Conveyancer vs Solicitor — Who Settles Your Property Purchase

Conveyancer vs Solicitor — Who Settles Your Property Purchase

Australian property settlement requires legal paperwork. Two professionals can do it: a conveyancer or a solicitor. They’re not the same. Here’s when to choose each in 2026.

What Conveyancers Do

A licensed conveyancer is a property-law specialist. Their role is narrow but deep:

• Review and amend the contract of sale
• Conduct property searches (title, council, water rates)
• Manage transfer of ownership
• Coordinate with lender and seller’s representative
• Calculate adjustments at settlement (rates paid in advance, etc.)
• Lodge transfer with the relevant Land Registry

Cost in 2026: $700–$1,800 depending on state and property type.

What Solicitors Add

A solicitor can do all of the above plus:

• Handle disputes (contract breaches, easement issues)
• Advise on tax structuring (trust ownership, family settlements)
• Manage complex contracts (off-the-plan, multiple titles, mixed-use)
• Defend or initiate litigation if it arises
• Handle related estate or family-law matters

Cost: $1,500–$3,500+ for a property matter, more if complications arise.

When a Conveyancer Is Enough

Most residential purchases. You’re a 95% candidate for conveyancer if:

• Standard freehold residential property
• Straight purchase (no trust, no estate complications)
• Standard finance arrangement
• No prior litigation involving the property
• Clean title with no easement issues

When You Need a Solicitor

• Off-the-plan purchase — multi-year contracts with complex clauses
• Investment property in a trust or company name — entity structuring
• Title problems — covenants, easements, encroachments
• Inheritance-related purchase or sale — probate intersection
• Cross-jurisdiction property (e.g., trustee in one state, property in another)
• Disputes — boundary, body corporate, undisclosed defect post-settlement

State-by-State Notes

• NSW & VIC: Licensed conveyancers are common and well-regulated. For standard purchases, conveyancer is the default choice.
• QLD: Most settlements done by solicitors due to historical regulation. Conveyancers exist but are less prevalent.
• WA: Both common.
• SA: Conveyancers heavily regulated under Conveyancers Act; very competent for standard work.

The Hybrid Approach

Some buyers engage a conveyancer for settlement and a tax advisor separately for structuring questions. This often costs less than a full-service solicitor doing both.

What to Ask Either Professional Before Hiring

1. Are you a licensed conveyancer / admitted solicitor with current insurance?
2. What’s your typical timeline for a standard settlement?
3. What’s not included in your quoted fee (extras you charge for)?
4. Have you handled my specific property type recently?
5. How will you communicate during the process — email, phone, online portal?

Bottom Line

For a standard residential purchase by an individual, a licensed conveyancer is sufficient and saves $1k–$2k versus a solicitor. Use a solicitor for off-the-plan, trust ownership, disputed titles, or anything beyond a vanilla transaction.