Paste your SA contract date. We map out every deadline that matters — cooling-off ends, Form 1 must be served by, finance approval due, inspections due, and settlement day — counting only business days and skipping SA public holidays.
SA cooling-off is 2 clear business days from the later of contract signing or Form 1 receipt. The day of signing/receipt doesn't count — counting starts the next business day. SA public holidays (2026–2028 included) and weekends are skipped. Settlement is calendar days from contract date — if that falls on a weekend or holiday, settlement defaults to the next business day. Building inspection and finance approval deadlines are typical industry norms, not legislated.
Pick your contract date to see every key deadline through to settlement
Before you waive cooling-off, run the Form 1 through our 12-item weighted checklist. Easements, heritage, illegal building work — the 12 things that actually matter.
Open the tool →Settlement day is when you need the cash. Stamp duty, LTO fees, conveyancer, LMI — every dollar required at settlement.
Open the tool →Plain-English walkthrough of the 12 things in a Form 1 that actually matter — and what each red flag costs.
Read the guide →Quick glossary definition — the legal basis, what it covers, when it must be served.
Read more →2 clear business days from the later of (a) signing the contract or (b) receiving the Form 1. The day of signing or receipt doesn't count — counting starts the next business day. Public holidays and weekends are excluded. There is no cooling-off period for auction purchases or for private sales agreed within 3 business days after a passed-in auction.
For private treaty sales, the vendor must serve the Form 1 at least 10 clear days before settlement (or before the cooling-off period starts, whichever is earlier). For auction sales, the Form 1 must be available for inspection at the auctioneer's office at least 3 business days before the auction.
Standard settlement periods in SA are 30, 60 or 90 days from the contract date. 30 days is common for vacant possession or cash purchases. 60 days is the most common for owner-occupier finance. 90 days is typical for off-the-plan or where the buyer needs to sell their existing home first.
No. When a contract specifies a number of "business days", weekends and SA public holidays are excluded. This calculator excludes both. Note that part-day public holidays (Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve in SA, both from 7pm) are still counted as full business days for legal purposes.
Yes. The purchaser can waive cooling-off in writing using Form R3 or by signing the relevant section of the contract. Don't waive cooling-off until your conveyancer has reviewed the Form 1 — once waived, your options to back out narrow significantly. Sellers often request a waiver as a condition of accepting your offer; you can usually negotiate a short cooling-off (e.g. 24 hours) instead of full waiver.
Settlement defaults to the next business day. The contract date itself doesn't shift, but the act of settling (transferring funds, releasing keys) moves to the next available business day. This calculator handles that automatically — the "Settlement" row shows the adjusted date if the original calendar date isn't a business day.
These aren't set by the SA Act — they're contractual. Standard SA contracts include either or both of these as conditions: typically building inspection within cooling-off (so you can use a failed inspection as cooling-off grounds), and finance approval within 14–21 business days. Check your specific contract — these dates are the ones most likely to slip and cause issues.
2 clear business days from the later of (a) signing the contract or (b) receiving the Form 1. The day of signing/receipt doesn't count — counting starts the next business day. Public holidays and weekends are excluded. There is no cooling-off period for auction purchases or for private sales agreed within 3 business days after a passed-in auction.
For private treaty sales, the vendor must serve the Form 1 statement at least 10 clear days before settlement (or before the cooling-off period starts, whichever is earlier). For auction sales, the Form 1 must be available for inspection at the auctioneer's office at least 3 business days before the auction.
Standard settlement periods in SA are 30, 60 or 90 days from the contract date. 30 days is common for vacant possession or cash purchases; 60 days is the most common for owner-occupier finance; 90 days is typical for off-the-plan or where the buyer needs to sell their existing home first.
No — when a contract specifies a number of 'business days', weekends and SA public holidays are excluded. This calculator excludes both. Note that part-day public holidays (Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve in SA, both from 7pm) are still counted as full business days.
Yes. The purchaser can waive cooling-off in writing using Form R3 or by signing the relevant section of the contract. Don't waive cooling-off until your conveyancer has reviewed the Form 1 — once waived, your options to back out narrow significantly.