NSW conveyancing fees in 2026: a fair price, line by line.

A standard conveyance for an established home in NSW should cost between $1,400 and $2,500 all-in — professional fee plus disbursements. Anything quoted above $2,800 deserves a question. Anything quoted below $1,000 deserves caution.

Conveyancing fees are one of the most opaque consumer-legal markets in Australia. A "quote" can mean very different things from firm to firm: some bundle disbursements, some don’t; some charge separately for "post-settlement attendances" that other firms include; some quietly add margin to government charges that ought to be passed through at cost. We collected 312 quotes for the same fact pattern — an established three-bedroom home in metropolitan Sydney, $1.1 million purchase price — and analysed the line items below.

The line items on a conveyancing bill

Every legitimate quote breaks into two parts: the professional fee (the firm’s charge for legal work) and disbursements (out-of-pocket costs paid to third parties). The professional fee should be a fixed amount, not "hours times rate". Disbursements should be itemised and passed through at cost.

The professional fee

Median fixed professional fee across our 312-quote sample, by region:

• Sydney metropolitan: $1,820 (range $1,200 to $2,650)
• Newcastle and the Hunter: $1,540 (range $1,100 to $2,100)
• Wollongong and the Illawarra: $1,460 (range $1,050 to $1,950)
• Central Coast: $1,510 (range $1,150 to $1,980)
• Coffs Harbour and northern NSW: $1,180 (range $880 to $1,650)
• Wagga Wagga and regional inland: $1,050 (range $750 to $1,480)

A licensed conveyancer is usually cheaper than a property solicitor by $200 to $500 for the same work. Both are appropriate for a standard residential conveyance; a solicitor is preferable where there is a complication (off-the-plan, deceased estate, family court order, foreign buyer rules).

Standard disbursements you will pay

These are not the firm’s charge — they are paid through the firm to third parties. They should be quoted at cost, not marked up:

• PEXA settlement fee — $118 (the electronic settlement platform; this is the actual PEXA charge as at May 2026, not a "PEXA handling fee")
• Title search — $45 (NSW Land Registry Services)
• Council Section 10.7 certificate — $166 (varies by council)
• Section 88B and dealings search — $60
• Water authority certificate (Section 66) — $94 (Sydney Water; other authorities differ)
• OSR (Revenue NSW) transfer lodgement — $226
• Verification of identity — $42 (if conducted by Australia Post or equivalent)

Total disbursements for an unremarkable established-home purchase in Sydney: approximately $751 as at May 2026. If your firm quotes "disbursements estimated at $1,400 to $1,800", ask for the breakdown. Common additions that are legitimate but worth confirming: certificates of title for adjoining properties, a building or pest inspection coordinated by the firm, a strata search ($300+) on strata titles, a survey report on rural properties.

Where firms quietly add margin

Four line items where firms have been observed marking up disbursements above their actual cost. We don’t name firms; we describe the patterns.

Marked-up PEXA fees

PEXA charges the firm $118 per settlement. Some firms invoice "PEXA & e-conveyancing $180–$240". The difference is margin. Ask: "Is the PEXA fee on my invoice the actual amount PEXA charged you, or does it include a firm component?"

"Standard search package" bundled rates

A bundle described as "Standard search package: $480" can be roughly $230 of actual third-party searches plus $250 of firm margin built in. Ask for each search itemised.

"Post-settlement attendances"

A common $150 to $300 line item that may include lodging the transfer, notifying council, and dealing with the bank. These are legitimate work items but should be inside the fixed professional fee, not added as a separate disbursement.

"Sundries" or "office expenses"

Old-school line items of $40 to $90. In 2026 there is no defensible reason a firm should be invoicing you for photocopies. Decline politely.

What to ask before signing the costs agreement

Under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) (s174) and the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 (NSW), your firm must provide you with a written costs disclosure before they start acting on your matter. The disclosure must include a total estimate and your right to a costs review. Before you sign:

1. Ask for the professional fee and disbursements quoted separately, with each disbursement itemised.
2. Ask whether the professional fee is fixed or capped, and what triggers an additional fee (e.g. an off-the-plan delay, a tenancy dispute, a re-negotiated price).
3. Ask what happens if the matter doesn’t settle — is there a "no completion, no fee" component, or do you pay for work done?
4. Ask whether the firm is on the PEXA workspace as the lodging party (if not, an alternative arrangement applies).
5. Confirm in writing the firm’s response-time commitment (most reputable conveyancers commit to next-business-day response on weekdays).

How long does conveyancing take?

In NSW, the standard contract for sale provides for settlement 42 days after exchange (six weeks). The 2026 NSW Land Registry data shows the average actual time from exchange to settlement is 41 days in metropolitan Sydney. Faster timeframes (28 days) are common where the contract is ready and the buyer is paying cash; slower timeframes (8 to 12 weeks) are common for off-the-plan properties.

The bottom line

A standard NSW conveyance for an established residential property should cost $1,400 to $2,500 all-in. Fixed professional fee, itemised disbursements at cost, response time committed in writing. Anything significantly above or below that, ask why.