whether it can meet the repayments after the handover.
All the borrowing together
the purchase loan, any amount the seller is leaving in the deal, and the new duty loan as one picture.
Security on offer
business assets, property you or the business own, and guarantees from the directors.
The sale documents
the signed business sale or share sale agreement, the lease and the list of assets included.
For a landholder acquisition
the company or trust you are buying into, its existing debts and the land it holds.
Your own position
your experience running this kind of business, your credit file and other loans in your name.
The Stamp Duty Finance Process: What to Expect
- Tell Joseph Farhat and his team the duty amount, the date it is due and what you are buying. If your lawyer and accountant are not yet involved, bring them in now.
- Send the sale agreement, the duty calculation, two years of the business's financials or BAS, recent bank statements and details of any property offered as security.
- We approach the lenders on the panel that fund duty for business purchases and set out each one's rate, fees, security and term side by side.
- The lender issues a written approval. We go through it with you before you sign, and your lawyer can review it with the sale documents.
- Once the loan settles, the lender releases the funds for the duty, usually through your lawyer's settlement or lodgement, and repayments begin.
Indicative Finance Options
| Lender Type | Indicative Rate | Security | Typical Loan Range | Loan Term | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | From ~7.5% p.a. | Usually part of the acquisition loan, with property security | $100K to $5M | 3 to 15 years | 3 to 8 weeks |
| Non-Bank Lenders | From ~10.5% p.a. | Business assets, guarantees, or property where available | $100K to $3M | 6 months to 5 years | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Private Finance | From ~1.2% per month | Property security | $100K to $5M | 3 to 12 months | Available for unique scenarios |
Indicative figures only. Actual rates and terms depend on your project, financial position, property location, and lender assessment at the time of application. Rates are subject to change.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for stamp duty finance
We represent you, not the lender
Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest from the first conversation through to settlement.
Built backwards from the due date
we start from when the duty is payable, so lender speed is weighed alongside price.
The whole deal in view
we look at the purchase loan, any vendor terms and the duty loan together, so the combined repayments make sense.
Lender appetite you cannot easily see
some lenders will add duty to an acquisition loan and others will only fund it separately, and we know which is which.
Your lawyer and accountant lead on the duty
we work from the figure they confirm, not our own estimate.
Fewer enquiries on your file
each credit enquiry is recorded on your file, so we approach only lenders likely to fund the deal.
One panel, every lender type
90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders, so a purchase with property security and full financials can go to a bank at a sharper rate, and a purchase with a close due date still has options.
Private finance for unique scenarios
where bank and non-bank lenders are not the right fit, we can introduce you to private finance options.
Usually no direct cost to you
as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
An honest answer early
bring us the duty figure your lawyer has confirmed and the date it is due, and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
Frequently asked questions
What is stamp duty finance?
It is a business loan that pays the duty owed when you buy a business or a significant stake in a company or trust that holds land. In NSW that is transfer duty on the dutiable parts of a business sale, or landholder duty on a share or unit acquisition. The loan can be a separate facility or part of the loan that funds the purchase. It is repaid from the earnings of the business over the agreed term.
Do I pay duty when I buy a business in NSW?
It depends on what the sale includes. Revenue NSW says a business sale with no land and no lease attracts no transfer duty. If the sale includes a lease, including an assignment of the existing one, duty is payable. Fixtures are always dutiable, and goods become dutiable when they are in the same agreement as the lease. Goodwill, intellectual property, statutory licences, debtor receivables and stock are not. Your lawyer works out the dutiable value for your purchase. We do not quote duty rates here: Revenue NSW publishes them on its Current thresholds and rates page.
When is the duty due?
For a business purchase, duty is due by the earliest of settlement, where land is part of the deal, or 3 months after the business sale agreement or lease is signed. Revenue NSW charges daily interest on any amount that is overdue until it is paid in full. Tell us the date at the first conversation, so the lender is chosen for its timing as well as its price.
What is landholder duty?
It is a NSW duty on buying into a company or unit trust that holds land, rather than buying the land itself. It applies where the entity's NSW land is worth $2 million or more, ignoring any mortgage over it (its unencumbered value), and you acquire a significant interest. Since 1 February 2024 that means 50% or more of a private company, 20% or more of a private unit trust, or 90% or more of a public landholder. Interests acquired within 3 years are added together. Duty is charged at transfer duty rates on the land and goods. The acquisition statement and the duty are due within 3 months. Your lawyer confirms whether your purchase is caught.
Can the duty go into the same loan as the purchase?
Sometimes. Some lenders will lend for the price and the duty in one facility, usually where property security is offered. Others fund the purchase but leave duty and costs to the buyer. In that case a separate, shorter duty loan can sit beside the main loan. We set out both options with the total repayments, so you can compare them before you commit.
I am buying a business outside NSW. Is the duty the same?
No. Duty on business purchases differs from state to state, so check with the revenue office where the business is: SRO Victoria, Queensland Revenue Office, RevenueSA, RevenueWA, State Revenue Office Tasmania, ACT Revenue Office or NT Territory Revenue Office. Once the amount and due date are known, Joseph Farhat and his team can look for funding in any state.
Can I get stamp duty finance on low-doc?
Often, yes. Lenders want to see how the business trades, because its earnings repay the loan. Several on the panel will accept BAS and business bank statements while the latest financials are being prepared. Full financials usually bring a lower rate.
Do you work with borrowers with bad credit?
Yes, we do. A default or arrears on your file does not rule out funding for the duty, and you can raise it with us without any awkwardness. A listing says little about how the business you are buying trades or what security sits behind the loan. Several lenders on our panel give those more weight than the credit file and will price the loan to suit. Tell us at the start, so we go to a suitable lender first and avoid extra enquiries on your file. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you honestly what is achievable before you apply anywhere.
Why work with Settled With Joe to arrange your stamp duty finance?
Because one conversation replaces a round of applications while you are already working with a lawyer, an accountant and a seller. The people we help are mostly company directors and self-employed buyers with a duty figure and a date: a lease assignment in a business sale, a share purchase that crosses the landholder threshold, or a purchase loan that stops short of the duty. None of that is unusual to us, and there is no judgement in the conversation. Lenders look at what the business earns, the security on offer, and whether the combined repayments are affordable. Our panel covers 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders, so a well-documented purchase can go to a bank at a sharper rate, and there are still options when time is short. We are based in Sydney and work with buyers Australia-wide. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you early and honestly whether we can help before the duty is due.
Do you give financial advice?
No. We do not guide you on your finances, nor give financial advice. We focus on outcomes and solutions of presenting your unique scenario to the right lender so you can access funding in a timely and compliant manner.
Do you help with stamp duty finance outside Sydney?
Yes. Settled With Joe is based in Sydney and arranges stamp duty finance Australia-wide, for business purchases in cities and regional towns. We work with clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, as well as regional areas including Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba. The duty rules on this page are for NSW, so your lawyer confirms the position in other states. Joseph Farhat and his team will match the loan to lenders on the panel that suit the purchase.
