Conveyancing & Solicitor Fees When Buying a House in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and the ACT: What Most First-Home Buyers Overlook.

Updated 1 September 2026: This guide has been expanded to include conveyancing costs and legal requirements in South Australia and the ACT, alongside NSW, Victoria and Queensland, and updated with current 2026 cost guidance.

Most Buyers Budget for the House. Not the Legal Headaches.

When you think about buying property, your mind probably jumps to the big-ticket items: your deposit, stamp duty, inspection reports, maybe even moving costs. But there’s a crucial line item many first-home buyers forget: the legal costs.

And let’s be honest: solicitor fees don’t exactly make for exciting dinner conversation. But ignore them, and you could be hit with delays, stress or nasty surprises.

That’s why we’ve created this no-nonsense guide to conveyancing costs across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. Whether you’re buying in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Canberra, this is what you need to know, including what is usually included, what can cost extra and how to compare quotes properly.

Conveyancer vs Solicitor: What’s the Difference?

It’s one of the first decisions you’ll make, but it isn’t always explained clearly. And importantly, the answer changes depending on where in Australia you’re buying.

Licensed or registered conveyancer: A professional authorised to carry out conveyancing work within the scope permitted by their state. NSW, Victoria and South Australia have licensing or registration systems for conveyancers who are not solicitors.

Solicitor: A qualified legal practitioner who can undertake conveyancing work as well as provide broader legal advice and handle legal issues that extend beyond the ordinary transfer of property.

At Titlespace, we’ve built a team that includes property lawyers and licensed conveyancing professionals, with the appropriate legal structure for the jurisdiction in which you’re buying. That means your matter can be handled efficiently while still having access to broader legal expertise when the transaction requires it.

How Much Does a Solicitor Cost When Buying a House in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA & ACT?

There is no regulated national price for conveyancing. Firms set their own fees, and the final cost depends on the scope of work, the property and the complexity of the transaction.

The figures below are a broad 2026 market guide for professional fees. They are not Titlespace prices and generally do not include transfer duty, government registration charges or all third-party disbursements.

What Should Be Included?

A good conveyancing quote should clearly explain what your professional fee covers.

For a standard property purchase, that will commonly include:

• Reviewing and explaining the Contract of Sale and relevant disclosure documents.
• Advising you on legal risks, rights and obligations.
• Reviewing title information and relevant property searches.
• Explaining important easements, covenants, encumbrances or title restrictions.
• Liaising with the seller’s legal representative.
• Liaising with your lender or mortgage broker where required.
• Helping calculate transfer duty and advising on relevant concessions where appropriate.
• Preparing for settlement.
• Completing the legal settlement process and electronic lodgement requirements.
• Calculating settlement adjustments such as rates and other outgoings.

The exact work differs between states and between properties. An apartment purchase, for example, can involve owners corporation, strata, body corporate, community title or unit title information that simply does not exist when buying a standalone Torrens title house.

Conveyancing Costs: What to Expect?

Your legal professional’s fee is only one part of the cost.

Disbursements are third-party costs incurred while completing the conveyancing work. They can include searches, certificates, electronic settlement charges and government fees.

For many straightforward purchases, disbursements can add roughly $300 to $800 or more to the professional fee, although this can rise depending on the searches and certificates required.

And remember: transfer duty, commonly called stamp duty, is not a conveyancing fee. It is a government tax and can run into tens of thousands of dollars depending on the property value, jurisdiction and any exemption or concession you qualify for.

At Titlespace, we aim to make the distinction between our legal fees and third-party costs clear from the beginning. For most transaction types, disbursements are either included in our pricing or charged at cost, so you can understand what you’re actually paying for.

The $899 Conveyancing Trap And Other Fee Gotchas.

Ever seen ads for “$899 conveyancing”?

Maybe it genuinely covers everything you need. Maybe it doesn’t. The headline number tells you almost nothing until you read the scope.

Watch Out for These Common Fee Traps

What the Quote Says	What You Need to Ask
“From $899”	What does “from” mean, and what does a normal client actually pay?
“Fixed fee”	Exactly what work falls outside the fixed-fee scope?
“Plus disbursements”	Which disbursements, how much are they expected to be and are they charged at cost?
“Standard purchase”	What makes my purchase non-standard?
“Contract review included”	How many reviews or negotiations are included?

Other things to watch for include:

• Time-based billing where you expected a fixed fee.
• Additional fees for off-the-plan or auction contracts.
• Extra charges for contract negotiations or amendments.
• “Admin”, “file handling” or “settlement administration” fees added later.
• Extra charges every time a deadline needs to be extended.
• Disbursements added later with little explanation.
• Markups on third-party searches or certificates.

You deserve to know the likely total cost before you engage anyone.

We’ve also written a deeper dive on this exact issue: Conveyancing Fees: Why the Cheapest Option Can Cost You the Most. It looks at why the lowest headline price is not necessarily the lowest total cost, particularly when important work falls outside the advertised scope.

