Proposed PEXA Transfer Fee Cuts in 2026: What the IPART Draft Says

Short answer

IPART has proposed reducing the regulated PEXA fee for a property transfer from 1 July 2027. The public hearing was held on 21 July 2026, submissions close on 14 August and the final report is due by 30 September.

This is a draft recommendation. Current PEXA fees have not changed because of the review, and RealEstateCalc has not changed any calculator assumption in response to it.

The draft proposes a single-title transfer fee of $92.71 in 2027-28, down from the current $146.30 fee. The proposed multiple-title fee is $111.96, down from $167.42. All figures include GST.

What IPART is reviewing

Electronic conveyancing platforms allow legal practitioners, conveyancers, financial institutions and land registries to complete property settlements and lodge documents electronically.

IPART is reviewing the transaction service fees charged by Electronic Lodgment Network Operators, often shortened to ELNOs. Its draft recommends that transaction fees continue to be regulated and that the regulation apply to PEXA because IPART considers it to have substantial market power.

The draft also recommends nationally consistent regulated fees for a four-year period from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2031.

Proposed transfer fees

The draft says other regulated transaction fees would generally remain unchanged in real terms, with annual CPI adjustments. The proposed transfer reduction should not be applied to mortgage registration, mortgage discharge, land registry or professional conveyancing fees.

What changed after the 21 July hearing

The hearing moved the review through its public consultation stage. It did not convert the draft figures into final prices.

IPART is still accepting written submissions until 14 August 2026. Feedback from the hearing and submissions will inform the final report, which IPART plans to provide to the NSW Government on behalf of the Australian Registrars' National Electronic Conveyancing Council by 30 September 2026.

The final recommendation can differ from the draft. Governments and regulators must also complete the required process before a new regulated fee takes effect.

What a buyer may actually see at settlement

A PEXA service fee is only one line in a settlement cost estimate. A buyer can also face:

• state or territory transfer duty;
• land registry transfer and mortgage registration fees;
• a conveyancer or solicitor's professional fee;
• title searches and other disbursements;
• loan establishment, valuation or settlement fees; and
• settlement adjustments for rates, water, strata or rent.

PEXA states that its service fee is separate from statutory land registry fees. A conveyancing quote may show the platform fee separately, include it within disbursements or group several settlement costs together. Ask for an itemised written quote before comparing providers.

Use the Property Purchase Cost Calculator to organise an upfront budget, but replace default allowances with current written quotes. The calculator is an estimate and does not produce a settlement statement.

Worked example

Assume a future single-title purchase is eligible for the draft 2027-28 fee and the final regulated price matches the draft.

The PEXA transfer line would fall by $53.59, from $146.30 to $92.71.

That does not mean the buyer's total purchase costs fall by exactly $53.59. The way a professional passes through disbursements, the documents lodged, the number of titles and any other fees can change the final invoice. Transfer duty and land registry fees are separate.

Calculator implications

No RealEstateCalc formula changes are required while the proposal remains in draft.

The Property Purchase Cost Calculator estimates state transfer and mortgage registration fees, then lets the user enter legal and inspection costs. It does not identify a proposed 2027 PEXA price as a current government fee.

If the final decision confirms new fees, the site's purchase-cost guidance should be reviewed for the effective date. A future calculator improvement could separate the electronic settlement platform fee from legal and conveyancing costs, provided it remains editable and clearly labelled.

What remains uncertain

• The final report can change the proposed amounts or structure.
• The fee period is proposed to start on 1 July 2027, not immediately.
• The draft does not reduce every electronic conveyancing transaction fee.
• A buyer's professional quote can include other services and disbursements.
• Multi-title and unusual transactions may not match a simple single-title example.

For the wider transaction sequence, read the property settlement process and the conveyancing and settlement guide.

Sources

• IPART: Draft Report, Electronic Lodgment Network Operator service fees, published 3 July 2026 and checked 22 July 2026.
• IPART: Review of Electronic Lodgment Network Operator service fees, checked 22 July 2026.
• PEXA: pricing and fees from 1 July 2026, checked 22 July 2026.

General information disclaimer

This article provides general information only. It is not legal, financial or conveyancing advice, a fee quote or a settlement statement. The IPART figures are draft recommendations and may change. Check the final regulatory decision, the current PEXA schedule, the relevant land registry and an itemised quote from a licensed conveyancer or solicitor before relying on a cost estimate.