Conveyancing Fees in Australia 2026 — What Buyers and Sellers Actually Pay
Buying or selling property in Australia comes with a legal step most people underestimate: conveyancing. Whether you're signing a contract in Sydney or settling on a block in Perth, you'll need a qualified professional to transfer the title, order the right searches, and get you to settlement without a hitch.
The question most people Google at 11pm is simple: how much is this going to cost me? This guide gives you real 2026 numbers — broken down by state, by role (buyer vs seller), and by the two types of professionals you can hire.
Use the free conveyancing quote calculator to get an instant indication based on your property and location.
Last updated: May 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Buyers typically pay $1,100–$3,200 all-in (professional fees + disbursements), depending on state and whether you use a conveyancer or solicitor.
- Sellers typically pay $1,000–$2,500 — often slightly less than buyers, but the seller's conveyancer prepares the full contract of sale.
- Licensed conveyancers are cheaper ($800–$1,500) than solicitors ($1,500–$2,500) for routine residential transactions.
- Disbursements add $300–$700 on top of professional fees — title searches, council certificates, water searches and PEXA platform fees.
- PEXA e-conveyancing is now the default settlement method in most states; the platform fee is a standard disbursement, not an optional extra.
These are price indications only. Your conveyancer or solicitor will confirm the final fee after assessing your specific transaction.
Table of Contents
- Conveyancing Fees at a Glance — Cost Table
- Buyer vs Seller — What Each Side Pays
- Conveyancer vs Solicitor — Which Should You Choose?
- What Disbursements Are — and What They Cost
- PEXA E-Conveyancing — What It Is and What It Costs
- State-by-State Conveyancing Fee Breakdown
- What Your Conveyancer Actually Does
- Online and DIY Conveyancing — Risks and Savings
- FAQs — Conveyancing Fees Australia
Conveyancing Fees at a Glance {#conveyancing-fees-at-a-glance}
| Licensed Conveyancer | Solicitor | Disbursements | Total (Indicative) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer | $800–$1,500 | $1,500–$2,500 | $300–$700 | $1,100–$3,200+ |
| Seller | $800–$1,500 | $1,200–$2,000 | $200–$500 | $1,000–$2,500 |
Methodology: These ranges are based on estimates generated through Leadkit's conveyancing quote calculator using current Australian market rates, cross-referenced with published fee schedules from conveyancing firms across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA as of May 2026. Disbursement costs reflect current government search fees and PEXA platform charges.
Price indication only. Your conveyancer will confirm the final fee after assessing your transaction.
Buyer vs Seller — What Each Side Pays {#buyer-vs-seller}
Both sides of a property transaction engage their own conveyancer or solicitor. The fees are separate — each party pays their own professional.
Buyers generally pay slightly more overall. That's because the buyer's conveyancer has more search work to do: they order a title search, a council rates certificate, a water search, a land tax search and several other certificates before settlement. They also review the contract of sale, advise on the cooling-off period, and coordinate with the buyer's lender.
Sellers pay somewhat less in disbursements, but the seller's conveyancer carries a critical task: preparing the full contract of sale and any required vendor disclosure documents. In Victoria, this means preparing a Section 32 (also called a vendor statement) — a disclosure document the seller must provide to every prospective buyer before contracts are exchanged. Getting this wrong can give the buyer grounds to rescind the contract.
In NSW, sellers must attach a Contract for Sale with specific searches and certificates attached before the property can even be advertised. This is why a seller's professional fee can be similar to a buyer's even though the disbursements are lower.
Both buyer and seller will also pay the PEXA e-conveyancing platform fee (see below) as part of their disbursements.
Conveyancer vs Solicitor — Which Should You Choose? {#conveyancer-vs-solicitor}
This is the choice that has the biggest impact on your professional fee.
Licensed conveyancers are property specialists. They hold a specific conveyancing licence (regulated state-by-state — AICWA in Western Australia, the Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW Division in New South Wales, and equivalent bodies elsewhere). They focus exclusively on property transfers, which means they know the process cold. For a standard residential purchase or sale, a licensed conveyancer is often the more cost-effective option — and just as capable.
