Vacant land conveyancing in Victoria — cost, process, and what to check before you buy an empty block

In this guide(11 sections)

Buying vacant land looks like the simplest purchase there is — there's no building to inspect, no kitchen to worry about. But an empty block is where the invisible problems live: whether you can actually build what you're picturing, whether services reach the boundary, what a covenant or easement quietly forbids. The conveyancing is usually straightforward and quick; the checking is where it earns its keep. Here's exactly how it works in Victoria, what it costs, and what we check on every block — whether you're paying cash, buying with no bank involved, or settling entirely online.

At a glance — vacant land conveyancing in Victoria (2026)

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How much does vacant land conveyancing cost in Victoria?

Vacant land conveyancing in Victoria costs $660–$990 as a fixed fee at Fogarty Oliver Rothschild, agreed in writing before any work starts, with disbursements charged at cost and no markup. Because an empty block has no building, no owners corporation in most cases, and fewer certificates to untangle, vacant land typically sits at the lower end of that range. Stamp duty is separate and statutory — it's paid to the State Revenue Office Victoria, not to us.

Get a fixed-fee quote for your block — book a free chat → | Call 03 4328 5084

There's no "low-cost online conveyancer vs proper lawyer" trade-off to agonise over here: our fixed fee already covers senior-lawyer review of the Section 32, the contract, and the title — for roughly what a templated online service charges to skim it. The difference is that on a vacant block, the things that go wrong are exactly the things a paralegal working from a checklist tends to miss.

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Can I buy vacant land without a bank or mortgage involved?

Yes — buying vacant land with no bank or lender involved is common and actually simpler. When you're paying cash, there's no mortgage to register, no incoming lender's requirements to satisfy, and no bank dictating the settlement date, so the conveyancing is leaner and settlement can often be quicker. You still need the same Section 32 review, contract review and electronic settlement — the protective work is identical; it's only the financing layer that disappears.

This is the single most common question we get on smaller blocks — a $90,000–$150,000 vacant lot bought outright as an investment or to build on later. Paying cash doesn't mean skipping the conveyancing; it means the conveyancing is cheaper and faster, because half the moving parts (the lender's) are gone.

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Do I need a conveyancer or lawyer to buy vacant land?

You are not legally required to use one, but on vacant land it's strongly advisable, and a solicitor can do everything a licensed conveyancer can plus handle the legal traps that empty blocks specifically attract. Licensed conveyancers in Victoria are regulated under the Conveyancers Act 2006. The reason a lawyer matters more on vacant land than on an established house is simple: with a house, what you see is largely what you get. With land, the entire value rests on what you're allowed to do with it — and that lives in the covenants, easements, overlays and planning controls, not in anything you can walk across.

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What's different about vacant land conveyancing vs buying a house?

The mechanics are the same; the risk shifts from the building to the buildability. On an established home, the Section 32 review is largely about confirming what exists. On vacant land, it's about confirming what you can create. The checks that matter most on an empty block are:

• Restrictive covenants — private restrictions on the title that can dictate (or forbid) building materials, height, a single dwelling only, minimum floor area, or setbacks. A covenant can quietly make your planned build impossible.
• Easements — a right (often for drainage, sewer or power) running through the land that you can't build over, sometimes slicing the usable footprint in half.
• Planning zone and overlays — the zoning and any overlays (heritage, bushfire/BMO, Land Subject to Inundation, environmental significance, vegetation protection) that control or restrict what can be built.
• Services to the boundary — whether water, sewer, electricity, gas and telecommunications actually reach the block, or whether you'll pay to bring them in. The Section 32 must disclose connection status under the Sale of Land Act 1962.
• Bushfire Prone Area (BMO) — triggers additional construction standards (and cost) under section 192A of the Building Act 1993.
• Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) — on certain outer-growth-area land, a levy can apply on the first dutiable transaction; it's significant and indexed annually.
• Soil, slope and flood — practical buildability factors a survey or building advice should confirm before you're committed.

This is the entire point of getting an empty block reviewed properly: the contract can be perfectly valid and the land still be unable to host the home you have in mind.

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Is there a Section 32 for vacant land?

Yes — a Section 32 vendor statement is required for vacant land in Victoria, exactly as it is for an established home, under sections 32 to 32I of the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic). On vacant land the Section 32 carries even more weight, because the disclosures about title, covenants, easements, planning controls, services and any GAIC liability are the only window into what you can build. There is no house to inspect, so the document is your due diligence. Our full Section 32 vendor statement guide walks through everything it must contain and the gaps that let a buyer rescind.

