How Much Does a Conveyancer Cost in South Australia?

Prices checked October 2026. Professional fee and disbursement ranges are typical quotes including GST and vary by firm and property. Government fees are the 2026-27 rates.

How much does a conveyancer cost in SA?

Most South Australian buyers pay their conveyancer between $900 and $2,000 all up (professional fee plus disbursements), and most sellers between $1,200 and $2,500. Government registration fees and stamp duty are paid on top.

Adelaide professional fees sit around the middle of the national range. What sets South Australia apart is the registration fee, explained below. For the other states, see our guide to conveyancing costs in Australia.

Why is the transfer registration fee so high in South Australia?

Because it is charged on the value of the property at a steep rate. Land Services SA works out the fee on the greater of the price paid and the property's capital value. From 1 July 2026 it is $353 for a property worth $40,001 to $50,000, plus $105 for every $10,000 (or part of $10,000) above $50,000.

Registering a new mortgage and a discharge of mortgage cost $204 each. These fees are exempt from GST and are normally paid by the buyer through the settlement figures. They are separate from stamp duty, which RevenueSA calculates on the price; our stamp duty guide explains how duty is worked out in each state.

Because the registration fee can be several times the conveyancer's own fee, make sure every quote shows it as a separate line, not buried in a single total.

What does a Form 1 cost a seller?

The searches behind a Form 1 typically cost $450 to $600, and preparing it is usually part of the seller's conveyancing fee. The Form 1 is the vendor's statement required by the Land and Business (Sale and Conveyancing) Act 1994. It sets out the title, mortgages and other encumbrances, rates and charges, and notices affecting the land.

Where a real estate agent is selling, the agent is responsible for the Form 1, and many agents have a conveyancer prepare it. The buyer's cooling-off period of 2 clear business days runs from the later of receiving the Form 1 and signing the contract, and a defective Form 1 does not start it, so sellers normally have the Form 1 ready before an offer is signed. Our guide to vendor disclosure rules by state compares the Form 1 with other states.

What does a buyer's conveyancer charge for in SA?

A buyer's conveyancer reviews the contract and Form 1, checks the title, prepares the settlement statement and settles electronically. Because the seller has already paid for most searches, a buyer's disbursements are usually lower, at about $200 to $500.

• Contract and Form 1 review: ideally before you sign, or at least within the cooling-off period.
• Updated checks: a fresh title search and confirmation of rates and charges before settlement.
• PEXA fee: about $146 to $148 including GST.
• Lodgement: registering the transfer and any mortgage, and paying the registration fees and stamp duty from the settlement funds.

Our list of conveyancing disbursements explains each of these items in more detail.

Do you need a registered conveyancer or a solicitor in SA?

Either can act for you. In South Australia, anyone preparing transfer documents for a fee must be registered with Consumer and Business Services under the Conveyancers Act 1994, unless they are a legal practitioner. Registered conveyancers handle most residential work and usually charge less than solicitors for it.

A solicitor is worth considering when the sale is tied up with a dispute, a complicated estate, a family law settlement or a business structure. Our guide to conveyancer registration and complaints in SA explains how to check a conveyancer's registration.

What makes an SA conveyancing quote higher or lower?

The fee reflects how much checking the matter needs. Common reasons a quote moves up:

• Strata and community titles: a corporation certificate, levies and by-laws to review.
• Off-the-plan purchases: long contracts and duty concessions to apply correctly.
• Auctions: the Form 1 must be available before the auction, which brings the seller's costs forward.
• Rural land and several titles: extra searches, easements and more titles to transfer.
• Problems found in searches: such as an unapproved shed or structure that the council has records of.
• Urgency: councils charge more for urgent searches, such as $88.25 instead of $73.25 at Holdfast Bay.

A standard house purchase on a straightforward contract usually sits at the lower end. We arrange quotes for Adelaide conveyancing and regional South Australia.

How to get an accurate conveyancing quote in SA

Ask for a fixed fee in writing that separates the professional fee, the Form 1 or search costs, the PEXA fee, the registration fees and GST. Give the firm the likely price, because it drives the registration fee, and the property type.

Compare quotes on the same lines using our guide to comparing conveyancer quotes, and see conveyancing in South Australia for the local rules. ConveyDirect arranges fixed-fee quotes for South Australian purchases and sales, with a response within two business hours, a free contract review when you are buying, and no sale, no fee when you are selling.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules, fees and timeframes change and differ between states, so confirm your own situation with a licensed conveyancer, settlement agent or solicitor.