Conveyancer
Conveyancers manage the paperwork and the settlement process when a property changes hands, from the first contract through to the new title being registered.
- Median salary
- $81,900
3.7%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 7,400
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +8.8%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Most conveyancers work in small property firms or in-house for lenders and developers, carrying dozens of files that are each moving towards their own fixed settlement date. They are licensed under state legislation rather than admitted as solicitors, which means they handle property transfers and the searches around them but cannot give broader legal advice, and a straightforward residential sale usually costs the client less as a result. The licensing rules and the qualification needed differ from state to state.
How much do conveyancers earn?
The median full-time salary for a conveyancer is $81,900 per annum, before tax, up $16,900 since 2018.
The biggest variable is whether you work for someone else or run your own practice, because an owner keeps the fees rather than drawing a salary. The mix of work matters too: firms processing straightforward residential sales depend on volume, while commercial, rural and off-the-plan matters carry more complexity and higher fees. Lenders and developers that employ conveyancers in-house generally pay a set salary, and in most firms pay reflects how many files you can run without supervision.
What does a conveyancer do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Preparing the contract of sale and reviewing the contract the other side has drafted
- Running title, planning and land tax searches, and checking easements, covenants and ownership records before a property changes hands
- Liaising with banks, agents and the other side's representative so funds and paperwork line up for settlement
- Explaining special conditions, cooling-off periods and finance clauses to clients in plain terms
- Booking settlement through the electronic platform, then lodging transfer documents and following registration through to completion
What skills do conveyancers need?
Employers look for legal research, drafting and contracts, regulatory and administrative law, backed by LawPoint fluency and strong attention to detail.
Specialist skills
- Legal research
- Drafting and contracts
- Regulatory and administrative law
- Regulatory compliance
Software and tools
- LawPoint
- LEAP legal practice management software
- Title search databases (state-based)
- Microsoft Word and Outlook
- Electronic settlement systems
General skills
- Attention to detail
- Stakeholder management
- Client relationships and advisory
- Written communication
Is the job growing?
About 7,400 people work as conveyancers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 8.8% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a conveyancer?
Here's the path most conveyancers take, step by step.
- 1Finish Year 12 or an equivalent
Most state regulators do not require a particular school qualification, but the diplomas that lead to a licence assume Year 12 level literacy and numeracy.
- 2Complete a Diploma of Conveyancing
This is the qualification most states require before a licence is granted, and it usually takes a year or two of study that can be done online while you work in a law or conveyancing office. In Victoria the equivalent is an Advanced Diploma of Conveyancing.
- 3Work under supervision
You need a period of supervised practice under a licensed conveyancer or solicitor before a full licence is issued. Some states grant a restricted licence first, which lets you work and build that experience while you finish the qualification.
- 4Apply for your licence from the state regulator
Licensing sits with a state body, so the requirements where you plan to work are the ones that apply. Licences are renewed periodically and carry continuing professional development requirements.
- 5Or take the solicitor route
A law degree, practical legal training and admission let you handle conveyancing as part of a broad practice, which takes several years longer but opens up dispute, estate and commercial work a conveyancer's licence does not cover.
Ready to apply as a conveyancer?
Whether you're working toward becoming a conveyancer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a conveyancer move to?
Moving into Solicitor typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $25,700 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solicitor A conveyancer brings property law knowledge and contract handling to solicitor work, though admission requires a law degree and practical training.Known move | +$25,700 | 79% | requalify |
| Legal Executive A conveyancer brings settlement and title experience to legal executive roles, allowing a move within legal support with little retraining.Known move | +$3,900 | 70% | minimal |
| Legal Secretary A conveyancer brings property file management and client communication skills to legal secretary work, with minimal retraining needed.Known move | +$2,700 | 71% | minimal |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a conveyancer?
The typical conveyancer is 42 years old; 85% are women, 69% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 42
- Median age
- 85%
- Female share
- 69%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a conveyancer?
The work runs on settlement dates, so the week is built around a queue of files at different stages rather than one task you finish before starting the next. When a bank is slow to return documents or a buyer's finance falls over, the delay lands with the conveyancer, and the weeks around month end, the end of the financial year and Christmas are the busiest. It suits people who like detail, clear rules and being the one who keeps everybody informed when a transaction gets tight.
