Refinancing your home loan can feel like something that happens entirely between you and two banks. Apply, get approved, done. But in Western Australia, refinancing still triggers a settlement, and that settlement has to be managed by a licensed settlement agent, even though no property is changing hands.

Most Perth homeowners don’t find this out until their new lender asks who’s handling the settlement. If that’s you, here’s what actually happens: why you need a settlement agent to refinance in Perth, how long it takes, what it costs, and how PEXA fits into a transaction with no buyer, no seller, and no sale price.

Does Refinancing in WA Involve a Settlement?

Yes. Refinancing a home loan in Western Australia involves a settlement, even though ownership of the property doesn’t change. Your existing mortgage has to be formally discharged, and your new lender’s mortgage has to be registered on the title with Landgate. A settlement agent manages both steps and coordinates the two lenders so they happen on the same day.

This is different to buying or selling, where settlement finalises a sale between two parties. A refinance settlement is about your title record. It confirms who currently holds a registered mortgage over your property, and updates that record when you switch lenders.

Refinancing settlement in WA, at a glance:

Why You Need a Settlement Agent to Refinance in WA

Since 1 December 2018, most mortgage discharges and registrations in Western Australia have had to be lodged electronically, through a platform like PEXA. Only licensed professionals, such as settlement agents, can lodge documents this way on a homeowner’s behalf.

There’s a narrow paper-based exception for people who represent themselves, but it’s uncommon, and it adds time most homeowners would rather avoid. In practice, this is why refinancing in WA runs through the same settlement agent model as buying and selling. A settlement agent:

• Prepares the discharge and new mortgage documents
• Lodges them electronically through PEXA
• Coordinates between your outgoing lender, your new lender, and Landgate

This is also where a settlement agent’s role stops. A settlement agent handles the legal and administrative settlement of your refinance, not the decision to refinance in the first place. Whether refinancing makes sense for you, your rate, any cashback offer, break costs, or your long-term repayments, is a conversation for your mortgage broker, not your settlement agent. If you’re weighing up refinancing your home loan, the team at Strategic Mortgages Perth can talk you through your options before you commit to a new lender.

How Long Does a Refinance Settlement Take in WA?

Most refinance settlements in Western Australia settle within four to six weeks of your new loan being formally approved. The biggest variable is your outgoing lender’s discharge processing. Once you submit a discharge request, lenders generally take somewhere between two and three weeks to process it internally. That’s why brokers and settlement agents usually recommend requesting the discharge as soon as your new loan is approved, rather than waiting until settlement is a few days out.

This is a different timeline to buying or selling:

The Refinancing Settlement Process, Step by Step

1. New loan approved. Your new lender issues formal approval, and you engage a settlement agent to manage the settlement.
2. Discharge requested. Your settlement agent or broker submits a discharge authority to your outgoing lender, asking them to release their mortgage.
3. Documents prepared. Your settlement agent prepares the discharge and new mortgage documents and opens a PEXA workspace.
4. Lenders confirm readiness. Both lenders load their documents into the PEXA workspace ahead of the agreed settlement date.
5. Settlement day. The discharge and the new mortgage are lodged with Landgate at the same time, through PEXA. Your old loan is closed, and your new loan is secured against the property.
6. Confirmation. Your settlement agent confirms settlement has completed and notifies you and your broker.

How Much Does a Settlement Agent Charge to Refinance in WA?

Settlement fees for a refinance in Western Australia are generally lower than for a purchase or sale. There’s no transfer duty, because ownership isn’t changing, and there’s usually only one property and one lender relationship to coordinate on each side, rather than a buyer, a seller, and two real estate agents.

You’ll still pay statutory charges regardless of which settlement agent you use. Registering your new mortgage and completing a discharge of mortgage on the old one are each lodged with Landgate as a separate document, so a straightforward refinance generally involves:

• Discharging your existing mortgage: $225.10 (Landgate document fee, as of 1 July 2026)
• Registering your new mortgage: $225.10 (Landgate document fee, as of 1 July 2026)
• Your settlement agent’s professional fee, quoted individually for your transaction

Because every lender, loan structure, and property is different, it’s worth getting a settlement quote before you lock in a settlement date, so you know the full cost upfront.

How PEXA Is Used for Refinancing Settlements

PEXA (Property Exchange Australia) is the electronic platform settlement agents use to lodge property transactions with Landgate, and refinance settlements are no exception. Your settlement agent opens a PEXA workspace, invites your outgoing lender and your new lender into it, and both lenders load their discharge and mortgage documents electronically.

On settlement day, everything happens inside that workspace at once. Your old mortgage is discharged, your new lender’s mortgage is registered, and your title record is updated with Landgate, all within a single electronic lodgement. You can read more about how PEXA settlements work on our dedicated PEXA settlement page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a settlement agent to refinance in WA?

In practice, yes. Most mortgage discharges and registrations in Western Australia must be lodged electronically, and only licensed settlement agents and lenders can do that on your behalf. A narrow paper-based exception exists for self-represented homeowners, but it’s uncommon and adds time to the process.

How long does discharge of mortgage take in WA?

Once your settlement agent submits the discharge request, your outgoing lender generally takes two to three weeks to process it. That timeframe can stretch out if your current loan is on a fixed rate, since the lender needs to calculate a break cost before the discharge can proceed, so it’s worth asking your lender about this separately from your general refinance timeline if you’re coming off a fixed rate.

Do I pay transfer duty when refinancing in WA?

Transfer duty doesn’t apply to a refinance. Duty is only charged when ownership of a property changes, and refinancing just changes which lender holds a registered mortgage over the property, not who owns it. For questions specific to your transaction, the WA Office of State Revenue can confirm your position.

Can my settlement agent tell me whether refinancing is a good idea?

No. A settlement agent manages the legal and administrative settlement of your refinance, not the financial decision behind it. For advice on rates, cashback offers, break costs, or whether refinancing suits your situation, speak with a mortgage broker or financial adviser. If you’re refinancing an investment property, any tax implications, including Capital Gains Tax, should be discussed with a qualified tax professional rather than your settlement agent.

Is PEXA used for every refinance settlement in WA?

PEXA is used for the large majority of residential refinance settlements in Western Australia, in line with the state’s move to mandatory electronic lodgement for most mortgage transactions. A small number of self-represented or paper-eligible transactions fall outside this, but they’re the exception rather than the rule.

Do I have to use the same settlement agent I used to buy the property?

Not at all. You’re free to use any licensed settlement agent in Western Australia for your refinance, regardless of who handled your original purchase. Switching is common, particularly if you’re refinancing with a different lender or your circumstances have changed. Strategic Settlements can manage your refinance settlement whether or not we handled your original purchase.

Ready to Refinance in Perth? Here’s Where to Start

If your new loan has been approved and you need a settlement agent for your refinance in Perth, get a settlement quote from Strategic Settlements and we’ll confirm your timeline and costs upfront. Still weighing up whether refinancing is worth it? Talk to the team at Strategic Mortgages Perth about your loan options first.

Prefer to talk it through before you commit? Contact us and we’ll walk you through what a refinance settlement involves for your situation.