PEXA fees and what settlement costs
PEXA is the electronic platform on which almost every Australian property settlement now happens, and it charges a fee per transaction lodged through it, paid via your conveyancer. The fees are small beside stamp duty and are published per state; this guide restates PEXA's FY27 schedule for the common transactions, explains who pays what, and lists the other lines on a settlement statement.
- PEXA charges per successful lodgement, no registration or subscription fees; each transaction your conveyancer lodges carries its own fee (PEXA)
- NSW FY27, single title: transfer of interest with financial settlement $146.30; mortgage $54.89 or $73.04 with settlement; discharge $26.29 or $54.01 with settlement; caveat $20.57
- Victoria and Queensland FY27: mortgage $55.99 or $74.14 with settlement; discharge $27.39 or $55.11 with settlement; caveat with settlement $39.49
- The FY27 schedule applied from 1 July 2026; PEXA has published an update effective 1 October 2026
- PEXA fees are a few hundred dollars; stamp duty, registration, conveyancing and adjustments are the rest of the statement
WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the example given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees, or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Comparison rates are based on a secured loan of $30,000 over 5 years for vehicle finance and $50,000 over 5 years for equipment finance, as required under the National Credit Code.
What is PEXA, and what is the fee for?
Property Exchange Australia is the electronic settlement platform that lawyers, conveyancers and lenders use to lodge documents with the land registries, verify stamp duty and move the money on settlement day. PEXA publishes that it does not charge up-front registration fees or ongoing subscription fees; customers are charged per successful lodgement, and the charge varies with the type of transaction. It also publishes what the fee covers: lodgement verification checks, lodgement gap cover (PEXA may assume responsibility for loss where an intervening dealing affects registration, subject to its participation agreements), electronic settlement booking, real-time document creation and lodgement with the land registry, and stamp duty verification with the duty authority. Your conveyancer lodges on your behalf and passes the fee through.
PEXA's published fees, FY27
From PEXA's pricing pages for each state, effective 1 July 2026, checked on 20 September 2026. All figures include GST. Single title unless stated; multiple-title figures are higher and are on PEXA's pages. PEXA has published a further schedule effective 1 October 2026, so confirm the figure for your settlement date.
| Transaction | NSW | Victoria | Queensland | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer of interest with financial settlement (the purchase itself) | $146.30 | On PEXA's VIC page | On PEXA's QLD page | Buyer |
| Transfer of interest, no financial settlement | $97.24 | On PEXA's VIC page | On PEXA's QLD page | Buyer |
| Mortgage lodgement | $54.89 | $55.99 | $55.99 | Buyer (via the lender or conveyancer) |
| Mortgage with financial settlement | $73.04 | $74.14 | $74.14 | Buyer |
| Discharge of mortgage | $26.29 | $27.39 | $27.39 | Vendor, or borrower on a refinance |
| Discharge of mortgage with financial settlement | $54.01 | $55.11 | $55.11 | Vendor, or borrower on a refinance |
| Caveat | $20.57 | — | — | Whoever lodges it |
| Caveat with financial settlement | $39.49 | $39.49 | $39.49 | Whoever lodges it |
| Priority notice with financial settlement | $11.55 | — | $11.55 | Buyer's conveyancer |
| Notice of death with financial settlement | $46.20 | — | — | Estate |
On a standard NSW purchase with one mortgage on one title, the buyer's PEXA fees are the transfer with settlement plus the mortgage with settlement, about $219; the vendor pays the discharge. A refinance pays a discharge and a new mortgage, each with settlement, about $127 in NSW; PEXA lists an express refinance variant at the same price. Western Australia and South Australia publish their own schedules on PEXA's pages.
What else is on the settlement statement?
| Line | Typical amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty (transfer duty) | A percentage of the price, tens of thousands unless a concession applies | Stamp duty calculator |
| Land registry transfer registration and mortgage registration | $120 to $230 each | Our costs guide |
| PEXA fees | About $219 for a NSW purchase with a mortgage | PEXA FY27 schedule |
| Conveyancer or solicitor professional fee and disbursements | Quoted by the firm; searches and certificates often on top | Your quotes |
| Adjustments: council rates, water, strata levies to the settlement date | Apportioned; can be a credit or a debit | Conveyancer's adjustment sheet |
| Lender settlement, application or valuation fee | $0 to $600 | Our costs guide |
| Lenders mortgage insurance if above 80% LVR | Thousands; often added to the loan | LMI calculator |
The upfront buying costs calculator adds these up for your state and price with the PEXA and registry figures as defaults.
Settlement day, in order
Your conveyancer and the vendor's conveyancer open a PEXA workspace weeks before, with your lender invited to it. The transfer, the mortgage and the vendor's discharge are prepared in the workspace and signed digitally, stamp duty is verified with the state revenue office, and the settlement statement is agreed with the adjustments. On the day, at the booked time, PEXA moves the funds: your loan and your own contribution to the vendor's lender for the discharge, to the vendor for the balance, and to the revenue office for duty, then lodges the documents with the land registry in real time. The keys are released once the agent is told settlement has completed. If the vendor is not ready or your lender's funds are late, settlement is rebooked, usually a day or two later, and penalty interest can apply under the contract.
Keeping settlement costs down
PEXA's fees are what they are; the lines you can move are conveyancing, where fixed-fee quotes vary widely and inclusions differ, the lender's fees, which a broker can often have waived or offset by a cashback, and stamp duty, where first home buyer concessions in your state are the single largest saving. On a refinance, portability avoids the discharge and new mortgage altogether when you are moving house; the portability guide covers it. A broker lines up the lender, the settlement date and the funds so the workspace settles on the first attempt, and Your Finance Guide refers you to one licensed broker partner for that; we do not lend or settle property ourselves.
Settlement guides
The costs and the steps from exchange to keys.
PEXA and settlement FAQs
Who are PEXA fees paid to?
Will PEXA fees increase in 2026?
How much is the PEXA fee on a house purchase?
Can you claim PEXA fees?
What else is on the settlement statement?
What does the PEXA fee cover?
How much does conveyancing cost?
Settle first time, with the costs known
Tell us your settlement date and lender, and we refer you to one licensed broker partner who lines up the funds and the fees so the workspace settles on the day. Free for borrowers, no obligation.