What does a conveyancer actually do?
A conveyancer is a licensed property-law specialist who handles the legal side of buying or selling a home. For a first home buyer purchase, they do six things from contract to keys:
- Review the contract of sale before you sign, catching unfair clauses, missing disclosures and dodgy special conditions.
- Order title and planning searches: confirming who legally owns the property and what restrictions apply (easements, caveats, zoning).
- Calculate and lodge stamp duty, including your first home buyer concession or exemption.
- Coordinate with your lender, making sure the loan funds are ready for settlement day.
- Attend PEXA electronic settlement: the digital workspace where funds move and title transfers in one place.
- Register the transfer of title in your name with the state land titles office.
In every Australian state you legally need either a licensed conveyancer or a solicitor to lodge the transfer. In Queensland and the ACT you must use a solicitor: there’s no standalone licensed conveyancer credential.
Conveyancer fees in Australia, state by state
Professional fees only. Disbursements (title searches, PEXA, registration) add $350 to $600 on top. Sourced from published firm fee schedules and AIC state body averages, May 2026.
| State | Fee range | Average | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $1,200 to $2,800 | $1,650 | PEXA mandatory. Sydney sits at higher end. |
| VIC | $800 to $2,100 | $1,280 | Fixed-fee online from $840+GST. |
| QLD | $900 to $2,300 | $1,050 | Must use a solicitor: no standalone conveyancer licence. |
| WA | $700 to $2,000 | $1,410 | Called "settlement agents" locally. |
| SA | $700 to $1,600 | $1,270 | Flat-fee online options from $880. |
| TAS | $500 to $2,200 | $1,280 | Wide range; regional vs Hobart pricing diverges. |
| ACT | $700 to $1,800 | $1,570 | Must use a solicitor. Higher average reflects solicitor pricing. |
| NT | $1,000 to $2,500 | $1,875 | Highest nationally; thin market, fewer providers. |
Add $350 to $600 in disbursements on top of professional fees. Always ask for a written quote that separates the two.
Conveyancer vs solicitor: which do you need?
Cheaper. Property only.
- Specialises exclusively in property law
- Typical fee: $800 to $1,500 plus disbursements
- Carries professional indemnity insurance
- Licensed by state regulator (NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Vic, AIC)
- Available in NSW, VIC, WA, SA, TAS, NT
Broader. Required in QLD/ACT.
- Full law degree: can handle any legal matter
- Typical fee: $1,000 to $2,500 plus disbursements
- Required if you have a deceased estate, boundary dispute, complex strata or commercial crossover
- Mandatory in QLD and ACT: no standalone licensed conveyancer credential issued
- Available in all states
State-law trap to avoid: conveyancing fee comparison sites that quote a single national average are misleading. In QLD and ACT you legally cannot use a standalone licensed conveyancer, only a solicitor. That’s why average fees in QLD ($1,050) and ACT ($1,570) sit higher than VIC ($1,280) or SA ($1,270) on equivalent purchases.
How to vet a conveyancer: the 5-step checklist
- Verify their licence. Ask for the licence number, then check the state regulator’s register (NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Vic, AIC, Law Society in QLD/ACT). Refusal or vagueness is a deal-breaker.
- Demand a written quote. Fixed professional fee on one line, disbursements itemised separately on another. If a quote bundles everything into one figure, ask for the breakdown. Opacity is a transparency red flag.
- Confirm first home buyer experience. Ask how many FHB purchases they’ve handled in the last 12 months. You want regular, not occasional: FHBs interact with the 5% Deposit Scheme (formerly the First Home Guarantee), the FHOG and stamp duty concessions in ways straight upgraders don’t.
- Check who actually does the contract review. Some firms quote a senior conveyancer but allocate contract review to a paralegal. Ask: “Will you personally review the contract?”
- Test the turnaround commitment. 24-hour contract review is the benchmark for urgent offers. If they can’t commit to that and you might bid at auction or under cooling-off pressure, find someone else.
NestPath checks all five on every conveyancer before we shortlist them. Tell us your state and we’ll email you 2 to 3 we’ve already cleared. For the deeper comparison, read our conveyancer vs solicitor comparison.
What our shortlist actually delivers
We don’t run a directory. We don’t take agent referrals. We hand-check three things on every shortlisted conveyancer before we email you.
