Reviewed by Megan Birot, Content Editor, OurTop10 · 27 September 2026
What changed: first published. All 15 lenders’ discharge fees and notice periods checked against each lender’s own fee schedule or help page on 27 September 2026.
Key points
- Five lenders charge $350 to discharge a home loan: CommBank, Westpac, NAB, Suncorp and ME Bank. That’s the cheapest bank fee we found.
- Bank of Queensland is the dearest at $650 on a refinance, once its security release, settlement and production fees are added up.
- Notice periods run from 10 business days (ANZ, NAB, St.George) to 21 business days (ME Bank, HSBC).
- On a $600,000 loan, a rate 0.30% lower saves about $110 a month, so even BOQ’s exit costs plus the NSW registration fee pay for themselves in under 8 months.
Jump to: The league table · What leaving costs in dollars · Government fees · Fixed-rate break costs · Why notice periods matter · HSBC customers · FAQs
Part of our guide to mortgage discharge in Australia, which walks through the whole process of paying out a home loan.
It costs between $350 and $650 in bank fees to leave most Australian home loan lenders, before the state government’s registration fee and any fixed-rate break cost. CommBank, Westpac, NAB, Suncorp and ME Bank are the cheapest at $350. Bank of Queensland is the dearest at $650.
We read the fee schedule of every major lender to build the table below, then ranked them by what you’d pay the bank to refinance away from a standard variable loan.
Why this matters now. More households are under pressure on their repayments, and a cheaper rate is one of the quickest ways to ease it. Leaving a bank usually costs less than people expect.
421,700
households in mortgage stress across the 80 postcodes we track
+14%
more stressed households than last quarter
+18%
more than a year ago
68 of 80
postcodes got worse this quarter
Source: OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report, June quarter 2026, using Digital Finance Analytics survey data. Melbourne (94,461) and Sydney (90,156) have the most stressed households; Perth is rising fastest (+25.1%).
The home loan exit fee league table
Ranked from cheapest to dearest to leave. Lenders on the same total share a rank.
| Lender | Fees the bank charges | Total to refinance | Notice needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Commonwealth Bank | $350 settlement fee | $350 | Not published |
| 1. Westpac | $350 loan discharge fee | $350 | Not published |
| 1. Suncorp Bank | $350 loan finalisation fee | $350 | Up to 20 days |
| 1. ME Bank | $350 security release fee | $350 | Up to 21 business days |
| 1. NAB | $350 mortgage discharge fee, plus $150 if documents have to be produced | $350 | At least 10 business days |
| 6. HSBC | $395 discharge fee, plus the PEXA fee passed on | $395 | At least 21 business days |
| 7. Macquarie | $400 mortgage discharge fee, plus third-party costs | $400 | Up to 21 days |
| 8. St.George | $350 discharge fee + $100 document processing fee | $450 | At least 10 business days |
| 8. Bank of Melbourne | $350 discharge fee + $100 document processing fee | $450 | 10 business days |
| 8. BankSA | $350 discharge fee + $100 document processing fee | $450 | 10 business days |
| 8. Bendigo Bank | $350 discharge administration fee + $100 settlement fee (plus $125 if an agent lodges) | $450 | Up to 15 business days |
| 12. ANZ | $160 settlement + $160 lodgement + $160 production | $480 | At least 10 business days |
| 13. Bank of Queensland | $350 security release + $150 settlement + $150 production | $650 | Not published |
| ING | Not published (ING says “a few hundred dollars”) | Not published | At least 15 business days |
| Bankwest | Not published (sent by letter after you lodge the form) | Not published | Not published |
Sources, checked 27 September 2026: Commonwealth Bank: commbank.com.au; Westpac: westpac.com.au; Suncorp Bank: suncorpbank.com.au; ME Bank: mebank.com.au; NAB: nab.com.au; HSBC: hsbc.com.au; Macquarie: macquarie.com.au; St.George: stgeorge.com.au; Bank of Melbourne: bankofmelbourne.com.au; BankSA: banksa.com.au; Bendigo Bank: bendigobank.com.au; ANZ: anz.com.au; Bank of Queensland: boq.com.au; ING: ing.com.au; Bankwest: bankwest.com.au. NAB’s $150 production of documents fee isn’t counted in its total because NAB doesn’t say it applies to every discharge. Bank of Melbourne and BankSA notice periods are from each bank’s discharge page as at 20 September 2026. Westpac’s fee page shows no document processing fee. Excludes government fees and break costs.
The fee is small next to the rate. Every lender on this list charges less to leave than a 0.30% rate cut saves you in six months on a $600,000 loan. What catches people out is the notice period, not the fee.
What leaving costs in dollars
Here’s the full exit bill in New South Wales for a $600,000 loan, comparing the cheapest bank on the table with the dearest, and how long a better rate takes to cover it.
| Cost | Leaving CommBank | Leaving BOQ |
|---|---|---|
| Bank discharge fees | $350.00 | $650.00 |
| NSW discharge registration fee | $182.73 | $182.73 |
| Total to leave | $532.73 | $832.73 |
| Monthly saving at 0.30% lower rate | $110 | $110 |
| Months to break even | About 5 | About 8 |
OurTop10 calculation, 27 September 2026. Assumes a $600,000 principal and interest variable loan with 25 years left, moving from 6.20% to 5.90%, no fixed-rate break cost and no fees at the new lender. NSW fee from NSW Land Registry Services 2026–27 fee schedule.
