Two dates matter for the 2027 CGT changes: 12 May 2026, when the Budget was announced, and 1 July 2027. Of the two, 1 July 2027 is the one that actually needs a valuer.
Two dates, two different jobs
- 12 May 2026: the Budget announcement date. If you already owned your property by this date, you're in Bucket A (see our Bucket A explainer). Nothing needs to happen on this date itself.
- 1 July 2027: the moment the old rules stop and the new rules start. Everything your property gained before this date can qualify for the old 50% discount. Everything gained after uses indexation instead. This is the date a valuer needs to certify.
Why the valuation has to be "as at" this date, not the visit date
A certified valuation isn't about when the valuer turns up. It's about what the valuer determines the property was worth on a specific date. Valuers can value a property "as at" a past date using evidence like comparable sales from around that time, so, technically, you don't have to rush to get this done exactly on 1 July 2027.
In practice, a valuer can inspect the property a few months either side of 1 July 2027 and still certify its value as at that exact date, using their inspection alongside market evidence from around that time.
So why not just wait a few years and get it done later?
You can, but it gets harder the longer you wait, for a few reasons:
- Comparable sales evidence from around that date gets thinner over time, and harder for a valuer to source and stand behind.
- A valuer doing a retrospective valuation has to reconstruct market conditions from further in the past, more work, and a less confident number the bigger the gap.
- If you eventually sell, your accountant will want this number ready. Leaving it until settlement is close turns a routine step into a last-minute scramble.
- The longer you wait, an In-Person inspection stops being possible for that past date, a valuer can't inspect what your property looked like years ago. That often leaves you limited to a Desktop Valuation, which can come in more conservatively than an In-Person one, similar to how a bank's valuation for loan approval purposes is often lower than a full In-Person appraisal.
What this means for your countdown
That's why you'll see a running countdown on our homepage, not because there's a hard deadline attached to 1 July 2027 itself, but because the earlier this is done, the stronger and easier to defend the evidence behind it will be.
The key dates, side by side
| 12 May 2026 | Budget announcement: decides which bucket your property falls into |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2027 | The CGT split date: decides your tax calculation, and the date your valuation needs to be "as at" |
Why this matters
1 July 2027 isn't a deadline you need to panic about, but it is the one date your entire CGT calculation hinges on. The sooner you get a certified valuation dated to it, the more solid your evidence will be when it's time to sell.
This article is general information only and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. Speak with a registered tax agent or accountant about your own situation.