Solicitors are admitted legal practitioners who can advise across all areas of law. Their conveyancing fees are typically higher ($1,500–$2,500 for buyers), but they add value when a transaction is complex — unusual contract terms, easements, encumbrances, deceased estates, or disputed boundaries. The Law Society of NSW and the Law Institute of Victoria both maintain searchable registers of solicitors practising in property law.
When to use a conveyancer: straightforward residential purchase or sale, standard off-the-plan apartment, refinance.
When to use a solicitor: property with an encumbrance or caveat, complex contract negotiations, buying through a deceased estate, any transaction where legal advice beyond conveyancing may be needed.
Note: in Queensland and the ACT, conveyancing must be performed by a solicitor. Licensed conveyancers exist in QLD but cannot sign off on certain stages without a solicitor's oversight — check with your provider.
What Disbursements Are — and What They Cost {#disbursements}
Disbursements are the out-of-pocket costs your conveyancer pays to third parties on your behalf, then bills to you. They're separate from the professional fee and are not negotiable — they're government fees and statutory charges.
Typical buyer disbursements (2026 estimates):
| Search / Fee | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Title search (confirms ownership, flags encumbrances) | $40–$100 |
| Council rates certificate | $50–$150 |
| Water/sewerage search | $50–$100 |
| Land tax clearance certificate | $30–$80 |
| Zoning / planning certificate (NSW s10.7) | $53–$133 |
| PEXA e-conveyancing platform fee | ~$133–$160 per side |
| Transfer registration fee (state Land Registry) | $130–$250 |
| Mortgage registration fee | $130–$190 |
| Total disbursements (buyer) | $300–$700 |
Seller disbursements are lower — usually $200–$500 — because the seller doesn't need to register a transfer or mortgage on the way out.
Always ask your conveyancer for an itemised quote that separates the professional fee from disbursements. Any fixed-fee offer that buries both in one number needs scrutiny.
PEXA E-Conveyancing — What It Is and What It Costs {#pexa}
PEXA (Property Exchange Australia) is the electronic settlement platform now used for the vast majority of residential property transactions in NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA. Paper settlements — where solicitors physically meet to exchange cheques and documents — are increasingly rare and, in some states, being phased out entirely.
In PEXA, both sides' representatives log into a shared digital workspace. The transfer of land, the discharge of the existing mortgage, and the registration of the new mortgage all happen simultaneously in a single digital transaction at settlement. The result lands in the buyer's name in the Land Registry within minutes, rather than days.
What PEXA costs: The platform charges a fee per transaction side — currently around $133–$160 per side for a standard residential transfer, plus a separate charge (~$33.50) per mortgage dealing. This is passed through to you as a disbursement. The PEXA pricing schedule is published publicly and varies slightly by state.
PEXA fees are a fixed cost of doing business in 2026 — don't be surprised to see them on your disbursement list. They're not a conveyancer mark-up.
State-by-State Conveyancing Fee Breakdown {#state-by-state}
Professional fee ranges for a standard residential purchase by state (buyer, 2026 estimates):
| State | Licensed Conveyancer | Solicitor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $900–$1,500 | $1,500–$2,500 | Contracts must be prepared before marketing; more upfront work |
| VIC | $1,000–$1,800 | $1,500–$2,500 | Section 32 vendor statement adds complexity for sellers |
| QLD | $900–$1,600 | $1,200–$2,000 | Solicitor-led system; REIQ contract standard |
| WA | $1,200–$2,000 | $1,500–$2,500 | Regulated by AICWA; settlement through PEXA or Sympli |
| SA | $800–$1,400 | $1,200–$2,000 | Generally lower-cost market; fixed-fee providers common |
Add $300–$700 in disbursements to each range for the all-in buyer cost.
