Standard residential conveyancing in NSW typically runs $1,200 to $2,500 plus GST for the professional fee alone. That number is only part of the bill. Transfer duty, land registry charges, and settlement fees sit outside it, and often add up to more than the conveyancer’s own invoice. The sections below break down exactly what you’re paying for and how to budget for the whole transaction, not just the headline quote.
TL;DR:
- Conveyancing costs in NSW typically range from $1,200 to $2,500 plus GST for professional fees, with disbursements and government charges adding hundreds more.
- Transfer duty, calculated separately by Revenue NSW, is usually the largest expense and often exceeds the entire conveyancer’s fee, especially for higher-value properties.
- Disbursement costs include title searches, certificates, and electronic settlement fees, which can collectively add several hundred dollars to the overall cost.
- Always request a detailed, itemized quote before engagement, ensuring it covers all disbursements, GST, and platform fees to avoid unexpected expenses.
- Fixed-fee conveyancing packages tend to be similar in total price but vary in what they include; prioritizing clarity and full disclosure saves money and time.
Table of Contents
- Typical Conveyancing Costs in NSW for Buyers and Sellers
- What a Conveyancing Fee Actually Covers
- Transfer Duty, Registration Fees, and Other Government Costs
- How to Compare Conveyancing Quotes Without Getting Burned
- Practical Ways to Manage Conveyancing Costs
- How conveyancing pricing generally works
- What the Numbers Actually Tell You
- Get an Itemized Quote Before You Commit
- Where to Check Official Fees and Concessions
- Sources
- FAQ
Typical Conveyancing Costs in NSW for Buyers and Sellers
Licensed conveyancers and solicitors don’t charge the same, and the gap is bigger than most buyers expect. A licensed conveyancer typically charges $800 to $1,600 for a straightforward purchase or sale, while a solicitor’s fee for the same job often lands between $1,500 and $2,500, reflecting broader legal advice on top of the standard transfer work. Both figures usually attract GST on top.
Location shifts the number too. Metro Sydney firms tend to sit at the higher end of these bands because of overheads and complexity, particularly on strata titles, while regional NSW conveyancers often quote toward the lower end for comparable work.
Three quick scenarios show how this plays out in practice:
- Standard house purchase with a mortgage: a typical professional fee plus disbursements adding up to a moderate all-in cost.
- Strata apartment purchase: professional fee similar to a house, but add a strata report fee, increasing the all-in cost.
- Off-the-plan purchase: often priced at the higher end because of extra contract review work, resulting in a higher all-in cost before duty.
None of these figures include transfer duty, which is calculated separately and, on most properties, dwarfs the conveyancing fee itself.
What a Conveyancing Fee Actually Covers
A professional fee pays for the conveyancer’s or solicitor’s time and expertise, not the government charges layered on top. Understanding the split matters because some firms advertise a low headline number that only covers the professional fee, then add disbursements later as if they were a surprise.
The professional fee generally covers:
- Reviewing the contract of sale and raising requisitions
- Ordering and interpreting property searches
- Liaising with the other side’s representative and the lender
- Preparing and lodging transfer documents
- Attending settlement, usually via electronic platform
Disbursements are the pass-through costs a conveyancer pays on your behalf and then bills back. Typical examples include a title search, a council Section 10.7 planning certificate running roughly $60 to $160 depending on the council, a water authority certificate, PEXA settlement fees, NSW Land Registry Services registration charges, and, where relevant, a strata report or building and pest inspection.
Pro Tip: Ask whether the quoted price already includes GST and every disbursement, or whether those are itemized separately below the headline number. A fee that looks cheap on the surface can end up costing more once every add-on lands on the final invoice.
Combined, disbursements commonly add several hundred dollars to a standard transaction, on top of the professional fee. That’s before you even get to duty.
Transfer Duty, Registration Fees, and Other Government Costs
Transfer duty, calculated by Revenue NSW on a sliding scale based on the purchase price, is almost always the largest single cost in a NSW property transaction, frequently exceeding the entire conveyancing fee several times over. It’s not negotiable and it’s not part of your conveyancer’s invoice, but your conveyancer or solicitor is the one who calculates it correctly and lodges the paperwork to pay it at settlement.
Beyond duty, expect these additional charges:
- NSW Land Registry Services registration of transfer, typically running to several hundred dollars for combined actions on title.
- PEXA electronic settlement fees, usually in the low hundreds per transaction, since nearly all NSW settlements now run through this platform.
- A title search fee, generally a modest fixed charge per certificate ordered.
First home buyers should check Revenue NSW directly for current concessions and grant eligibility, since duty relief thresholds change periodically and can significantly cut the largest cost in the transaction. Our guide for first home buyers walks through how these concessions interact with the standard conveyancing process.
