Making an offer

Buying at auction in Tasmania

The Tasmania 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 Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS).

Tasmania auction rules at a glance

Cooling-off: None at auction (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

Rules as at the date on each citation, from Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS). CBOS's auction page was last updated on 6 September 2022.

Registering to bid

Before bidding starts, the auctioneer must tell bidders that bids won't be accepted after the fall of the hammer and that bidders will be identified on request (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

CBOS's auction page does not describe registering before you bid.

The contract and its conditions

The auction rules and the auction information statement must be on display before and during the auction (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

You can't make an auction contract subject to conditions such as finance (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

The reserve price

CBOS's auction page does not cover the reserve price.

Vendor (seller) bids

Before the auction starts, the auctioneer must say whether vendor or co-owner bids will be used (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

Dummy bidding

A dummy bid is a false bid made up by the auctioneer, or a bid the auctioneer accepts from a non-genuine bidder (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

Making a false bid is illegal and substantial fines apply (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026). CBOS's page gives no figure.

When the hammer falls: signing and the deposit

CBOS's auction page does not cover signing or the deposit.

Cooling-off

There is no cooling-off period for a property bought at auction (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania), verified 12 Aug 2026).

If the property is passed in

CBOS's auction page does not describe what happens when a property is passed in.

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 Tasmania?

There is no cooling-off period for a property bought at auction.

How do vendor bids work in Tasmania?

Before the auction starts, the auctioneer must say whether vendor or co-owner bids will be used.

Can I make an auction contract subject to finance in Tasmania?

The auction rules and the auction information statement must be on display before and during the auction.

Practical checklist

Before an auction in Tasmania

• 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

• CBOS Tasmania: property auctions

Sources and methodology

• Property auctions — Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) (retrieved 12 Aug 2026). Licence: Tasmanian Government content, reproduced for research/citation purposes

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.