How Much Does a Settlement Agent Cost in Perth?

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

How much do settlement agents charge in Perth?

Most Perth buyers pay their settlement agent between $1,050 and $2,200 all up (professional fee plus searches and other disbursements), and most sellers between $900 and $2,000. Landgate fees and transfer duty are paid on top and are the same whichever agent you use.

WA fees sit around the middle of the national range. For the other states, see our guide to conveyancing costs in Australia.

What must a WA settlement agent's quote include?

More than in most states. Under the Settlement Agents Code of Conduct 2016, an agent must give you a written estimate of their service amount before you appoint them. That amount has to include their professional fees, any commission, office disbursements, search and enquiry fees, electronic settlement fees and taxes such as GST.

Transfer duty and third-party charges, such as Landgate registration fees, sit outside the service amount, although the agent may list them separately. Once appointed, the agent can charge more only for extra work that could not have been foreseen, after telling you in writing and getting your agreement, or when a statutory charge goes up. In practice this means a WA estimate is usually close to the full cost, which makes quotes easier to compare than in some states.

For more on the role, see what a settlement agent does in WA and the Settlement Agents Act obligations for buyers.

Do buyers and sellers pay the same settlement agent fees?

Not quite. Acting for a buyer usually costs a little more because there is more to check and coordinate.

• A buyer's agent checks the title and any encumbrances, orders the rates, water and strata enquiries, works with the lender, arranges the transfer duty assessment, prepares the settlement statement and settles through PEXA. See residential purchase conveyancing.
• A seller's agent confirms the title, arranges the discharge of the mortgage with the lender, provides the rates and charges for the adjustments, and completes settlement.

Settlement agent fees have not been regulated since 3 February 2016, when the old scale of maximum fees was removed. Some guides still mention a maximum fee set by law; that scale no longer applies, so each agent sets its own price and it is worth comparing.

What searches and enquiries are part of a WA settlement?

Most are small government and utility charges, and in WA they are usually rolled into the agent's service amount.

Our guide to conveyancing disbursements explains these items and how they differ from the professional fee.

What Landgate fees and duty are on top?

Landgate fees are set by the state, are not subject to GST, and are the same whichever agent you use. From 1 July 2026, registering a transfer costs $225.10 for a property up to $85,000, rising on a sliding scale based on the price or the value assessed for duty.

Registering a mortgage costs $225.10, and so does each discharge of mortgage. Transfer duty is the much larger cost for most buyers. It is assessed by RevenueWA on the price or value, with concessions for eligible first home buyers. Our stamp duty guide explains how it is calculated.

Can one settlement agent act for both the buyer and the seller?

Yes, but only with safeguards. The Code of Conduct allows an agent to act for both parties only if each receives a written disclosure notice and gives prior written consent. The agent must stop acting if there is a real possibility of acting against either party's interests, or if they would need to keep information from one side.

Using one agent does not automatically halve the cost, because the work for each side still has to be done. You are free to choose your own settlement agent, even if the real estate agent recommends one.

How to compare settlement agent quotes in Perth

Give each agent the same details (the price, the property type, whether it is strata, and any finance or other conditions), then compare the written service amounts side by side. Check what the estimate leaves out, such as Landgate fees and duty, and whether the professional fee changes if settlement is delayed.

Our guide to comparing conveyancer quotes has a checklist, and conveyancing in Western Australia covers the local rules. ConveyDirect arranges fixed-fee quotes for Perth settlements and regional WA, 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.