How to Compare Conveyancing Quotes Without Getting Burned
Two quotes that look similar on paper can end up hundreds of dollars apart once disbursements land. Before you commit, ask for a written breakdown that separates the professional fee from every disbursement, confirms whether GST is included, states who handles PEXA settlement and lodgment, and gives a realistic timeline for your specific transaction type.
Watch for these red flags:
- A quote with a single lump sum and no itemized disbursements listed separately.
- No mention of PEXA or Land Registry Services fees anywhere in the paperwork.
- Vague hourly billing caps instead of a fixed, all-in figure.
Pro Tip: If a firm won’t put the full breakdown in writing before you sign, that’s a signal to keep shopping. A firm confident in its pricing will show you the whole picture upfront.
Most straightforward residential purchases and sales are well served by a licensed conveyancer, regulated through bodies like AIC NSW, which sets licensing standards and consumer guidance for the profession. Deceased estates, complex trust structures, or disputes involving severed joint tenancy usually warrant a solicitor with broader legal training.
Practical Ways to Manage Conveyancing Costs
Fixed-fee packages are worth comparing, but read what’s excluded before assuming the lowest number wins. Insist on an all-in quote that names every disbursement, since cheap packages sometimes exclude standard costs and add them back later.
Never skip a strata report on an apartment purchase or a building and pest inspection on a house. These are the checks that catch problems worth far more than the report fee. You can safely save money elsewhere: give your conveyancer clean, complete instructions early, have your paperwork ready before exchange, and accept electronic settlement rather than requesting older manual processes, which often cost more in time and fees.
How conveyancing pricing generally works
Pricing for conveyancing quotes often aims to be itemized and fixed where possible, and free of hidden add-ons. A typical quote might list the professional fee, PEXA settlement charges, Land Registry Services costs, search fees, and a strata report line where applicable, all disclosed before you sign anything.
What the Numbers Actually Tell You
The conventional advice tells buyers to “shop around for the cheapest conveyancer.” That’s backwards. The professional fee is the smallest lever in the whole transaction, usually a fraction of what transfer duty alone will cost you. Chasing a few hundred dollars off the professional fee while missing a strata report exclusion or an undisclosed PEXA fee is a bad trade.
What actually matters is the all-in figure and what’s guaranteed inside it. A conveyancer charging $1,800 with everything itemized and included beats one quoting $1,000 that adds disbursements, GST, and a strata report fee after the fact. Prioritize clarity over the lowest headline number, ask for the breakdown in writing, and treat duty as its own budget line from day one rather than a shock at settlement.
— Matthew
Get an Itemized Quote Before You Commit
Acdnsw builds every quote around one idea: you should know the full cost before you sign, not after settlement. As a firm working exclusively across NSW real estate, with transparent fixed-fee pricing and no surprise disbursements buried in the fine print, Acdnsw gives buyers and sellers a clear picture from the first conversation.
If you’re weighing up a purchase, sale, or transfer anywhere in NSW, request an itemized quote or a free scope check through Acdnsw’s conveyancing services and see exactly what you’d pay before committing to anything.
Where to Check Official Fees and Concessions
- Revenue NSW for current transfer duty rates and first home buyer concessions.
- NSW Land Registry Services for title registration and search fees.
- PEXA for electronic settlement pricing on your transaction.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer. Consult a qualified legal professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
Sources
- Conveyancing Cost in NSW: Fees and Disbursements – LegalClarity
- How Much Does Conveyancing Cost in NSW? — Quillio Help
- AIC NSW
FAQ
What is the typical cost of a conveyancing fee in NSW?
Professional fees for a standard residential transaction typically run $1,200 to $2,500 plus GST, with disbursements adding several hundred dollars more.
What are normal conveyancing fees, and do they include duty?
Normal fees cover the conveyancer’s professional work only. Transfer duty, calculated by Revenue NSW, and disbursements like PEXA and registration fees are billed separately and are often the larger cost.
Is a solicitor cheaper than a conveyancer in NSW?
No. Licensed conveyancers typically charge $800 to $1,600 for straightforward transactions, while solicitors charge $1,500 to $2,500 for matters needing broader legal advice, such as estates or trust disputes.
What does fixed fee conveyancing in NSW usually cost?
Fixed fee packages generally sit within the same $1,200 to $2,500 professional fee range, but always confirm the quote includes GST and every disbursement rather than adding them later.
How long does a standard NSW conveyancing transaction take?
Most straightforward purchases settle within six weeks of contract exchange, though strata, off-the-plan, or estate transactions can take longer depending on searches and special conditions.