Cooling-off periods also vary by state — a critical detail your conveyancer will advise on:
- NSW: 5 business days (0.25% penalty to rescind)
- VIC: 3 business days (0.2% penalty to rescind)
- QLD: 5 business days (0.25% penalty to rescind)
- WA: No statutory cooling-off period for private sales (negotiable by contract)
- SA: 2 business days
In all states, auctions have no cooling-off period — if the hammer falls, you're unconditional. This is when having reviewed the contract before auction day — not after — is worth every dollar of your conveyancing fee.
You can also check the stamp duty payable on your purchase using the stamp duty quote calculator — it's a significant additional cost on top of conveyancing, especially for properties over $1 million.
What Your Conveyancer Actually Does {#what-conveyancers-do}
Most people think conveyancing is paperwork. It's actually risk management.
A good conveyancer does several things that protect you before you sign and on settlement day:
Contract review: Before you exchange, your conveyancer reads the contract of sale and flags any unusual conditions, sunset clauses (in off-the-plan), easements, covenants, or restrictions on title. An easement buried in the title might mean a utility company has a right of access across your backyard — your conveyancer finds it. An encumbrance might be a restriction on how you can build on the land — your conveyancer explains it.
Searches and due diligence: The disbursements aren't just fees — they're information. The council certificate tells you if there's unpaid rates attached to the property. The land tax clearance confirms the seller isn't leaving a tax debt that could affect the title. The water search confirms what sewerage infrastructure services the property.
Settlement coordination: Your conveyancer coordinates with the seller's conveyancer, your lender, and the Land Registry to make sure the transfer of land happens on the agreed settlement date. In PEXA, this is a digital process — but someone still has to get every party into the workspace with the right figures.
Across quotes generated through Leadkit's finance and property calculator suite, the search and settlement phase is consistently the stage where unrepresented buyers run into trouble — missed caveats, wrong settlement figures, delayed registration.
Online and DIY Conveyancing — Risks and Savings {#diy-conveyancing}
Online conveyancing platforms (fixed-fee, largely automated) have grown in popularity. They can bring total professional fees down to $500–$800 by automating standard searches and document preparation. For a very straightforward transaction — no unusual conditions, no construction, no strata complexities — they can work.
The risks are real though. Online platforms typically:
- Don't provide legal advice (they fill in forms; they don't interpret the contract)
- Have limited availability for urgent queries on settlement day
- May miss state-specific nuances (e.g. a Section 32 defect in VIC, or a s66W certificate in NSW)
- Offer little recourse if something goes wrong
DIY conveyancing (handling the transfer of land yourself without any professional) is technically possible in some states but is rarely advisable for a standard residential transaction. A missed caveat or an error in the transfer documents can cost far more to fix than the conveyancing fee would have been.
The property selling costs calculator can help you see where conveyancing sits relative to your total selling costs — agent commissions, marketing and government charges.
Bottom line on DIY: the professional fee for a licensed conveyancer ($800–$1,500) is a small fraction of the transaction value. It's not where to cut costs on a $700,000 purchase.
FAQs — Conveyancing Fees Australia {#faqs}
Q: How much does conveyancing cost in Australia in 2026?
A: Conveyancing costs in Australia in 2026 typically range from $1,100 to $3,200 all-in for buyers, and $1,000 to $2,500 for sellers. That total includes the professional fee (paid to your conveyancer or solicitor) and disbursements (government searches, PEXA platform fees, registration charges). Using a licensed conveyancer rather than a solicitor is the most effective way to keep costs at the lower end for a standard residential transaction. Use the conveyancing quote calculator for an instant indication based on your state and property type.
Q: Does the buyer or seller pay conveyancing fees?
A: Both the buyer and seller pay their own conveyancing fees separately — each party engages and pays their own conveyancer or solicitor. You are not responsible for the other side's legal costs in a standard residential transaction. Buyer fees tend to be slightly higher than seller fees because buyers have more search work done on their behalf (title searches, certificates, mortgage registration). Sellers pay somewhat less in disbursements but bear the cost of preparing the contract of sale.
Q: What is the difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor for property?