Vetted shortlist in 24 hours
Founder-curated, not auto-generated. Every shortlisted conveyancer is state-regulator licensed and an AIC or Law Society member. No cold-call dump, no directory to scroll.
Fixed fee, itemised
Every conveyancer on our shortlist gives written quotes with the professional fee and disbursements separated. No surprise add-ons at settlement: what they quote is what you pay.
State-specialist matching
NSW vs VIC vs QLD vs ACT all have different rules (solicitor required in QLD/ACT, settlement agent in WA). We match you to a conveyancer licensed for your state and your situation: 5% Deposit Scheme, fast settlement, auction.
Frequently asked questions
What does a conveyancer do?
A conveyancer is a licensed property-law specialist who handles the legal side of buying or selling a home. For a first home buyer purchase they review the contract of sale before you sign, order title and planning searches, calculate and lodge your stamp duty, coordinate with your lender, attend the PEXA electronic settlement, and register the transfer of title in your name. In every Australian state you legally need either a licensed conveyancer or a solicitor to lodge the transfer. DIY is technically possible in some states but not recommended.
How much does a conveyancer cost in Australia?
A conveyancer typically costs $800 to $2,800 in professional fees plus $350 to $600 in disbursements (title searches, planning certificates, PEXA, registration fees). State averages: NSW $1,650, VIC $1,280, QLD $1,050 (solicitor required), WA $1,410, SA $1,270, TAS $1,280, ACT $1,570 (solicitor required), NT $1,875. Sydney sits at the higher end of NSW pricing. Online fixed-fee firms in VIC and SA quote from around $840+GST. Always ask for a written quote that separates the fixed fee from disbursements.
What is the difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor?
A licensed conveyancer specialises exclusively in property law: contract review, title searches, stamp duty, PEXA settlement. A solicitor has a full law degree and can handle any legal matter including disputes. For a standard first home buyer purchase a conveyancer is cheaper ($800 to $1,500 vs $1,000 to $2,500) and just as safe; both carry professional indemnity insurance. Use a solicitor if your purchase involves a deceased estate, boundary dispute, complex strata or commercial crossover. In Queensland and the ACT a standalone licensed conveyancer is not available: you must use a solicitor.
Do I need a conveyancer or a solicitor in QLD or ACT?
You must use a solicitor in Queensland and the ACT. Both jurisdictions do not issue a standalone licensed conveyancer credential: only admitted solicitors can perform conveyancing work. This is reflected in average fees (QLD $1,050; ACT $1,570) and is the most common compliance trap for first home buyers comparing prices across states. In NSW, VIC, WA, SA, TAS and NT you can use a licensed conveyancer or a solicitor; the conveyancer is usually cheaper for a standard purchase.
When should I hire a conveyancer?
Engage your conveyancer BEFORE you sign the contract of sale, ideally as soon as you start making serious offers. The contract review is the single most valuable thing they do and has to happen before signing. In NSW and QLD contracts are exchanged at signing with a short cooling-off window; in VIC you have 3 business days cooling-off (but pay 0.2% to withdraw); at auction the sale is unconditional the moment the hammer falls, so the contract must be reviewed before auction day.
How long does conveyancing take?
Conveyancing typically takes 4 to 8 weeks from contract signing to settlement. The exact timeline is set by the settlement period in your contract (30, 42, 60 or 90 days are common). The conveyancer reviews the contract and orders searches in the first week, coordinates with your lender and the seller during weeks 2 to 4, and attends the PEXA electronic settlement on settlement day itself. Auction purchases usually have 30 or 42 day settlements, which means tight time pressure. Pick a conveyancer with capacity before you bid.
What are disbursements and how much do they add?
Disbursements are out-of-pocket costs the conveyancer pays on your behalf to third parties: title searches, council and water authority certificates, planning certificates, the PEXA settlement fee and the land titles office registration fee. Expect $350 to $600 in disbursements on top of the conveyancer’s professional fee. A reputable conveyancer itemises disbursements separately on their written quote and only marks them up at cost. If a quote bundles everything into one number, ask for the breakdown. It is a transparency red flag if they refuse.
How do I check if a conveyancer is licensed?
Every conveyancer in Australia must be licensed by the regulator in their state. In NSW check NSW Fair Trading’s licence register. In VIC check Consumer Affairs Victoria. In SA check Consumer and Business Services. In WA check the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. In Tasmania check the Property Agents Board. Most licensed conveyancers also belong to the Australian Institute of Conveyancers (AIC) state body, which requires ongoing professional development. Ask for the licence number, then verify it on the regulator’s register before engaging. Solicitor-conveyancers in QLD/ACT are listed on the state Law Society register.