What people like
- Every file has a finish line. A matter ends at settlement, when money moves and the title is registered, so you can see exactly what you closed that week.
- Property law is concrete. You are checking real boundaries, easements, covenants and titles rather than arguing over abstract points of law.
- The client remembers you. For most people a home purchase is the largest transaction they will ever make, and the conveyancer who steers it through is often the person they thank afterwards.
- There is a path to independence. Experienced conveyancers can open their own practice or buy into a firm, and running the business is usually where earnings and autonomy grow most.
What people find hard
- Deadlines bunch up. Settlements cluster around month end, 30 June and the pre-Christmas period, and a date that slips has real financial consequences for the client.
- Chasing other people. A good part of the job is following up banks, agents and the other side's representative, and one slow response delays everything downstream.
- The liability sits with you. If a search is missed or a caveat overlooked, the client's loss can come back on the conveyancer's licence and professional indemnity insurance.
- Repeat paperwork. A standard house and land sale is largely the same documents every time, and at volume the work can feel more like processing than problem solving.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ conveyancers?
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services employs the largest share of conveyancers, followed by Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services.
Top employing industries
- 1Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- 2Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 29.4% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 27.3% | |
| Bachelor degree | 16.2% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 10% | |
| Postgraduate | 7.7% |
Will AI replace conveyancers?
Conveyancing sits in the middle: electronic settlement platforms, automated title searches and state-approved contract templates already do much of the routine document work. What keeps the job human is the licensed person reading the results, spotting what a template has missed and answering for the file, so software speeds the matter up rather than closing it.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Preparing and checking contracts of saleMost residential contracts are built from state-approved forms and templates, so the drafting is largely selecting clauses and amending special conditions rather than writing from scratch.30%high
- Title, planning and land searchesSearches are ordered and returned electronically, so the human work is reading the result and judging whether an easement, covenant or caveat affects the sale.25%high
- Coordinating settlement and fundsElectronic settlement platforms handle the exchange of documents and money, but booking the date, aligning the banks and absorbing a client's last-minute change still takes a person on the phone.25%moderate
- Advising clients and the other sideExplaining a cooling-off period or finance clause to a first-home buyer, and negotiating with the other side's representative, depends on judgement and on holding a licence to give that advice.20%low
Common questions about becoming a conveyancer
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do conveyancers earn?
Conveyancers earn a median of $81,900 per year before tax, though what you take home depends on the state you are licensed in, the mix of residential and commercial files you handle, and whether you run your own practice. An owner keeps the fees rather than a salary, which is generally where earnings grow over a career.
How do you become a conveyancer in Australia?
You complete a Diploma of Conveyancing, an Advanced Diploma in Victoria, work a period of supervised practice, then apply for a licence from your state regulator. The exact qualification and experience hours are set by each state, so check the requirements for the state where you intend to work.
Is a conveyancer the same as a solicitor?
No, though both can handle a property transfer. A conveyancer holds a licence under state conveyancing legislation and works on property transactions, while a solicitor is admitted to practise law generally and can also advise on disputes, estates and commercial matters that fall outside a conveyancer's scope.
Are conveyancers in demand?
Conveyancers are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 8.8% over the decade to 2035 over that period. Demand tracks the property market, so work picks up when sales and refinancing are strong and thins out when transaction volumes fall.
Will AI replace conveyancers?
Not outright, but it is already changing the work. Electronic settlement platforms, automated title searches and standard contract templates handle much of the routine paperwork, while a licensed person still has to read the searches, explain the conditions to a client and carry the liability for what the file contains. The files most affected are high-volume, simple residential sales.
What can a conveyancer move into?
Conveyancers commonly move into legal executive, law clerk or legal secretary roles, which draw on the same property files, searches and client contact. Moving to a solicitor role pays $25,700 more at the median but means requalifying through a law degree and admission, and many experienced conveyancers instead open their own practice or buy into a firm, which is often where earnings grow.
Related roles
Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.