Making an offer

Buying at auction in the ACT

The ACT auction rules from registration to the fall of the hammer: vendor bids, the reserve, the deposit, cooling-off and what happens if a property is passed in, each cited to Access Canberra and the ACT legislation.

ACT auction rules at a glance

Cooling-off: None at auction (ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office, verified 7 Aug 2026).

Rules as at the date on each citation, from Access Canberra and the ACT legislation. The registration, signing and passed-in rules come from Access Canberra's Reality Check guide, third edition, which carries no edition date (its figures are as at September 2015). The vendor-bid, dummy-bidding and display rules come from the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003. Check the current position with Access Canberra before an ACT auction.

Registering to bid

All potential bidders must register before bidding and get a bidder number only on presenting proof of identity on the day; registering does not oblige you to bid (Access Canberra, verified 22 Oct 2026).

The contract and its conditions

An auctioneer commits an offence if the auction begins without the auction conditions having been displayed at the auction location for at least 30 minutes beforehand (ACT Legislative Assembly (via AustLII consolidated text), verified 12 Aug 2026).

The reserve price

Neither the ACT Act sections nor Access Canberra's guide that Delora holds says whether the reserve is disclosed to bidders.

Vendor (seller) bids

The auctioneer may make only one seller bid, and only if the auction conditions permit it, it is declared before bidding begins, and the auctioneer says aloud each time that the bid is for the seller (ACT Legislative Assembly (via AustLII consolidated text), verified 12 Aug 2026).

Dummy bidding

It is illegal for the seller to bid at their own auction, to arrange for someone else to bid for them, or for anyone to bid for the seller; the maximum penalty is 100 penalty units (ACT Legislative Assembly (via AustLII consolidated text), verified 12 Aug 2026).

When the hammer falls: signing and the deposit

A successful bidder must immediately sign the contract and pay a deposit (Access Canberra, verified 22 Oct 2026).

Cooling-off

No cooling-off period applies to a property bought at public auction (ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office, verified 7 Aug 2026).

Access Canberra's guide adds that cooling-off also does not apply to a purchase on the same day as a public auction at which the property was passed in, where the buyer was a registered bidder (Access Canberra, verified 22 Oct 2026).

If the property is passed in

If the seller's reserve is not met, the property may be passed in or withdrawn, and the seller must first negotiate with the highest bidder (Access Canberra, verified 22 Oct 2026).

For how auctions run everywhere, and every state side by side, see buying at auction in Australia.

Common questions

Is there a cooling-off period at auction in the ACT?

No cooling-off period applies to a property bought at public auction.

What do I sign and pay when I win an auction in the ACT?

A successful bidder must immediately sign the contract and pay a deposit.

How do vendor bids work in the ACT?

The auctioneer may make only one seller bid, and only if the auction conditions permit it, it is declared before bidding begins, and the auctioneer says aloud each time that the bid is for the seller.

Practical checklist

Before an auction in the ACT

• Finance approved for this property and your limit, not just pre-approval in principle
• Building and pest inspection, and strata records for a unit, done before the day
• Contract and vendor disclosure read by your conveyancer or solicitor, with any changes asked for in writing before the auction
• Your walk-away limit written down, and the bidding plan for whoever bids
• Proof of identity for registration, and a letter of authority if bidding for someone else or a company
• The deposit ready in a form the agent accepts, confirmed with the agent beforehand
• Arrive early to read the rules or conditions on display and hear the auctioneer's opening statements
• If you win: get a copy of the signed contract, tell your lender, and arrange insurance from the date your contract says

Questions for a professional

• Is there anything in this contract or the conditions of sale I should ask to change before the auction?
• What happens to my deposit if my finance falls through after I win?

Official resources

• Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003 (ACT)
• Access Canberra: Reality Check, a real estate guide for buyers and sellers

Sources and methodology

• Reality Check: a real estate guide for buyers and sellers in the ACT (third edition) — Access Canberra (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site
• Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003 (ACT) -- ss.29, 30, 32 — ACT Legislative Assembly (via AustLII consolidated text) (retrieved 12 Aug 2026). Licence: AustLII consolidated legislation text, reproduced for research/citation purposes
• Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003 | ACT Legislation Register — ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office (retrieved 7 Aug 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site

Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.