Can I use the same conveyancer as the seller?
No. The buyer and seller must use different conveyancers: they have opposing legal interests in the contract. A conveyancer who tries to act for both is in a conflict of interest and is not allowed to under the professional codes. The same logic applies to using the conveyancer your real estate agent recommends: agents often have informal referral arrangements with specific firms, and while the conveyancer themselves is independent, their loyalty cue is the agent who refers them, not you.
Should I use the conveyancer my real estate agent recommends?
Be cautious. Real estate agents commonly have informal referral relationships with specific conveyancers: the conveyancer wants to keep that referral pipeline open, which means their incentive to push hard on contract negotiations or surface awkward issues with the property is dampened. Independent referrals (from a friend, a service like NestPath, or your own research) carry no such pressure. If the agent’s recommendation is significantly cheaper than independent quotes, that is itself a warning sign: they may be cutting corners on contract review depth.
Is online conveyancing safe?
Yes. Australian property settlement has been fully electronic via the PEXA platform since 2019, which means your conveyancer does not need to be in your suburb or even your state. A licensed conveyancer in Melbourne can complete a settlement on a Sydney property because all parties (your lender, the seller’s conveyancer, the land titles office) connect through PEXA. The only thing physical proximity buys you is the ability to drop off documents in person, which has become rare. Online fixed-fee firms (Settle Easy, JustConvey, Conveyancing.com.au) are legitimate options provided the conveyancer is licensed in your state.
Can a conveyancer help with the First Home Owner Grant?
Yes. Your conveyancer lodges the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) application on your behalf and pairs it with the stamp duty concession or exemption you’re eligible for in your state. They also confirm you meet the residency test (typically moving in within 12 months and living there for 6+ continuous months) and that the property qualifies (e.g. price caps, new vs established rules in some states). Mention you’re a first home buyer at the first call so they can quote correctly. Some conveyancers package the FHOG lodgement into the fixed fee, others charge a separate disbursement.
Are conveyancing fees negotiable?
Professional fees are sometimes negotiable on complex transactions; standard first home buyer fixed-fee quotes typically aren’t. The real saving is comparing 2 to 3 quotes side by side and choosing fairly rather than haggling one firm. Disbursements are not negotiable: they’re pass-through costs the conveyancer pays to third parties (land titles office, PEXA, councils). If a quote looks too cheap to be true (below $700 for a standard purchase outside fixed-fee online firms) ask what’s excluded. Common omissions are PEXA, the bank settlement fee, or post-settlement registration.
Can I do my own conveyancing?
Technically yes in NSW, VIC, QLD, ACT and NT, but it’s strongly not recommended. DIY conveyancing involves ordering state title searches, calculating stamp duty correctly, drafting transfer documents, attending PEXA settlement (you need a PEXA subscription), and registering the transfer with the land titles office. One mistake on a caveat, easement, transfer document or stamp duty calc can cost tens of thousands or delay settlement. In WA and SA a licensed practitioner is effectively required. For a $1,000 fee on a $700,000 purchase, DIY is a false economy.
What is PEXA and do I need to worry about it?
PEXA (Property Exchange Australia) is the electronic platform on which all Australian property settlements have been conducted since 2019. Your conveyancer connects to PEXA on settlement day along with your lender and the seller’s conveyancer: funds move and the title transfers in a single workspace, no more physical cheque exchange. You don’t do anything with PEXA yourself; your conveyancer handles it. The settlement fee ($100 to $200 depending on your state and the number of titles) is a disbursement that appears on your conveyancer’s itemised quote.
What questions should I ask a conveyancer before hiring?
Five worth asking: (1) What’s your licence number and which state regulator? (2) Will you give me a written fixed-fee quote with disbursements itemised separately? (3) How many first home buyer purchases have you handled in the last 12 months? (4) Are you handling the contract review personally, or is it allocated to a paralegal? (5) What’s your turnaround commitment for contract review (24 hours is the benchmark for urgent offers)? A confident, transparent conveyancer answers all five clearly. Hesitation on any of them is a warning sign.
By Anish Puri · Founder, NestPath · Last reviewed 14 August 2026