A: A licensed conveyancer specialises exclusively in property transfers and is typically cheaper ($800–$1,500 professional fee) than a solicitor ($1,500–$2,500). A solicitor is a fully admitted legal practitioner who can advise across all areas of law, including complex contract terms, disputed titles, or deceased estate purchases. For straightforward residential transactions, a licensed conveyancer is usually sufficient. For complex situations — unusual contract conditions, encumbrances, or legal disputes — a solicitor adds value. In QLD and ACT, conveyancing must be conducted or overseen by a solicitor.
Q: What are disbursements in conveyancing?
A: Disbursements are the out-of-pocket costs your conveyancer pays to third parties on your behalf during the conveyancing process. They include title searches, council rates certificates, water/sewerage searches, land tax clearance certificates, planning certificates, PEXA e-conveyancing platform fees, and state Land Registry transfer and mortgage registration fees. For buyers, disbursements typically add $300–$700 on top of the professional fee. They are not negotiable — they are fixed government and statutory charges. Always ask for an itemised breakdown so you know exactly what's included.
Q: What is a Section 32 in Victoria?
A: A Section 32 (formally a vendor statement) is a legal disclosure document that every property seller in Victoria must provide to prospective buyers before contracts are exchanged. It is prepared by the seller's conveyancer or solicitor and contains key information about the property: title details, any encumbrances or restrictions on use, planning information, owner's corporation details (for strata), council rates, and building permits. A defective Section 32 — one that omits required information — can give the buyer the right to rescind the contract even after settlement. The Law Institute of Victoria provides guidance on vendor disclosure obligations.
Q: What is PEXA and do I have to use it?
A: PEXA (Property Exchange Australia) is the national electronic conveyancing platform used for the digital settlement of property transactions. It replaces the old paper settlement process where solicitors physically met to exchange cheques and documents. In NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA, PEXA (or the competing platform Sympli) is now the standard — and in some states paper settlement is no longer available for residential transactions. You don't choose PEXA directly; your conveyancer uses it. The PEXA platform fee (~$133–$160 per side) appears on your disbursements. PEXA is regulated by the Australian Registrars' National Electronic Conveyancing Council (ARNECC).
Q: Are conveyancing fees tax deductible in Australia?
A: Conveyancing fees are generally not tax deductible when purchasing a primary residence. However, if the property is an investment property, conveyancing fees paid by the buyer form part of the cost base of the asset for capital gains tax (CGT) purposes — they reduce the taxable gain when you eventually sell. Seller conveyancing costs are also included in the cost base calculation. Speak to your accountant or refer to the Australian Taxation Office for guidance on your specific situation.
Q: Can I do my own conveyancing in Australia?
A: Technically yes in some states, but it is rarely advisable. DIY conveyancing means you are personally responsible for ordering searches, reviewing the contract, managing settlement through PEXA, and ensuring the transfer of land is registered correctly. A missed caveat, an error in the transfer documents, or a failed settlement can cost significantly more to fix than a conveyancer's professional fee. Most property professionals and the Law Society of NSW recommend using a qualified professional for all but the most straightforward transactions.
Getting Your Conveyancing Fee Sorted
Conveyancing is not the place to cut corners on a property transaction. A licensed conveyancer handling a standard residential purchase will cost between $1,100 and $2,200 all-in — a fraction of the property value, and the thing standing between you and a missed encumbrance or a failed settlement.
Here's how to keep fees reasonable:
- Get at least two to three itemised quotes that separate professional fees from disbursements.
- For a straightforward purchase or sale, a licensed conveyancer is typically the most cost-effective option.
- Engage early — before you sign anything. Reviewing the contract before exchange is when your conveyancer earns their fee.
- Factor in stamp duty separately — it's a major additional cost. Use the stamp duty quote calculator to estimate that impost before you commit.
Want an instant conveyancing fee indication? Use the free conveyancing quote calculator — enter your state, transaction type and property value for an immediate breakdown. Takes 30 seconds, no signup required.
This is a price indication only. Your conveyancer or solicitor will confirm the final fee after assessing your specific transaction.