After you lodge a duty transaction

Key information

After you lodge a duty transaction, it moves through statuses in Duties Online. The status indicates where a transaction is in the system:

• In progress is when the transaction has been created but not yet lodged.
• Submitted is when the transaction has been submitted and identified as a complex transaction that is undergoing a manual assessment.
• Certified is when the assessment outcome is confirmed and the transaction is ready to proceed to settlement. You will receive a notification in Duties Online and an email.
• Finalised is when settlement occurs.
• Completed is when duty has been paid.

After lodgement, the ability to make changes is limited. Some changes require a new lodgement. 

After settlement and payment, Duties Online issues a duty statement and duty certificate confirming the transaction details and duty outcome.

Assessment and certification

Once you lodge a transaction, Duties Online assesses the information and prepares the transaction for certification.

During assessment, Duties Online calculates the duty payable based on the information provided. This may happen automatically or after manual review.

Duties Online may identify that a transaction cannot proceed through the standard electronic process. When this happens, the system provides instructions on what to do next.

Certification applies to all lodged transactions, including transactions where no duty is payable due to an exemption. Certification confirms the assessment outcome and allows the transaction to proceed through settlement or finalisation.

The way certification information is passed through to Land Use Victoria depends on the lodgement channel used.

Settlement timing and payment

Duties Online must assess and certify a transaction before settlement can proceed.

All transactions within an electronic lodgement network operator (ELNO) workspace must be claimed and assessed in Duties Online before settlement. If a transaction is not proceeding, contact your ELNO to cancel the transfer within the workspace.

For transactions settled electronically, duty forms part of the financial settlement process. Payment occurs at settlement when the ELNO transfers the certified duty amount to us.

After settlement, the transaction status changes to ‘Finalised’. Once we receive and allocate payment, the transaction status changes to ‘Completed’. Payment confirmation becomes available once this process is complete.

If settlement dates change, this does not alter the assessment path or automatically trigger reassessment. If settlement does not occur as planned, we may need to review the transaction before settlement proceeds.

There are limits on what can be changed after a transaction is lodged and some situations require specific action.

Changes and exceptions after lodgement

Once you lodge a duty transaction, your ability to make changes is limited. Duties Online assesses transactions based on the details, claims and arrangements you provide.

Changes to key details after lodgement may affect how duty applies. In some cases, you cannot make changes within the existing transaction and must lodge a new transaction. This is more likely where changes affect:

• the transaction structure
• the parties involved
• claims for exemptions, concessions or reductions.

Understanding these limits helps avoid delays and ensures transactions progress as expected.

Revising settlement dates for ELNO complex lodgements

You can revise the settlement date in your ELNO workspace if the initial scheduled settlement date has not lapsed. To request the revision, contact us so we can update the settlement date. You must then verify the revised date in your ELNO workspace.

After you verify the revised date, Duties Online updates the transaction so it can proceed.

You cannot extend the settlement date after the initial scheduled settlement date has passed. If the date has passed and the transaction is certified but not settled, you must lodge a new transaction and submit a new Digital Duties Form.

For public lodgements, you cannot revise the settlement date. If the circumstances change, lodge a new transaction.

Settlement validity and grace period

The certified duty information remains valid until the scheduled settlement date. This is provided no changes are made in the ELNO workspace after certification.

If settlement does not occur by the scheduled date, the transaction remains valid for a further 3 days. This grace period allows settlement to proceed without requesting a revised settlement date.

After settlement

Once a transaction is finalised because settlement has occurred, you cannot cancel it in Duties Online. Finalisation confirms the transaction and duty outcome.