Run your own numbers through our loan repayment calculator: put in your current rate, then the rate you’ve been offered, and compare the difference with the total above.
Government fees on top
As well as the bank’s fee, the state or territory charges to register the discharge on your title. In New South Wales it is $182.73 including GST from 1 July 2026, set by NSW Land Registry Services. Other states set their own amounts and change them each July, so check the land titles office in your state before you budget.
- NSW: $182.73 (NSW LRS 2026–27 fees)
- Victoria: see Land Use Victoria 2026–27 fees
- Queensland: use the Titles Queensland fee calculator
Fixed-rate break costs
Every lender on the table charges a break cost if you leave during a fixed-rate period. None publishes a fixed amount, because it is worked out from how far rates have moved since you fixed and how long is left on the term. It can run to thousands of dollars. CommBank and BOQ also add a $50 administrative fee on top of the break cost itself.
If fixed rates have gone up since you locked in, the break cost is usually small or nil, because the bank can lend the money out again at a higher rate. It’s when rates have fallen that it bites. Get the exact figure in writing before you commit to the new loan.
The discharge fee is the least of it. I’ve seen refinances lose three weeks because the old bank wanted 21 business days and nobody told the new lender. Lodge the discharge form the day you have unconditional approval, not the week before settlement.
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10
Why notice periods matter more than the fee
The notice period is how long the old lender wants between getting your discharge form and settling. It ranges from 10 business days at ANZ, NAB and St.George to 21 business days at ME Bank and HSBC. Three weeks of business days is a full calendar month.
That month has a cost. If your new rate is 0.30% lower on $600,000, every month you wait is about $110 you don’t save. And if the new lender’s approval expires or its rate offer lapses while the old bank is still processing the form, you can end up starting again.
- Lodge the discharge form as soon as the new loan is unconditionally approved.
- Tell the new lender (or your broker) which lender you’re leaving and its notice period, so settlement is booked for a date the old bank can meet.
- Check every borrower and guarantor has signed. A missing signature restarts the clock.
HSBC customers
HSBC announced on 31 July 2026 that it is closing its Australian retail bank over about 18 months and no longer takes new applications. Its home loan book is being sold, subject to regulatory approval, and HSBC says Pepper Money is expected to service the loans from the first half of 2027. If you’re an HSBC borrower, your loan doesn’t end because of this, but it is a sensible moment to check your rate. HSBC’s $395 discharge fee and 21-business-day notice apply until the transfer. HSBC’s notice has the details.
What to do next
Find your lender on the table, add your state’s fee, and compare the total with what a better rate would save you in a year. If the numbers work, a broker can price the switch across a panel of lenders and handle the discharge paperwork. Our ranked lists of the best mortgage brokers in Sydney, best mortgage brokers in Melbourne and Brisbane are reviewed regularly.
FAQs
How much does it cost to discharge a mortgage in Australia?
The bank’s own fee is usually $350 to $650, depending on the lender. Add your state’s registration fee, which is $182.73 in NSW for 2026–27, and any fixed-rate break cost.
Which bank has the lowest discharge fee?
CommBank, Westpac, NAB, Suncorp and ME Bank all charge $350, the lowest bank fee in our table. NAB may add $150 if documents have to be produced.
How long does it take to discharge a mortgage?
Most lenders ask for 10 to 21 business days’ notice after they receive a complete discharge form. ANZ, NAB and St.George ask for at least 10 business days, ME Bank and HSBC for up to 21.
Are there exit fees on variable home loans?
Deferred establishment or early exit fees on home loans were banned from 1 July 2011. What you pay now is a discharge or settlement fee, which covers the paperwork of releasing the mortgage.
Is it worth refinancing to save 0.30%?
On a $600,000 loan it saves about $110 a month. Even at the dearest lender on our table, the exit costs in NSW are covered in about 8 months, as long as there’s no fixed-rate break cost.
This page is general information, not financial or credit advice. Fees change; check with your lender before you lodge a discharge form.
Sources
- Commonwealth Bank, fee schedule or discharge page: commbank.com.au
- Westpac, fee schedule or discharge page: westpac.com.au
- Suncorp Bank, fee schedule or discharge page: suncorpbank.com.au
- ME Bank, fee schedule or discharge page: mebank.com.au
- NAB, fee schedule or discharge page: nab.com.au
- HSBC, fee schedule or discharge page: hsbc.com.au
- Macquarie, fee schedule or discharge page: macquarie.com.au
- St.George, fee schedule or discharge page: stgeorge.com.au
- Bank of Melbourne, fee schedule or discharge page: bankofmelbourne.com.au
- BankSA, fee schedule or discharge page: banksa.com.au
- Bendigo Bank, fee schedule or discharge page: bendigobank.com.au
- ANZ, fee schedule or discharge page: anz.com.au
- Bank of Queensland, fee schedule or discharge page: boq.com.au
- ING, fee schedule or discharge page: ing.com.au
- Bankwest, fee schedule or discharge page: bankwest.com.au
- NSW Land Registry Services, 2026–27 fees: nswlrs.com.au
- HSBC Australia, important notices: hsbc.com.au
- OurTop10, Mortgage Stress Report, June quarter 2026 (Digital Finance Analytics survey data): ourtop10.com.au/reports/mortgage-stress-q2-2026
Megan Birot
Content Editor, OurTop10
Megan Birot is OurTop10’s Content Editor. She holds a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking (FNS40821) and a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management (FNS50322), and checks every guide on the site against current lender policy before it goes live. She also writes the media releases for the OurTop10 Reports.