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Copy of a Property Transfer Document

The registered transfer is the record of a property sale — the parties, the contract date, the settlement date, the price paid and the stamp duty. It's the document most people need to work out their capital gains tax. Available for any property in any Australian state.

Order a copy for any Australian property. If you don't have the dealing number, we locate it for you from the title or a title history search first.

Order a copy of a transferWhat it shows
The most common reason people order one

Capital gains tax starts with what you paid

A CGT calculation begins with the cost base — the price you paid to acquire the property, plus costs like the stamp duty. The registered transfer is the primary record of the purchase price, the contract date and the settlement date, and it shows the duty paid. If your original contract and settlement statement are long gone, the transfer is the cleanest way to recover the figures. We supply the document; your accountant does the tax.

What a transfer document shows

A copy of the registered transfer typically records five things, each relevant in different situations:

  • The parties
    The transferor (seller) and the transferee (buyer) for that transaction — the names on the dealing.
  • The contract date
    The date the contract of sale was signed. Often the date that matters for the CGT event and acquisition timing.
  • The settlement date
    The date the transaction settled and the transfer was registered against the title.
  • The amount (consideration)
    The price paid for the property — the starting figure for a CGT cost base, and the objective record of what changed hands.
  • The stamp duty paid
    The transfer duty paid on the transaction (on older transfers this appears as a physical duty stamp). Part of the CGT cost base in its own right.

How to find the transfer's dealing number

A transfer is ordered by its dealing reference. There are two ways to get it, depending on whether you still own the property:

If you still own it

The transfer that registered your purchase is recorded on your current title, among the registered dealings. Order a current title search and the transfer's dealing number is on it — then order the copy of that dealing.

If you've since sold it

A transfer that's no longer current isn't on the live title, so you locate it through a title history search — which lists every dealing ever registered against the title, each by number and type. Pick the transfer and order the copy.

Not sure which it is? Tell us the property and what you're trying to establish — we identify the right dealing and the documents needed before retrieving anything.

The same idea in every state

Each state's land registry holds the registered transfers for property in that state, and they record the same core information — parties, dates, price and duty. Only the terminology differs:

  • New South Wales — a registered dealing; the transfer is ordered as a Copy of Dealing from NSW Land Registry Services.
  • Victoria — a registered instrument / dealing, held by Land Use Victoria.
  • Queensland, South Australia & Tasmania — each has its equivalent registered dealing, held by that state's land titles office.

We order from the right registry for the state the property is in. Start your order below and we'll route it correctly.

Order a copy of a transfer →

When you'd order a transfer document

Working out your capital gains tax (CGT)

The most common reason people order one. Your CGT cost base starts with what you paid for the property — and the registered transfer is the primary record of the purchase price, the contract date and the settlement date. The stamp duty shown (or the duty stamp on older transfers) is itself part of the cost base. If you've lost your original contract and settlement statement, the transfer is the cleanest way to reconstruct the numbers.

Deceased estates and inheritance

When a property passes through an estate, the executor or beneficiary often needs the acquisition date and consideration from the original purchase to calculate CGT on a later sale, or to establish the date-of-death value baseline. The transfer (and any transmission application) is where those dates and figures are recorded.

Family law and property settlements

In a separation or settlement, the price paid, the date of acquisition and which parties were on title are frequently in dispute. The registered transfer is an objective, third-party record that resolves them.

Verifying what a property actually sold for

Sale-price data services estimate or report sales, but the registered transfer is the source record of the consideration that was actually paid and lodged with the land registry.

Confirming the parties to a past transaction

The transfer names the transferor (seller) and the transferee (buyer) for that dealing. Useful where ownership history, a misdescription, or a chain-of-title question needs to be settled.

Transfer documents — FAQ

What is a property transfer document?
A transfer is the registered instrument that records the change of ownership of a parcel of land from one party to another. When a property is sold, the transfer is lodged with the state land registry and registered against the title. A copy of that registered transfer typically shows the transferor (seller) and transferee (buyer), the date the contract was signed, the settlement (registration) date, the consideration (the price paid) and the stamp duty paid on the transaction. It is the primary registered record of a sale.
What information does a transfer document contain?
Most registered transfers show: (1) the names of the parties — the transferor (seller) and the transferee (buyer); (2) the date the contract of sale was signed; (3) the settlement / registration date; (4) the consideration — the purchase price paid; and (5) the stamp duty paid (on older transfers this appears as a physical duty stamp). Exactly which fields appear, and how, varies a little by state and by the era of the transfer, but those five are the ones people most often need.
Why do people order a transfer document for capital gains tax (CGT)?
Because a CGT calculation starts from the cost base — what you paid to acquire the asset — and the transfer is the registered record of the purchase price and the acquisition dates. The stamp duty shown on the transfer is also part of the cost base. If you no longer have your contract of sale or settlement statement, ordering the registered transfer is the standard way to recover the figures your accountant needs. (We supply the document; we don't calculate your tax — that's a question for your accountant or registered tax agent.)
How do I find the dealing / transfer number?
If you still own the property, the transfer is recorded on your current title — the dealing number that registered your purchase is listed among the registered dealings. Order a current title search and the transfer's dealing reference is on it. If you no longer own the property, or you're looking at an earlier transfer in the chain, the dealing number is found via a title history search, which lists every dealing ever registered against the title (each by its number and type). Once you have the dealing number, you order the copy of that specific transfer.
I don't own the property any more — can I still get the transfer?
Yes. Registered title information is public record in every Australian state — you don't have to be the current owner to order a copy of a registered dealing. For a property you've sold, you'll usually start with a title history search to locate the dealing number of the transfer you need, then order the copy of that dealing.
Is the transfer document the same in every state?
The documents are similar from state to state — each state's land registry holds the registered transfer for property in that state, and they record the same core information (parties, dates, consideration, duty). The terminology differs: in New South Wales it's a registered dealing (a 'Copy of Dealing' for the transfer); in Victoria it's a registered instrument / dealing; Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania each have their equivalent. We order from the right registry for the state the property is in.
How much does a copy of a transfer cost?
It's priced as a copy of a registered dealing, and the fee is set by each state's land registry — broadly from around $20 depending on the state. If you also need a title history search first to locate the dealing number, that's a separate document. Tell us the property and what you're trying to establish and we'll confirm the documents and the cost.
How quickly will I get it?
Once the dealing number is identified, a copy of a registered transfer is usually retrieved quickly — typically same or next business day, delivered as a PDF by email. The extra step, where it applies, is locating the dealing number via a title history search first.

We supply registered documents, not tax advice. For how a transfer feeds into a capital gains tax calculation, speak to your accountant or a registered tax agent.

Order a copy of a transfer

Tell us the property and what you need to establish. If we need to find the dealing number first, we'll do that as part of the job.

Start your orderNeed to find an old dealing number?