Fixed Fee Conveyancing vs Hourly Billing

Some conveyancers and law firms advertise fixed fees, but the important question is what is actually fixed?

A quote might be fixed for a very narrow scope, then switch to additional fees or hourly billing when something unexpected happens.

That can mean:

• You start with a fixed-fee quote, but additional fees apply if the transaction becomes more complicated.
• “Outside scope” includes additional negotiations, unusual contract clauses, extensions or work created by the other party.
• Every additional letter, phone call or negotiation potentially increases the bill.
• You do not know the true final legal cost until settlement.

There is nothing inherently wrong with hourly billing or charging extra for genuinely additional work. The problem is when the pricing model is not explained clearly at the beginning.

We don’t charge by the hour for ordinary conveyancing work. Our legal fees are structured on a fixed-fee basis, with third-party costs identified separately where applicable.

NSW, VIC, QLD, SA & ACT: Are There State-Based Differences?

Absolutely. Conveyancing is not one national legal system. Every state and territory has its own contracts, disclosure requirements, title processes, duty rules and transaction practices.

New South Wales (NSW)

• Buyers should have the Contract for Sale reviewed before signing where possible.
• The standard cooling-off period for many residential private treaty purchases is five business days, although it can be waived using a Section 66W certificate.
• Strata purchases can require additional review of strata records, levies, by-laws and building issues.
• Special conditions can materially change a buyer’s rights and obligations.
• NSW buyers can use either a licensed conveyancer or solicitor for conveyancing work.

Victoria (VIC)

• The Section 32 Vendor Statement is one of the key documents buyers need to review.
• Contract conditions dealing with finance, building inspections or pest inspections can contain strict deadlines.
• Owners corporation information becomes particularly important for apartments and townhouses.
• Victoria has both licensed conveyancers and legal practitioners who can undertake conveyancing work.

Queensland (QLD)

• Conveyancing is a legal service in Queensland and is provided through solicitors and law practices.
• Finance and building and pest conditions can contain strict contractual deadlines.
• Queensland’s mandatory seller disclosure scheme has applied since 1 August 2025.
• Under commonly used standard contracts, risk generally passes to the buyer from 5pm on the first business day after the contract date, so insurance timing matters.
• Search requirements can include council, flooding, environmental and body corporate information depending on the property.

South Australia (SA)

• Buyers can engage a registered conveyancer or solicitor.
• The Form 1 Vendor’s Statement is a central disclosure document in residential property transactions.
• Title searches can reveal easements, encumbrances and other restrictions affecting the property.
• Strata and community title properties can require additional investigation and documentation.
• South Australia’s standard cooling-off period for many private residential sales is generally two clear business days, subject to exceptions.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

• ACT conveyancing legal work is undertaken through solicitors and law practices.
• The ACT has extensive pre-contract disclosure requirements compared with many other Australian jurisdictions.
• Buyers may need to review title, planning, building, lease and inspection documents before exchange.
• Unit-title purchases can involve owners corporation records, levies, rules, parking and storage rights.
• The standard cooling-off period for qualifying residential private treaty purchases is generally five working days, subject to exceptions.

Conveyancer or Solicitor – Who Should You Choose?

It depends on both where you’re buying and how complicated the transaction is.

Situation	What to Consider
Straightforward purchase in NSW, VIC or SA	A suitably experienced licensed or registered conveyancer may be appropriate, as may a property solicitor.
Buying in QLD or the ACT	Use an appropriately qualified solicitor or law practice that handles property transactions.
Off-the-plan purchase	Consider a property lawyer experienced with long, complex contracts, sunset clauses, variations and developer conditions.
Buying through a company or trust	Broader legal and tax issues may arise, making solicitor involvement particularly useful.
Title dispute or unusual legal problem	A solicitor who can advise beyond routine conveyancing may be required.

The title on the person’s business card matters less than whether they are properly qualified for your jurisdiction, experienced with your type of property, responsive and transparent about fees.

What Makes Titlespace Different?

We’ve flipped the script on traditional conveyancing.

We’re a law firm built for the modern property buyer.

Still Not Sure What You’ll Need?

We get it. Property law is complex, and no two transactions are exactly alike.

That’s why we offer a free 20-minute property session with one of our legal experts.

You can ask about:

• What legal fees are likely to apply to your property.
• What is included in the quote.
• What disbursements or government costs you should budget for.
• What documents need to be reviewed.
• What changes if you’re buying off the plan.
• What you need to do before bidding at auction.
• How the process differs in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia or the ACT.

Skip the stress. Get legal clarity before you commit.

Book a Property Session →

The content of this blog post is intended as general information and should be considered broad guidance only. Fee ranges are indicative and may change depending on the provider, property, jurisdiction, complexity and scope of work. It does not constitute legal, financial or tax advice and should not be relied upon as such. Every property transaction is different, and we recommend seeking personalised advice and a written costs disclosure from a qualified professional before making any investment or legal decisions.