How to choose a conveyancer in NSW

Choosing the right conveyancer or solicitor for your NSW property transaction can save you time, money, and a great deal of stress. Most conveyancing issues that escalate into disputes trace back to poor communication or an inexperienced practitioner. This guide explains what to look for, the questions to ask before you engage anyone, how to check credentials, and the warning signs that a firm might not be the right fit.

This page provides general information about NSW property transactions and is not legal advice. Speak with a licensed conveyancer or solicitor for advice specific to your situation.

Conveyancer or solicitor?

In NSW, both licensed conveyancers and solicitors can handle residential property transactions. For a standard residential purchase or sale, a licensed conveyancer is usually sufficient and is often less expensive. Solicitors can handle conveyancing and can also provide broader legal advice on contract disputes, title complications, or any legal issue that falls outside the scope of the conveyancing transaction itself.

If your situation involves anything complex (an off-the-plan contract with unusual special conditions, a title with caveats, a disputed estate, or a transaction with commercial elements), a solicitor is usually the more appropriate choice. For a clear comparison of the two, see our conveyancer vs solicitor guide.

Check the licence first

Before you engage anyone for conveyancing in NSW, verify they are properly licensed. Conveyancing is a regulated profession in NSW under the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 (NSW). Engaging an unlicensed practitioner is not just a risk to your transaction; it is a criminal offence for the practitioner.

• Licensed conveyancers: check via the NSW Fair Trading licence check. Search by name or licence number. A licensed conveyancer in NSW must also hold professional indemnity insurance.
• Solicitors: check via the NSW Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (OLSC). Solicitors must hold a current practising certificate and are covered by fidelity fund protection through the Law Society of NSW.

Any practitioner who is reluctant to provide their licence number or firm name for verification is a red flag. This check takes two minutes and is always worth doing.

What to look for

Experience with your type of transaction

Conveyancing is not a single, uniform service. A residential purchase in a capital city is different from an off-the-plan apartment, a rural property with water rights, a strata resale, or a leasehold title. Ask directly whether the conveyancer has recent experience with your specific type of transaction. A practitioner who mainly handles commercial leases may be less suited to a first-home-buyer purchase.

PEXA proficiency

Since November 2019, most residential settlements in NSW are conducted electronically via the PEXA platform. Paper (manual) settlements are now the exception. Any conveyancer handling residential work in NSW today should be fully proficient with PEXA. If a firm you are considering still conducts settlements manually as their standard practice, ask why.

Communication style and responsiveness

Conveyancing involves multiple time-sensitive steps. The period between offer and exchange (pre-exchange due diligence) often requires quick turnaround on questions, and the exchange-to-settlement period involves coordinating between your lender, the vendor's conveyancer, and the settlement platform. A practitioner who is slow to respond or hard to reach at the start is unlikely to improve mid-transaction.

Pay attention to how quickly they respond to your initial enquiry and whether they explain things clearly without legal jargon. You will be relying on them to flag issues and advise you accurately during one of the largest financial transactions of your life.

Written, itemised quote

A reputable conveyancer will provide a written quote before engagement that separates professional fees from disbursements (searches, PEXA fees, registration fees). The government charges (stamp/transfer duty, Land Registry registration) are fixed by law and the same regardless of who does your conveyancing; the professional fee and disbursements are where firms vary. Never rely on a verbal quote or a quote that lumps everything into a single total without explanation.

Questions to ask before engaging

These questions are worth asking of any conveyancer or solicitor before you engage them:

1. What is the total cost, and is it a fixed fee? Ask them to break out professional fees, disbursements (searches, PEXA access, title insurance if applicable), and government charges. Ask explicitly whether the professional fee can increase and under what circumstances.
2. Who will actually handle my file? In some larger firms, the person you speak to initially is not the person who will manage your transaction. Know who your day-to-day contact will be.
3. What is your typical response time for client queries? One business day is a reasonable standard. "We respond within 48 hours" for a firm handling time-sensitive property transactions is worth probing.
4. Do you handle PEXA settlements directly? The answer should be yes.
5. What happens if there is a problem with the title or a delay in settlement? A good conveyancer will explain their process clearly. A vague answer ("we deal with it as it comes") is a yellow flag.
6. Have you done transactions like mine recently? Off-the-plan, strata, rural, or any unusual element warrants direct experience.
7. What is your licence number? Any licensed practitioner will provide this readily. Verify it yourself at Fair Trading or OLSC.

Understanding fee quotes

Conveyancing fee quotes in NSW typically have three components:

Component	Typical range	Notes
Professional fee	$800 to $2,500 (conveyancer) $1,500 to $3,000+ (solicitor)	This is the fee for the conveyancer's or solicitor's work. Variable between firms. Should be fixed.
Disbursements	$300 to $800	Third-party costs: title searches, council rates certificate, water rates certificate, PEXA fee, title registration. These are mostly fixed costs; variation between firms is minor.
Government charges	Fixed by law	Transfer duty (stamp duty) and NSW Land Registry Services registration fees. These are the same regardless of who handles your conveyancing. Do not include them in professional fee comparisons.

When comparing quotes, compare like-for-like: professional fee plus disbursements, with government charges excluded. A quote that includes government charges may look lower simply because it omits a major cost. For a detailed breakdown of what conveyancing costs, see our conveyancing cost guide.

Red flags to watch for

• Unusually low fees with no itemisation. Conveyancing below $500 for a residential purchase almost always means something is excluded, or the firm is relying on add-on charges. Ask what is not included.
• No written quote or engagement letter. A reputable firm will provide an engagement letter (also called a costs disclosure) before you pay anything. This is required under NSW law for solicitors and is good practice for licensed conveyancers.
• Pressure to exchange quickly without completing due diligence. Pre-exchange review of the contract is the most important step for protecting a buyer. Any conveyancer who rushes you past this stage to meet an agent's timeline is not acting in your interest.
• Unable or unwilling to verify licence. Walk away.
• Unclear on who will handle your file. If you cannot get a clear answer about your direct contact, the firm may have high staff turnover or insufficient capacity for your transaction.
• No experience with PEXA or still offering paper settlements as standard. This is not the right firm for a standard NSW residential transaction in 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

Conveyancing Explained provides general information about property transactions in New South Wales. It is not legal advice and does not create a client relationship. For advice on your situation, engage a licensed NSW conveyancer or a solicitor.