Whether you are selling your property, refinancing with a new lender, or celebrating the milestone of paying off your home loan entirely, you must legally remove the bank's claim on your property. To initiate this process, you are required to submit an official Discharge Authority form to St. George Bank, which legally instructs them to release the mortgage from your property title.
Locating and correctly submitting this paperwork is critical to avoiding stressful delays during your settlement period. While many mortgage brokers and conveyancers will provide this specific document for you to sign, you can also request the discharge paperwork directly through St. George Bank's customer service channels to take control of the process.
Discharge Authority Form Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Reasons to Discharge | Selling your property, refinancing to a new bank, or paying the loan in full. |
| Estimated Bank Fee | Typically $350 per mortgage discharged (excluding government title fees). |
| Processing Time | Standard processing takes 10 to 21 business days after form submission. |
| Submission Channels | Via your conveyancer, mortgage broker, or directly to the St. George discharge team. |
Step-by-Step Guide to Accessing the Form
What is The reason you like to discharge your mortgage?
If you are selling the property: You will need to speak with your lender first. If your home loan is with St.George, you should talk to a home loan expert to make sure your loan is eligible. After confirming eligibility, you can apply for a substitution of security by completing the Property and Security Request form. When filling this out, make sure you provide the exact details of your current property and new property (if applicable), including the settlement date. You must select No when asked Will the loan be closed? and then write Application for loan portability in the Additional information section. Please download, print, and sign the form before returning it to us. Our team will then get back in touch with you.
If you have paid off the home loan:
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Fill out our online Property and Security Request form. Please allow 20 minutes to complete this, as you cannot save your progress or come back later.
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Return form to us using one of the following methods:
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Scanning and emailing it to [email protected]
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Taking it to a St.George branch
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Printing it out and mailing it to: St.George Home Ownership Services Locked Bag 1 Kogarah NSW 2217
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You can expect to hear back from us with a confirmation letter in about 10 days after receiving your form.
If you are switching to a new lender: Simply fill in the form available at this link: https://www.stgeorge.com.au/personal/home-loans/manage/mortgage-security/refinance-callback?pid=isc:hl:pred_2407
Efficiency Hack for Faster Settlement
Pro-Tip: If you are selling your home, do not wait until the last minute. Submit your signed Discharge Authority form to St. George Bank the exact same day you sign the Contract of Sale. The bank generally requires up to 21 days to calculate the final payout figure and prepare the physical title release. Submitting the paperwork early prevents settlement delays and saves you from paying potential penalty interest to the buyer.
Troubleshooting Common Discharge Issues
- MFA Delays: If you are logging into your digital banking to check your final payout figure and the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) SMS is delayed, check if your phone is filtering messages from shortcodes. Alternatively, open the St. George Mobile App and use the built-in Secure Token to bypass the SMS requirement.
- Browser Errors: The Discharge Authority form provided by the bank is a secure PDF. If you open the link in your web browser and only see a blank page, right-click the attachment and choose "Save As" to download it directly to your desktop. Open it with a dedicated PDF reader to ensure the digital signature fields work correctly.
- Locked ID: If you mistype your password three times while trying to view your loan account, your digital ID will lock. Do not attempt to guess again. Use the Forgot details prompt on the login screen to verify your identity and safely reset your access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to send the form to St. George if I am refinancing with a new bank?
No. If you are refinancing, you simply need to sign the St. George Discharge Authority form and give it to your new mortgage broker or lender. The new bank's settlement team will coordinate the payout and submit the form to St. George on your behalf.
What happens to my offset account when my mortgage is discharged?
Once your St. George home loan is officially discharged and closed, your linked 100% offset account will lose its offset capabilities. It will typically be converted into a standard transaction account, or closed entirely if you instruct the bank to do so during the discharge process.
