The Conveyancing Process, Step by Step (Australia 2026)

The short answer

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring a property from seller to buyer. It runs from contract review before you sign, through searches, finance and stamp duty, to settlement, which usually happens 30 to 90 days after the contract is signed. Settlement is now done electronically through PEXA or Sympli in most states.

What are the steps in conveyancing for a buyer?

For a typical home purchase the steps run in this order:

Engage a conveyancer before you sign. Get the contract and the seller's disclosure documents reviewed while you can still negotiate.
Sign and exchange contracts. Pay the deposit. In states with a cooling-off period, the clock starts now.
Order searches. Your conveyancer checks title, council, water, land tax and strata records for anything that affects the property.
Meet the contract conditions. Finance approval and building and pest inspections usually have deadlines. Tell your conveyancer the moment anything changes.
Prepare for settlement. Your conveyancer calculates rates and other adjustments, confirms stamp duty and coordinates with your lender.
Do a final inspection. Check the property is in the condition you agreed to buy it in.
Settle. Funds move and the transfer is lodged electronically. The agent releases the keys once settlement is confirmed.

How long does conveyancing take?

Most settlements happen 30 to 90 days after the contract is signed. NSW contracts commonly settle in about 6 weeks, Victorian contracts in 30 to 90 days, and SA contracts in 4 to 12 weeks. Off the plan purchases settle when the building is finished, which can be years away.

What does the seller's conveyancer do?

The seller's conveyancer prepares the contract and the disclosure documents the state requires before the property is marketed, such as the Section 32 vendor statement in Victoria or the Form 1 in SA. They answer the buyer's questions, arrange the discharge of the seller's mortgage and handle settlement.

State	What the seller must give you
New South Wales	Under section 52A of the Conveyancing Act 1919, the vendor must attach prescribed documents to the draft contract, which must exist before the property is offered for sale. These include a title search, drainage diagrams, a council planning (zoning) certificate, records of easements and covenants on title, a smoke alarm and loose-fill asbestos notice, and, where there is a pool, a pool compliance or non-compliance certificate.
Victoria	Under section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 the seller must give the buyer a vendor statement before the buyer signs the contract. It covers title, mortgages, covenants, easements, zoning, outgoings such as rates, a bushfire-prone area declaration where relevant, and owners corporation certificates for units.
Queensland	Since 1 August 2025, under the Property Law Act 2023, the seller must give the buyer a completed seller disclosure statement (Form 2) and the prescribed certificates, such as a title search, survey plan, pool safety certificate or body corporate documents, before the buyer signs the contract (before the fall of the hammer at auction). If the seller does not comply, or the information is materially wrong, the buyer may be able to terminate the contract at any time up to settlement.
Western Australia	There is no mandatory seller disclosure statement in WA. The selling agent must disclose relevant facts about the property, especially when asked, and sellers of a strata lot must give the buyer prescribed strata information before the buyer signs, or the buyer may be able to avoid the contract.
South Australia	The vendor must give the buyer a Form 1 vendor's statement covering title, mortgages, easements, zoning and other prescribed matters, at least 10 clear days before settlement, and the cooling-off period runs from its service. For auctions it must be available at least 3 consecutive business days beforehand.
Australian Capital Territory	Under the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003, the seller must have the required documents available for inspection whenever offers can be made, and they form part of the contract. They include the proposed contract, Crown lease, title extract and deposited plan, a building and compliance inspection report and a pest inspection report (no more than 3 months old when first advertised, with some unit exemptions), the energy efficiency rating statement, and an asbestos assessment report or asbestos advice.
Tasmania	Tasmania has no mandatory vendor disclosure statement, and Consumer Affairs Tasmania says there is no requirement under the Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016 to disclose defects. Vendor disclosure is optional in the standard form contract, so buyers should get a council Land Information Certificate (337 certificate) and a pre-purchase building inspection.
Northern Territory	No general vendor disclosure statement was found on NT Government pages; the contract of sale must set out prescribed particulars such as the parties, property, inclusions, price, deposit, tenancies and registered interests. Sellers of a home with a pool or spa must lodge pool barrier compliance paperwork with the Land Titles Office, and unit buyers can obtain a body corporate certificate.

What is electronic settlement?

Electronic settlement means the money changes hands and the transfer is lodged online, through a platform such as PEXA or Sympli, instead of the parties meeting in person. It is mandatory for almost all transfers in NSW, Victoria and WA. Your conveyancer handles it, and you will usually hear from them once settlement has gone through.

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Questions people ask

When should I get a conveyancer?

Before you sign the contract or bid at auction. A conveyancer can review the contract and disclosure documents while you can still negotiate or walk away, and deadlines in the contract start running from the day you sign.

What happens on settlement day?

On settlement day your lender pays the balance, the seller's mortgage is discharged and the transfer is lodged with the land registry, usually all online. Once settlement is confirmed, the agent releases the keys.

Can settlement be delayed?

Yes. Delays usually come from finance not being ready, missing documents or problems found in searches. Most contracts set out what happens and who pays if settlement is late, so ask your conveyancer early if anything looks like it might slip.

Do I need to do a final inspection?

Most contracts give the buyer the right to inspect the property shortly before settlement. Use it to check the property is in the same condition and that included items are still there, and tell your conveyancer straight away if something is wrong.

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Sources

General information only, not legal advice. Rules change, so check with your conveyancer before you rely on them.

The conveyancing process, step by step