What is mortgage registration fee?
Mortgage registration fee is a state-government charge ($130-$300 depending on state) paid at settlement to register the lender's mortgage interest over the property on the title — distinct from stamp duty and separately charged on each loan.
Mortgage registration fee is a state-government charge for recording the lender's mortgage interest over your property on the state's land title register. It's a separate line item from stamp duty (transfer duty) and is charged per mortgage — so if you refinance to a new lender, the new mortgage is registered and the old one discharged, with separate fees for each.
Typical fees in 2025-26: NSW $164, VIC $128, QLD $214, WA $187, SA $179, TAS $144, ACT $155, NT $159. The fees are paid at settlement via the buyer's conveyancer and listed in the settlement statement.
On a refinance, you pay BOTH the discharge fee on the old mortgage AND the registration fee on the new one — roughly $250-$500 combined depending on state. Worth factoring into refinance economics alongside the cashback offer.
mortgage registration · title registration fee · mortgage stamping fee
- Stamp duty (transfer duty) — Stamp duty is a state government tax on property transfers, typically 3-5.5% of the purchase price, paid in full at sett…
- Discharge fee — A discharge fee is a one-off administrative charge ($300-$700) your existing lender levies when you pay out the loan — c…
- Settlement — Settlement is the day the property legally changes hands — the lender releases the loan amount, the buyer pays the balan…
General information only — not personal financial advice. Verified against https://ratesniffers.com.au/glossary on 2026-06-01.