Queensland conveyancing changed on 1 August 2025, when the Property Law Act 2023 introduced compulsory seller disclosure. Asset Conveyancing acts for buyers and sellers of Queensland property from our Adelaide head office, settling electronically through PEXA.
What must a Queensland seller disclose?
Since 1 August 2025, a seller must give the buyer a seller disclosure statement (Form 2) and the prescribed certificates before the buyer signs the contract. For an auction, the documents must be given or made available before the hammer falls.
The Form 2 covers title and encumbrances, land use and planning, and buildings and structures. Depending on the property, the prescribed certificates include a title search and survey plan, notices under environmental, building and planning laws, any tree order, a pool safety certificate, and for community titles lots, the community management statement and a body corporate certificate.
If the disclosure is not given, the buyer can terminate at any time before settlement. If it is inaccurate or incomplete, the buyer can terminate before settlement where the problem is material, they did not know about it, and they would not have signed had they known. Limited exemptions apply, such as sales to government bodies. We explain the reforms in more detail in our guide to Queensland’s changes to seller disclosure requirements.
Which contract is used in Queensland?
Most residential sales use the REIQ standard contract, reissued for the new Act. Finance and building and pest conditions carry their own deadlines, separate from cooling-off, and missing one can leave a buyer bound.
How does the cooling-off period work in Queensland?
Residential contracts have a cooling-off period of five business days. It starts on the day the buyer receives a copy of the contract signed by both parties, and ends at 5pm on the fifth business day.
- What it costs. The seller may keep up to 0.25% of the purchase price and must refund the rest of the deposit within 14 days.
- Auctions. There is no cooling-off at auction, or for a sale to a registered bidder made before 5pm on the second business day after an unsuccessful auction.
- Waiving or shortening. The buyer can waive or shorten cooling-off by written notice to the seller or the seller’s agent. No lawyer’s certificate is required.
Read the disclosure before you sign. The Form 2 now arrives before the contract, so you can check title, body corporate and planning issues while you still have full bargaining power.
Who collects duty and registers title in Queensland?
Transfer duty is assessed by the Queensland Revenue Office, which also administers the duty concessions available to home buyers and first home buyers. Rates and eligibility change, so check current figures with the Queensland Revenue Office. Title is registered with Titles Queensland, and settlement is completed through PEXA.
How Asset Conveyancing handles Queensland matters
Queensland is a regular part of our work. Our principal, Paul Sande, holds conveyancer licences in numerous states, and one qualified professional manages your matter from start to completion.
- Check the disclosure. We review the Form 2 and certificates before you sign.
- Track the deadlines. Cooling-off, finance and inspection dates are diarised immediately.
- Prepare settlement. Searches, adjustments and lender liaison.
- Settle through PEXA. The transfer is lodged with Titles Queensland at settlement.
For sellers, we prepare the Form 2 and gather the prescribed certificates so they are ready before the first buyer signs. A recent Queensland client described their settlement with us as stress free, and said they were never left wondering where things stood. See also buying property and selling property, or compare the rules in New South Wales.
Common questions about conveyancing in Queensland
When does a Queensland seller have to give the Form 2?
Before the buyer signs the contract. The seller disclosure statement and the prescribed certificates must be given before signing, or before the fall of the hammer at an auction. They can be given in person, by post or by email, and the seller should keep proof of delivery.
When does cooling-off start in Queensland?
On the day you receive a copy of the contract signed by both parties. If that day is a weekend or public holiday, it starts on the next business day. The period ends at 5pm on the fifth business day. Receipt by someone acting for you also starts the clock.
How much does it cost to cool off in Queensland?
The seller can keep up to 0.25% of the purchase price as a termination penalty, taken from your deposit. The balance must be refunded within 14 days. Notice must be in writing and given to the seller or their agent by 5pm on the last day of the cooling-off period.
What can a buyer do if the seller disclosure is wrong?
Terminate before settlement, if the conditions are met. Where disclosure was never given, the buyer can terminate at any time before settlement. Where it is inaccurate or incomplete, the buyer must show the issue was material, that they were unaware of it, and that they would not have signed had they known. Deposits are refunded on termination.
Can an Adelaide conveyancer act on a Queensland property?
Yes, if they are appropriately licensed. Queensland matters run on documents, searches and PEXA settlement, so your conveyancer does not need to be in Queensland. Asset Conveyancing’s principal holds conveyancer licences in numerous states, and one professional manages your file from start to finish.