What's the equivalent of a Section 32 in NSW, QLD, WA and SA?

If you've moved interstate, or you're buying interstate, you'll quickly find that "Section 32" is a Victorian phrase. It refers to a section of the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic) that requires sellers to disclose specific information before a buyer signs. Every other state and territory has its own version of this idea, but the documents, the timing, and the legal protections are not the same.

This is one piece of our complete Section 32 guide, which walks through the whole Vendor's Statement in one place.

This is a quick overview of what to look for in each state.

A note on what Unstated covers. Unstated reads Victorian Section 32s and Victorian contracts of sale. If you're buying outside Victoria, the document set is different and we'd point you to a local conveyancer rather than upload here.

Victoria: Section 32 (Vendor's Statement)

The Section 32 sits separately from the Contract of Sale and must be given to you before you sign. It must disclose easements, covenants, planning information, outgoings, building approvals, owners corporation information, and a few other items. If something material is missing or misleading, you may be able to walk away from the contract even after signing. The protections here are some of the strongest in the country.

New South Wales: Contract for Sale of Land (with prescribed documents)

NSW doesn't have a stand-alone disclosure document like Victoria. Instead, the Contract for Sale of Land must have specific documents annexed to it before it can be marketed for sale. These include:

• The title search (current Register Search Statement)
• A copy of the plan (deposited plan or strata plan)
• A Section 10.7 planning certificate (formerly Section 149) from the local council
• A sewerage service diagram
• Any relevant easement, restriction, or covenant documents

In other words, NSW packages disclosure inside the contract rather than alongside it. The protections are real but more procedural. If mandatory documents are missing or wrong, you generally have a right to rescind within the cooling-off period.

NSW has a standard cooling-off period of 5 business days for private treaty sales (not auctions), which is one day longer than Victoria's 3.

Queensland: Form 2 disclosure (from 1 August 2025)

Queensland's disclosure regime changed significantly in 2025. The Property Law Act 2023 introduced a mandatory Form 2 Seller Disclosure Statement. Before a buyer signs a contract, the seller must give them this form along with prescribed certificates (title, body corporate info if applicable, and others).

If the seller fails to provide the Form 2 before signing, the buyer has a right to terminate any time before settlement. This is a meaningful change. Queensland was previously the most "buyer beware" state, and the new regime brings it closer to Victoria's model.

South Australia: Form 1 (Vendor's Statement)

South Australia has its own Form 1, prescribed under the Land and Business (Sale and Conveyancing) Act 1994. It's similar in concept to Victoria's Section 32: a stand-alone vendor disclosure document that must be given to the buyer before contract signing.

SA's cooling-off period is 2 business days from receipt of the Form 1, and it's a strong protection. The cooling-off clock doesn't even start until the Form 1 has been served correctly.

Western Australia: Seller Disclosure (new regime)

WA historically had no formal disclosure regime. Buyers were expected to investigate everything themselves. That changed with the Property Law Reform legislation rolled out from 2024-25. Sellers must now provide a prescribed disclosure statement covering title, planning, and material facts.

If you're buying in WA, ask the selling agent specifically for the seller disclosure documents. The standard contract (the Joint Form of General Conditions) is also long and dense, so getting a settlement agent or solicitor to review it is essential.

Tasmania: Section 11 disclosure

Tasmania requires vendors to provide a disclosure document under section 11 of the Sale of Land Act, including title, planning information, and certain building approvals. The timing rules are looser than Victoria's, so make sure you have the disclosure in front of you before you sign anything binding.

ACT: Section 9 disclosure

The ACT has one of the most prescriptive regimes. Under the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003, sellers must prepare a contract that includes:

• A building and pest inspection report (paid for by the seller before listing)
• An energy efficiency rating statement
• The Crown lease and title documents
• A building conformity report (where applicable)

This is unusual. In most states, building and pest inspections are the buyer's responsibility. In the ACT, they're part of the seller's contract pack.

Northern Territory

NT disclosure is more limited and largely relies on the contract itself. Engaging a conveyancer early is particularly important here because the buyer carries more investigation responsibility.

A quick comparison

What stays the same across states

Whatever the document is called, the things you actually need to understand are similar:

• Who owns it and what's registered against it: easements, covenants, mortgages, caveats
• What you can and can't do with the land: planning zone, overlays, heritage, future restrictions
• What you'll owe: rates, owners corporation fees, land tax, outstanding charges
• What's been built and approved: building permits, occupancy permits, illegal additions
• Anything material that could affect your enjoyment or value: flood risk, contamination, disputes

The names change. The questions don't.

What this means for you

If you're buying outside Victoria, don't look for a "Section 32". Ask the agent for the prescribed disclosure documents for your state, and have a local conveyancer or solicitor review them before you sign. The legal frameworks are similar in spirit but different in detail, and getting the right local advice matters more than knowing the right Victorian term.

Sources

• Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic), section 32: the Victorian vendor-disclosure requirement (the only regime Unstated covers).
• Interstate disclosure is set by each jurisdiction's own law: the NSW Conveyancing Act 1919, the Queensland Property Law Act 2023 (Form 2, from 1 August 2025), the South Australian Land and Business (Sale and Conveyancing) Act 1994 (Form 1), Western Australia's seller-disclosure reforms, the Tasmanian Sale of Land Act, and the ACT Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003. Confirm the current requirements with that state or territory's consumer-affairs or land-titles authority, or a local conveyancer.

Sources verified 25 July 2026. Interstate rules change and differ in detail.

If you're buying in Victoria and want a plain-English summary of your Section 32, that's exactly what Unstated does.