Instantly calculate your Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) or Land Transaction Tax (LTT) with accurate, up-to-date rates for England, Scotland and Wales.
| Band | Rate | Taxable Amount | Tax Due |
|---|
Stamp duty is a property transaction tax levied by the government when you purchase a residential property or piece of land above a certain price threshold. In England and Northern Ireland, this tax is formally known as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and is administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It is one of the most significant additional costs you will face when buying a home, and understanding how it works is essential for budgeting accurately.
The tax operates on a progressive, tiered system similar to income tax bands. You do not pay the higher rate on the entire purchase price; instead, you pay different rates on different portions (or "slices") of the property price. For example, if you buy a property for £350,000, you pay 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 (from £125,001 to £250,000), and 5% on the remaining £100,000 (from £250,001 to £350,000).
It is important to understand that Scotland and Wales operate their own property transaction taxes. Scotland charges the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), administered by Revenue Scotland, while Wales charges the Land Transaction Tax (LTT), administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA). Although all three taxes work on a similar progressive basis, their rate bands and thresholds differ. Our calculator above covers all three systems.
The following Stamp Duty Land Tax rates apply to residential property purchases completing on or after 1 April 2025 in England and Northern Ireland. These rates were confirmed by HMRC for the 2025/26 tax year.
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
| Up to £300,000 | 0% |
| £300,001 to £500,000 | 5% |
| Above £500,000 — standard rates apply | |
First-time buyer relief is one of the most valuable stamp duty concessions available. If you have never owned a residential property anywhere in the world, and you are purchasing a property in England or Northern Ireland for £500,000 or less, you benefit from a higher nil-rate threshold of £300,000. This means you pay no stamp duty at all on properties up to £300,000.
For properties priced between £300,001 and £500,000, you pay 5% only on the portion above £300,000. The maximum SDLT saving for a first-time buyer is £10,000 compared to the standard rates. If the property price exceeds £500,000, the first-time buyer relief is not available and you pay standard SDLT rates on the full purchase price.
To qualify for first-time buyer relief, all purchasers named on the transaction must be first-time buyers. If you are buying jointly with someone who has previously owned a property, the relief will not apply to the whole transaction.
In Scotland, property transactions are subject to the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) instead of SDLT. The LBTT rates and thresholds differ from those in England and Northern Ireland. Revenue Scotland administers and collects this tax.
| Up to £145,000 | 0% |
| £145,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £325,000 | 5% |
| £325,001 to £750,000 | 10% |
| Over £750,000 | 12% |
Scotland applies an Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) of 6% for additional property purchases, which is higher than the 3% surcharge in England and Northern Ireland. The ADS applies to the total purchase price of the property if it costs £40,000 or more.
Wales has its own property transaction tax called the Land Transaction Tax (LTT), administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA). The LTT has a higher nil-rate threshold than SDLT, meaning Welsh buyers pay no tax on properties up to £225,000.
| Up to £225,000 | 0% |
| £225,001 to £400,000 | 6% |
| £400,001 to £750,000 | 7.5% |
| £750,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
Wales applies a Higher Rates Transaction Tax of 6% for additional residential property purchases, applied on top of the standard LTT rates. Unlike in England, there is currently no specific first-time buyer relief for LTT in Wales.
| Feature | England & NI (SDLT) | Scotland (LBTT) | Wales (LTT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nil-rate threshold | £125,000 | £145,000 | £225,000 |
| First-time buyer relief | Yes (£300k threshold) | No specific relief | No specific relief |
| Additional property surcharge | 3% | 6% (ADS) | 6% |
| Non-UK resident surcharge | 2% | N/A | N/A |
| Administering body | HMRC | Revenue Scotland | WRA |
| Filing deadline | 14 days | 30 days | 30 days |
Stamp duty becomes payable on the completion date of your property purchase — this is the date when the purchase is legally finalised and ownership transfers to you. In England and Northern Ireland, you must file your SDLT return and pay the tax owed within 14 days of completion. Failure to do so may result in penalties, interest charges, and potential surcharges from HMRC.
Your solicitor or conveyancer will typically handle the filing of the SDLT return and the payment of the tax on your behalf as part of the conveyancing process. The payment is made electronically to HMRC. Make sure you have budgeted for the stamp duty amount in addition to your deposit, solicitor fees, and other purchase costs.
In most cases, your solicitor or licensed conveyancer will manage the entire stamp duty process for you. Here is what typically happens:
If you are handling the transaction yourself (which is unusual for residential purchases), you can file an SDLT return and pay online through the HMRC website or by post using form SDLT1.
Several situations qualify for stamp duty exemptions or reliefs that could reduce or eliminate the amount you owe:
If you paid the 3% additional property surcharge because you bought a new main residence before selling your previous one, you may be entitled to a refund. To qualify, you must sell your previous main residence within 36 months (3 years) of purchasing the new property. You then have 12 months from the date of sale (or 12 months from the SDLT filing date, whichever is later) to apply for a refund from HMRC.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tax you pay when you buy a residential property or piece of land in England and Northern Ireland above a certain price threshold. The tax is calculated on a tiered basis, meaning you pay different rates on different portions of the property price. For the 2025/26 tax year, the SDLT threshold is £125,000 for standard purchases. Scotland has its own equivalent called Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT).
First-time buyers benefit from stamp duty relief in England and Northern Ireland. You pay no SDLT on the first £300,000 of a property priced up to £500,000, and 5% on the portion between £300,001 and £500,000. This means first-time buyers pay no stamp duty on properties costing up to £300,000, and a maximum of £10,000 on properties up to £500,000. If the property price exceeds £500,000, standard SDLT rates apply and the first-time buyer relief is not available.
If you are buying an additional residential property in England or Northern Ireland — such as a buy-to-let investment or a second home — you must pay a 3% surcharge on top of the standard SDLT rates. This applies to each band of the purchase price. In Scotland, the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) is 6%, and in Wales, the higher rates surcharge is also 6%. The surcharge does not apply if you are replacing your main residence.
You must file an SDLT return and pay the stamp duty owed within 14 days of the completion date in England and Northern Ireland (30 days in Scotland and Wales). Your solicitor or conveyancer will typically handle the SDLT return and payment on your behalf as part of the conveyancing process. Payment is made electronically to HMRC. If you fail to file and pay on time, you may be charged penalties and interest.
Yes. Since April 2021, non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England and Northern Ireland pay a 2% surcharge on top of the standard SDLT rates. This applies in addition to any other surcharges, such as the 3% additional property surcharge. For example, a non-UK resident buying a second property would pay the standard rate plus 3% plus 2% — a total surcharge of 5% on top of standard rates.
SDLT (Stamp Duty Land Tax) applies in England and Northern Ireland, administered by HMRC. LBTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) applies in Scotland, administered by Revenue Scotland. LTT (Land Transaction Tax) applies in Wales, administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. Each has its own rate bands, thresholds, and relief schemes. While all three are progressive property transaction taxes, the rates and bands differ — for example, Wales has the highest nil-rate threshold at £225,000, while England's is £125,000.
You may be able to claim a refund of the 3% additional property surcharge if you sell your previous main residence within 36 months of purchasing your new one. The refund must be claimed within 12 months of the sale. You can apply for the refund online through HMRC. Refunds may also be available if you believe you have overpaid SDLT, for example if first-time buyer relief was not correctly applied.