Short answer: in Queensland, there is no functional difference – every conveyancing matter must be handled by a solicitor or by an experienced paralegal supervised by a solicitor. The “licensed conveyancer” role that exists in NSW, Victoria, WA and some other states does not exist in Queensland. If you’re buying or selling property in QLD, you’re working with a law firm either way.
This page covers why that matters, when the distinction does affect you, and how to choose the right firm.
Conveyancer vs solicitor in Queensland – the actual difference
In Queensland, every property conveyancing matter is, legally, a legal service – meaning it must be supervised by an admitted Australian lawyer holding a current Queensland practising certificate.
So when you see a “QLD conveyancer” advertising their services, they’re one of three things: a solicitor doing conveyancing work directly; an experienced paralegal working under the supervision of a solicitor at a law firm; or (rarely) an interstate firm operating in QLD – in which case a QLD-admitted solicitor must be supervising.
There is no fourth option. Queensland does not regulate or register “licensed conveyancers” as a separate profession the way NSW, Victoria, WA, SA, and Tasmania do.
What this means for you: you’re getting a law firm either way. The choice isn’t “conveyancer or solicitor”, it’s “which law firm”.
How conveyancers and solicitors compare in other Australian states
Just so the contrast is clear:
| State |
Licensed conveyancers? |
Notes |
| Queensland |
No |
Conveyancing must be done by a solicitor or experienced paralegal supervised by one |
| New South Wales |
Yes |
Licensed conveyancers regulated by NSW Fair Trading |
| Victoria |
Yes |
Licensed conveyancers regulated by Consumer Affairs Victoria |
| Western Australia |
Yes |
Licensed settlement agents regulated by DMIRS |
| South Australia |
Yes |
Registered conveyancers regulated by Consumer and Business Services |
| Tasmania |
Yes |
Conveyancers regulated by Consumer, Building and Occupational Services |
| ACT |
Mixed |
Some non-lawyer conveyancers operate; matter complexity matters |
| Northern Territory |
No |
Legal practitioners only |
If you’ve bought or sold property in another state, you may have used a non-lawyer conveyancer. In QLD, that path isn’t available.
When the conveyancer vs solicitor question DOES matter
Even though QLD only has solicitors doing conveyancing, the question still matters at the boundaries.
1. Cross-border deals. Buying a NSW property from QLD? You’ll need a NSW-licensed conveyancer or NSW solicitor for that transaction. The same firm may not be admitted to act in both states.
2. Complex commercial transactions. Some conveyancing matters spill into specialist legal advice – tax structuring, trust ownership, contract drafting, dispute resolution. These need a solicitor with the specific specialty, not just a generalist.
3. Disputes or contract issues. If a property purchase or sale runs into trouble (contract breach, settlement failure, undisclosed defect), you need a solicitor with litigation experience. Many conveyancing-focused paralegals can’t act in dispute matters.
4. Wills, estates, and family law alongside the property matter. If you’re buying as part of an inheritance, divorce settlement, or estate plan, you’ll need a firm that handles both. Empire Legal handles wills and estates, family law property settlements, AND conveyancing under one roof – so you don’t end up coordinating between two or three firms.
How to choose between firms in Queensland
Since “conveyancer or solicitor” isn’t the right question in QLD, here’s the better one: which firm should I use?
The decision factors that actually matter: fixed-fee pricing (hourly billing on conveyancing is a red flag – fixed fees mean the firm has confidence in their efficiency and you have cost certainty); a solicitor on the file (not just on the firm’s letterhead – actually involved in your matter; ask: “who specifically is supervising this?”); volume + review evidence (a firm that’s done 500 conveyances has seen most of what can go wrong; Empire Legal has 3,029 five-star Google reviews); specialist coverage (if your matter touches off-the-plan, commercial, family law, or wills/estates, a multi-practice firm is faster and cheaper than juggling specialists separately); local QLD experience (the Form 2 regime, the flood overlay quirks, the body corporate disclosure rules – all QLD-specific; pick a firm that does mostly QLD work).
Why Empire Legal works for QLD conveyancing
We’re a Queensland law firm. We do conveyancing under solicitor supervision (with experienced paralegals running the file day-to-day), plus we cover wills, estates, family law property settlements, and commercial conveyancing under the same roof. Fixed fees on all conveyancing matters; 24-hour contract review turnaround; same person from contract to settlement; 3,029 five-star Google reviews; Spring Hill, Wynnum, and Gold Coast offices; statewide coverage via PEXA settlement.
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