How to lodge for transfer duty

Learn what forms and documents need to be lodged for your transaction.

You may have more time to lodge in some circumstances. Read the public ruling on extending time to lodge an agreement (DA019.1) for more information.

There are 2 ways to lodge your documents for assessment:

• with a registered self assessor
• with us directly.

Lodging documents with a self assessor

You might find it easier and faster to lodge your documents directly with a registered self assessor. Most solicitors and settlement or lodging agents in Queensland are registered self assessors. They can stamp documents for you without having to send them to us at Queensland Revenue Office (QRO).

Although they can stamp documents, registered self assessors are not QRO agents and may charge you a fee for their services.

Lodging documents with Queensland Revenue Office

You can either post original documents to us or email scanned or photographed copies.

We can’t accept payment or documents in person.

The assessing and stamping process for documents lodged with us directly follows 4 basic steps.

Step 1: Lodgement—by post or email

Post

Send all original documents that are to be lodged with Titles Queensland and their accompanying documents (e.g. contract of sale with the Form 1 Transfer and Form 24) to:

Queensland Revenue Office
GPO Box 2593
Brisbane Qld 4001

If you give us your email address, we send you a notification confirming receipt of your documents.

Email

If you are doing your own conveyancing, you must lodge your Titles Queensland documents by post (not email).

Otherwise, you can email the documents, supporting information and a covering letter to duties@treasury.qld.gov.au.

You will receive an acknowledgement email.

Step 2: Assessment

We calculate your transfer duty liability and send you an assessment notice (by email or post). This tells you how much to pay.

If you’re borrowing money to purchase your property, your lender may require a stamped transfer document at or before settlement.

Make sure you allow time for the assessment process because we can’t fast-track it just to meet your settlement date.

Urgent assessments

We action matters in order of date received.

We will consider urgently assessing your documents if you explain your circumstances in a covering letter or email at the time you lodge documents.

If a lodged matter has passed our service standards, or becomes time sensitive, you can:

• contact the QRO officer who is looking after your matter (if known)
  or
• complete the online enquiry form to request urgent attention.

Even though we cannot guarantee an urgent assessment, we will try to prioritise these matters where possible. This can depend on the number of lodgements awaiting assessment.

Step 3: Payment

You pay the duty, including unpaid tax interest if applicable (or the adjudication fee for non-dutiable transactions). See our payment options.

Step 4: Return of documents

Once you pay the duty, we return the documents to you by either registered post or email, depending on how they were lodged.

Please note that we can’t:

• forward your documents to another government agency to process further or register
• return your documents before the duty is paid
• return your documents because you don’t want to pay the duty and are cancelling the transaction (an assessment is still needed in this case, but you may be eligible for an exemption)
• arrange for you to collect your documents in person.

Timeframes

We are committed to providing quality and timely service. If you give us all the required information, we can process your documents without unnecessary delays.

These are our processing timeframes:

• Standard assessments: 10 working days
• Complex assessments: 30 working days

We cannot give a timeframe for urgent assessments.

Complex assessments are where your situation involves:

• mining interests
• partnerships
• charitable institution exemptions
• corporate reconstruction exemptions
• trust acquisitions or trust surrenders
• large businesses.

We try to finalise your matter within these timeframes, but note that these apply from when we receive all necessary information from you. Working days don’t include weekends or public holidays.

If you have any queries, you can:

• phone 1300 300 734 to talk to the assessor
• email duties@treasury.qld.gov.au.

Registering with other agencies

You must pay the duty and have your documents stamped before you register them with the relevant authority. For example, the stamped Form 1 Transfer and Form 24 are registered with Titles Queensland.