How Much Does a Conveyancer Cost in Australia?

The answer to “how much does a conveyancer cost in Australia?” depends on the transaction, location and scope. Conveyancing costs are easier to compare once you stop looking for one magic number. A quote normally combines at least two different things: the professional fee for the work and third-party expenses paid to complete the transaction.

That distinction matters. A low headline price can become an ordinary total once searches, electronic settlement fees and extra work are added. A higher quote may already include more of the work you need.

The practical rule: compare the total scope, not just the advertised fee. Ask for the professional fee, estimated disbursements, exclusions, GST and possible extra charges in writing.

How much does a conveyancer cost?

There is no reliable single national answer to “how much does a conveyancer cost?” Property type, jurisdiction, complexity, urgency and the provider’s scope all affect the price. A straightforward established-home purchase is different from an off-the-plan contract, deceased estate, family transfer, commercial property or transaction with a tight deadline.

Instead of relying on an unsupported national average, request itemised quotes for your actual transaction. The NSW Government’s conveyancing guide recommends finding out the total cost and asking for an itemised list of likely fees and charges.

The variables that change the quote

• Transaction type: buying, selling and title transfers involve different work.
• Property type: strata, off-the-plan, vacant land and commercial property can require extra review.
• Jurisdiction: documents, searches, duty processes and professional rules vary.
• Timing: urgent contract review or settlement work may attract an additional fee.
• Complexity: title defects, unapproved works, delayed finance, disputes or special conditions take time.
• Service level: some quotes include repeated advice and negotiations; others define a narrower scope.

Conveyancer fees: the professional work

The professional fee pays for the provider’s time, systems, responsibility and advice within the agreed scope. For a buyer, this may include reviewing the contract, advising on conditions, ordering searches, preparing transfer documents, liaising with the lender and seller’s representative, calculating settlement adjustments and completing settlement.

For a seller, it may include preparing or reviewing the contract and disclosure documents, responding to enquiries, coordinating discharge of mortgage, negotiating amendments and completing settlement.

Ask whether the fee includes:

• an initial contract review and how many follow-up questions;
• amendments or negotiation of special conditions;
• identity and right-to-deal checks;
• electronic settlement preparation and attendance;
• communication with your lender, agent and the other side;
• settlement adjustments and a final statement;
• post-settlement confirmation and document storage;
• GST.

PROCESS AT A GLANCE

The journey, step by step

1. 1Describe the matter
2. 2Request itemisation
3. 3Check inclusions
4. 4Check exclusions
5. 5Compare totals
6. 6Confirm in writing

Fixed fee conveyancing: useful, but read the scope

Fixed fee conveyancing can make budgeting easier. It does not necessarily mean every event is covered. A fair fixed-fee engagement normally defines what a standard transaction includes and what becomes additional work.

Questions to ask about a fixed fee

1. What exact work is included?
2. Is contract review included before I sign?
3. Are searches and third-party charges included or separate?
4. What events trigger an extra fee?
5. Is GST included?
6. What happens if the transaction does not proceed?
7. Is an urgent, auction or off-the-plan review priced differently?

The goal is not to eliminate every possible extra. It is to make the boundary visible before you engage the provider.

Conveyancing disbursements: money paid to others

Conveyancing disbursements are third-party expenses incurred for the transaction. The provider collects or pays them, but they are not usually payment for the provider’s professional time.

Common examples include:

• title and plan searches;
• council, water, land tax or planning certificates;
• strata or owners corporation records;
• identity verification services;
• electronic conveyancing platform fees;
• registration or lodgement fees;
• bank cheque, courier or settlement-related charges where still applicable.

Not every matter needs every search. The property, contract, state or territory and your adviser’s risk assessment determine what is appropriate.

Professional fee versus disbursement

Cost	Who receives it	Example
Professional fee	Conveyancer or law practice	Contract advice and transaction management
Search disbursement	Information provider or authority	Title, council or water search
Platform fee	Electronic lodgement network	Digital settlement transaction
Registration fee	Land registry	Registering a transfer or mortgage
Transfer duty	State or territory revenue authority	Tax on a dutiable transaction, subject to rules and concessions

✓

USEFUL FACT

Government charges and third-party searches may appear on a conveyancing invoice even though they are not the provider's professional fee.

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PRACTICAL ADVICE

Ask for a sample final invoice structure. It can make professional fees, disbursements and optional work easier to distinguish.

Government charges are not conveyancer fees

Transfer duty, registration charges and some certificates are government costs. They can be much larger than the professional fee, but that does not make them conveyancing revenue.

Duty rules and first-home concessions change. Moneysmart’s buying guide links to the official duty calculator for each state and territory. Use the relevant authority’s current calculator and ask what assumptions have been used.

Example of an itemised conveyancing quote

This is a structure, not a price promise:

Line item	Quote should show
Professional fee	Fixed or hourly amount, scope and GST treatment
Searches	Which searches are expected and estimated cost
Electronic settlement	Platform or workspace charge
Registration	Current land-registry fee or estimate
Additional work	Trigger and rate for non-standard work
Abortive work	What is payable if the transaction ends early

If two providers use different categories, translate both quotes into this structure. That is usually faster than arguing about whose headline fee is cheaper.

