Victorian conveyancing in 2026: what changes from NSW.

Victorian conveyancing looks similar to NSW on the surface but the structure is meaningfully different. The vendor statement, the cooling-off period, and the GAIC are the three that change costs and timing the most.

The vendor statement (Section 32)

Under section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 (VIC), the vendor must give the buyer a vendor statement before a contract of sale is signed. The statement discloses title information, restrictions, easements, planning information, services connections, and statutory rates. A NSW Section 10.7 certificate covers some of the same ground, but the s32 is more comprehensive and is delivered before signing rather than during the contract process.

A buyer who signs without receiving a compliant s32 has rights to rescind. Buyers should have a lawyer or conveyancer review the s32 before signing — not after.

Cooling-off

Victoria provides a 3-business-day cooling-off period for private-sale residential purchases (s31 Sale of Land Act). It doesn’t apply to auctions, properties bought within 3 business days of an auction, or commercial properties. NSW provides 5 business days cooling-off for residential sales (s66S Conveyancing Act 1919) but allows the buyer to waive via a s66W certificate — common in competitive markets.

GAIC (Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution)

For properties in Melbourne’s designated growth areas, the GAIC applies on certain transactions. The contribution is set by the State Revenue Office and indexed annually. It is not a buyer cost in most established residential transactions but should be checked — it can add tens of thousands of dollars to land transactions in the growth zones.

Typical fees

• Melbourne metropolitan median professional fee: $1,650 (range $1,150 to $2,400)
• Regional Victoria median: $1,300 (range $980 to $1,850)
• Title search: $14 (Land Use Victoria)
• Title insurance: $200 to $500 depending on property value (more common in VIC than NSW)
• Property certificates from council, water, OSR: $200 to $400 combined
• PEXA settlement fee: $118

Total all-in cost for a typical Melbourne metropolitan established home conveyance: $2,000 to $2,800. Slightly higher than NSW because of title insurance prevalence and the more comprehensive s32 search work.

Stamp duty differences

Land transfer duty in Victoria differs significantly from NSW. May 2026 thresholds:

• Properties under $600,000 (first home buyer): full exemption
• Properties $600,001 to $750,000 (first home buyer): partial concession
• Standard purchases: scaled rates up to 6.5% for properties over $2 million
• Foreign purchasers: additional 8% surcharge

Compare to NSW where the standard rate caps at 7% for properties over $3.5 million and the first-home concession threshold runs to $800,000. Net effect: VIC duty is typically lower for first home buyers and similar to slightly higher than NSW for standard purchases.