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How much is stamp duty and GST on vacant land in Victoria?

Stamp duty (land transfer duty) is payable to the State Revenue Office Victoria on the purchase price of vacant land, on the same sliding scale used for other property — there's no separate "vacant land" rate. You can estimate it with the SRO's land transfer duty calculator.

GST usually does not apply when you buy an ordinary block from a private seller. It can apply — at 10% — where the land is sold by a developer or as part of a business (for example a newly subdivided lot), under the GST Act 1999 (Cth). Where GST does apply, the margin scheme sometimes reduces it. Whether your contract is "plus GST" or GST-inclusive is exactly the kind of line we check before you sign, because on a developer block it can move the real price by thousands.

Two extras worth knowing: certain vacant residential land in metro Melbourne can attract Vacant Residential Land Tax, and outer-growth-area land can attract GAIC — both are flagged in a proper Section 32 review.

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Can vacant land conveyancing be done online?

Yes — vacant land conveyancing in Victoria is done almost entirely online and settled electronically through PEXA, the national e-conveyancing platform, so you never need to attend an office or a settlement in person. You can sign documents electronically, we correspond by email and phone, and funds and title transfer digitally on settlement day. "Online conveyancing" doesn't mean a cheaper, lesser service — it means the logistics are remote while the legal review is still done properly by a senior lawyer. For a cash buyer settling a small block, the whole thing can be handled without you leaving home.

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What we check on every vacant block

So you can see the diligence rather than take it on faith, here is the core of what we work through before you're committed:

1. The title — owner, and every covenant, easement and caveat registered on it.
2. Every covenant in plain English — what it actually permits and forbids for your build, not just that one exists.
3. Easement locations — where they run and what they cost you in usable land.
4. Zoning and overlays — pulled and read against what you intend to build.
5. Services — whether water, sewer, power, gas and telco reach the boundary.
6. GAIC, VRLT and outgoings — any levy or tax liability that follows the land to you.
7. The contract terms — price (and whether it's plus GST), deposit, settlement date, and any special conditions.
8. Your "subject to" protections — making sure conditions like finance or a satisfactory soil/planning check are properly built in where you need them.

You bring the contract and the Section 32 — ideally before you sign, or within the 3-day cooling-off window — and we tell you, plainly, whether the block can do what you want it to.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does conveyancing cost for vacant land in Victoria?

At Fogarty Oliver Rothschild, vacant land conveyancing is a fixed fee of $660–$990, agreed up front, with disbursements charged at cost and no markup. Vacant blocks usually sit at the lower end because there's no building and, in most cases, no owners corporation. Stamp duty is separate and paid to the State Revenue Office Victoria.

Can I buy vacant land without a bank or finance?

Yes. Buying vacant land with cash and no lender is common and simpler — there's no mortgage to register and no bank dictating the settlement date, so the conveyancing is leaner and often faster. You still need the same Section 32 review, contract review and electronic settlement; only the financing layer is removed.

Do I need a Section 32 for vacant land?

Yes. A Section 32 vendor statement is required for vacant land under the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic), the same as for an established home. On vacant land it matters even more, because its disclosures about covenants, easements, planning controls and services are the only reliable picture of what you can build.

Is there GST on buying vacant land in Victoria?

Usually not when you buy an ordinary block from a private seller. GST of 10% can apply where the land is sold by a developer or in the course of a business, such as a newly subdivided lot. Whether the contract is "plus GST" should be checked before you sign, as it can change the real price significantly.

Can vacant land conveyancing be done entirely online?

Yes. It's handled remotely and settled electronically through PEXA, so you can sign documents online and never attend in person. The legal review of the Section 32, contract and title is still done in full by a senior lawyer — only the logistics are online.

What's the biggest risk when buying vacant land?

A restrictive covenant, easement or planning overlay that limits or prevents the build you have in mind. The contract can be valid and the land still unable to host your planned home. This is why covenant, easement and zoning review is the heart of vacant land conveyancing.

How long does settlement take on vacant land?

Typically 30–90 days, as negotiated in the contract. A cash purchase with no lender can often settle at the shorter end because there's no bank to satisfy. The settlement period is set in the contract of sale, so it's one of the terms we check before you sign.

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Ready to buy or sell a block?

The first 15 minutes are free — bring the contract and the Section 32, ideally before you sign.

📞 Call 03 4328 5084

📧 elisa@fogartyoliverandrothschild.com.au

📍 84 Chapel Street, St Kilda VIC 3182

🌐 Get a fixed-fee quote — book online →

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm. After-hours for auction weeks.

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