Costs buyers may overlook

Buyers often focus on the conveyancing quote and duty, then miss costs outside the engagement:

• building, pest, strata or specialist inspections;
• lender valuation and loan fees;
• mortgage registration;
• buyers agent fees;
• insurance;
• settlement adjustments for rates and levies;
• moving and immediate repairs.

These are not all conveyancing costs, but they belong in the same purchase budget.

Costs sellers may overlook

Sellers may also need to budget for:

• agent commission and marketing;
• contract and disclosure preparation;
• mortgage discharge charges;
• certificates and searches;
• owners corporation documents;
• adjustments at settlement;
• tax advice, especially for investment, inherited or foreign-resident issues.

For contracts signed on or after 1 January 2025, the Australian Taxation Office says the foreign resident capital gains withholding rate is 15% and the threshold has been removed. Australian resident vendors generally need an ATO clearance certificate to prevent withholding. The ATO says processing can take up to 28 days, so this should not be left until settlement week.

Cheap conveyancing can become expensive when scope is unclear

Price matters. So do availability, jurisdiction experience, communication and the person actually handling the file.

A bargain quote may still be perfectly suitable for a standard matter. The warning sign is not the number itself; it is an unclear scope, unexplained extras or no answer about who is responsible for the file.

Ask:

• Who will do the legal work and who supervises them?
• How quickly are calls and emails normally answered?
• Is advice provided in plain language and in writing?
• What experience do you have with this property and transaction type?
• What insurance, licence or practising entitlement applies?
• What is the complaints process?

Compare conveyancing costs on the same basis

Use the same short brief for every provider: jurisdiction, buying or selling, property type, auction or private sale, intended contract date, intended settlement and anything unusual you already know.

Then compare:

1. total estimated amount;
2. included professional work;
3. estimated disbursements;
4. exclusions and extra-fee triggers;
5. availability before your deadline;
6. licensing and relevant experience;
7. communication arrangements.

Three quote scenarios that should not be priced the same

Straightforward established-home purchase

The buyer has ordinary bank finance, a standard settlement period and no unusual ownership structure. The quote may be largely fixed, with searches and government charges itemised separately.

Off-the-plan apartment purchase

The contract can be substantially longer and may deal with plan changes, sunset dates, defects, strata creation and a settlement date that depends on registration. A provider may charge more for review and ongoing work because the scope and duration are different.

Family title transfer with a mortgage

Even without an open-market sale, this matter can involve lender consent, refinance, valuation, duty, CGT and estate-planning questions. A low-cost document-only service may exclude the advice that makes the structure workable.

These examples show why a national average can mislead. The transaction determines the work.

Pricing language to read carefully

“From” pricing

Ask what assumptions produce the advertised starting figure and how often an ordinary matter qualifies.

“All inclusive”

Check whether the phrase includes GST, searches, platform fees, registration, mortgage work, contract review and additional correspondence. Government taxes are rarely part of a professional fee.

“No sale, no fee”

This may waive some professional work if the matter does not proceed, but disbursements already incurred may remain payable. It may also exclude contract review or have time and property limits.

“Free contract review”

Confirm whether the review is independent of a full engagement, what document length and property types qualify, and whether amendments or negotiations are included.

When an extra fee may be reasonable

An extra fee is not automatically unfair when the work genuinely changes. Examples may include urgent same-day review, repeated substantial contract amendments, a delayed settlement requiring new work, a title defect, an additional lot, a complex guarantee or a dispute outside ordinary conveyancing.

The important points are prior disclosure, a defined trigger and your approval where the engagement requires it. Ask the provider to explain the new work and estimated cost before it is performed whenever circumstances allow.

Need a clearer comparison? Compare conveyancers by scope, jurisdiction and service, not price alone. Conveyancers Australia is a comparison and referral platform, not a conveyancing practice.

QUICK SELF-CHECK

Test what you have learned

Answer all three questions, then check your score. This quiz is educational and is not legal advice.

1Is a disbursement the same as a professional fee?

No Yes

2Should GST and possible extras be checked?

Yes No

3Does 'fixed fee' remove the need to read the scope?

No Yes

CHECK MY SCORERESET QUIZ

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Are conveyancing disbursements optional?

Some are required for the transaction; others are recommended based on the property and risk. Ask why each search or charge is needed and whether the amount is fixed or estimated.

Does a fixed fee include searches?

Sometimes, but not always. A provider may quote a fixed professional fee while listing searches and platform charges separately. Check the written cost disclosure.

Can the final cost exceed the quote?

It can if the quote contains estimates, the scope changes or unforeseen work arises. The engagement should explain how extra costs are authorised and disclosed.

Do buyers and sellers pay the same conveyancer fees?

Not necessarily. The tasks differ, and complexity matters more than the label. Request a quote for the specific side of the transaction.

Is the cheapest conveyancer the best choice?

No price point guarantees quality. Compare competence, availability, scope and total cost. A clear low quote may be good value; a vague low quote may not be comparable.

Your next step

Collect two or three itemised quotes before the contract deadline. If you are buying and have an unsigned contract, request a free contract review so you can understand the document before deciding how to proceed.

Sources and further reading

• NSW Government: Conveyancing for property buyers and sellers
• Moneysmart: Buying a house
• PEXA: PEXA Exchange
• ATO: Capital gains withholding clearance certificate

This article provides general information only. Fees, taxes and legal requirements vary by matter and jurisdiction.