In VIC, your responsibility is to prepare the Workspace and the Transfer document first, prior to completing a duty estimate in the online duties system.
From 17 June 2019, the State Revenue Office (SRO) has enhanced their system to allow you to settle and lodge complex assessments online. For more information on complex assessments, click here.
NOTE: For contracts signed after 1st July 2017, the new Digital Duties Form (Settlement Statement) is required to be signed by both parties before you can complete the Stamp Duty assessment in Duties Online.
Important: You are required to enter all mandatory data to complete stamp duty verification.
1. Prepare the documents in a PEXA Workspace
- In the role of Incoming Proprietor navigate to the Documents screen and create a Transfer.
PEXA automatically generates a Notice of Acquisition upon creation of a Transfer.
- Edit the Notice of Acquisition and save it.
If you have provided all mandatory information in the Transfer and Notice of Acquisition (NOA) documents, the document status should move to Prepared. This will then populate a unique SRO transaction ID on the Stamp Duty screen that you will need to link with Duties Online.
Tip: The most common problem for the SRO transaction ID not populating in the Workspace is that the vendor's future address is not entered into the Transfer document.
- Navigate to the Stamp Duty screen and take note of the following numbers as you will need to enter these in Duties Online:
- Lodgement Case ID
- SRO Case Reference
2. Complete your duty assessment online
- Open a new Internet tab (leave PEXA open) and go to SRO Duties Online.
- Hover your mouse over the Create option and select Retrieve and Claim ELNO Lodgement*.
- Enter the following information and then click Retrieve:
- Lodgement Case ID
- SRO Case Reference
- Select a Category and Sub-Category.
The category selected determines whether the transaction is a system or complex assessment.
- Depending on your transaction type, continue with one of the options below:
System assessment
- Enter the Form ID (located on digital duties form) to link the digital form to each ELNO document.
- Complete the remaining details for the transaction and then Acknowledge and Certify to submit for assessment.
Complex assessment
Important: The SRO requires 30 days to review and assess a complex transaction. Ensure you start this process at least 30 days prior to your intended settlement date to ensure your settlement is not delayed.
- Enter the Form ID (located on digital duties form) to link the digital form to each ELNO document.
- Upload all relevant supporting documents.
Complex transactions require supporting documents to be lodged to the SRO at least 30 calendar days before settlement.
- Submit the lodgement for assessment.
3. Verify stamp duty in PEXA
System assessment
- Return to your PEXA Workspace and go to the Stamp Duty tab.
- Click the action cog in the Stamp Duty screen and select Verify Stamp Duty.
Note: If the Verify Stamp Duty option is not available, this means you haven't entered the mandatory data required for the Transfer.
- Refresh the page and the stamp duty should be Successfully verified.
Note: If settlement date changes, you will need to go back into Duties Online and re-certify the transaction. You can find your transaction when you search ‘All Transactions’ in Duties Online. Then also Verify Stamp Duty again in PEXA.
Complex assessment
- Return to your PEXA Workspace and go to the Stamp Duty tab.
- On the Stamp Duty screen, select Cog > Submit Assessment.
SRO will assess the lodgement and return with the duty amount payable and a settlement date and time. Once duty is assessed, you will receive an email notification from SRO requesting you to certify the lodgement.
- In Duties Online, locate the assessed lodgement and then click Certify.
By certifying, you are confirming that all of the information is true and correct and that you’re ready to settle.
- Return to your PEXA Workspace and on the Stamp Duty screen, select Cog > Verify Duty.
- Refresh the page and the stamp duty should be Successfully verified.
Result: Stamp duty is paid direct to the SRO at settlement.
*If you cannot see Retrieve and claim ELNO Lodgement in your Duties Online profile the administrator will need to amend your Duties Online registration to process ELNO transactions.
Duties Online also has some great resources if you are having difficulty claiming the PEXA transaction in their FAQs found here.
Mandatory data in VIC
The most common reasons the SRO transaction ID did not populate on this screen are:
- The vendor or seller's current or future address has not been entered into the Transfer document,
- A party has not been represented,
- The vendors date of birth has not been added to their party record or,
- The NoA has not been completed. It should have status of Prepared.
