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How long does it take to get my First Home Super Saver money out of super, and what happens if I don't buy?
Bayley Clarke · Mortgage broker on the road · Last checked 16 October 2026 · 3 min read
The short answer
Once you request a release, it's generally two to three weeks before the money actually lands in your account. So it's not something you leave to the week before you need the deposit.
Before that, you get a determination, which is the ATO telling you how much you can pull out. Once you've requested the release, the clock starts: you have 12 months to buy, with an extension available. Don't buy, and the money either goes back into super or you pay the tax on it.
The 60 second version, filmed from the driver's seat. The rest of this page is the detail underneath it.
The two steps, in order
Step one is the determination. That's you asking the ATO how much of your voluntary super contributions you're actually allowed to release under the scheme. It doesn't move any money. It just gives you the number, so you know what you're working with when we sit down and plan the deposit.
Step two is the release request. That's the one that pulls the money out of your super fund and sends it to you, less the tax withheld. In my experience it's generally two to three weeks from request to the money landing. Build that into your timeline, because a deposit that's still in transit isn't a deposit.
The 12 month clock
Once you've requested the release, you have 12 months to sign a contract on a property. You can apply for an extension if you need more time, but you don't want to be relying on it. Twelve months goes quicker than people think when you're making offers and missing out.
If you get to the end without buying, you've got two options. You put the money back into your super fund, or you cop the tax on it. Neither is the end of the world, but the second one takes a bite out of the very savings you were trying to grow.
So only release when you're buying
This is the part that saves people the headache. Generally, you only request a release when you know you're buying a property. Get your determination early so you know the number, get your pre-approval sorted, and pull the trigger on the release once you're close to making offers, or straight after an offer is accepted if the timing rules allow it.
That way the 12 month clock only starts when you're genuinely in the market, and you're not sitting on released money while you're still working out where to buy. Just do it that way.
The honest bit: check the timing rules with the ATO
The release has its own rules about when you can request it relative to signing a contract, and getting that order wrong can cause problems. I'll help you plan around it, but the ATO's FHSS page is the source of truth on the exact steps and deadlines.
What I can do is make sure the FHSS money, your other savings and the loan all line up on the same timeline, so the deposit is there when the contract needs it.
Want your FHSS timeline mapped out?
A 30 minute call. We look at what your determination says, line it up with your pre-approval and the costs in and out the door, and work out when to request the release.
No cost to you. The bank pays me when a loan settles. · How I get paid
Next question
Can I buy a home with my super?Employer contributions are locked for retirement, but your own voluntary contributions can come back out for a first home under the FHSS scheme.
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The full guide: You don't need a 20% deposit any more Does my First Home Super Saver scheme money count as genuine savings? Does selling my car count as genuine savings? Can I use money sitting in my parents' account as savings? What is the catch with the 5% scheme?Not your question? Book a call and ask it, or call 0437 189 939.