What is stamp duty?
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You must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) if you buy a property or land over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland.
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The tax is different if the property or land is in:
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Scotland - pay Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
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Wales - pay Land Transaction Tax if the sale was completed on or after 1 April 2018
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The current SDLT threshold is £125,000 for residential properties and £150,000 for non-residential land and properties. There are different rules if you’re buying your first home.
You get a discount (relief) that means you pay less or no tax if:
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you complete your purchase on or after 22 November 2017
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the purchase price is £500,000 or less
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you, and anyone else you’re buying with, are first-time buyers
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You pay the tax when you:
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buy a freehold property
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buy a new or existing leasehold
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buy a property through a shared ownership scheme
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are transferred land or property in exchange for payment, eg you take on a mortgage or buy a share in a house
Stamp duty threshold in England
Property Value Stamp duty rate
Up to £125,000 Zero
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The next £125,000 (the portion from £125,001 to £250,000) 2%
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The next £675,000 (the portion from £250,001 to £925,000) 5%
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The next £575,000 (the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million) 10%
The remaining amount (the portion above £1.5 million) 12%
If you’re buying a property in Scotland, you'll pay Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) rather than stamp duty. LBTT rates are shown below. Scottish buyers are not affected by changes to first-time buyer stamp duty rules in England.
Stamp duty in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
If you’re buying a property in Northern Ireland, you’ll pay the same stamp duty rates as if you were buying in England, including the first-time buyer exemption on the first £300,000 of the property value.
If you’re buying a property in Wales, under the Welsh government’s Land Transaction Tax (LTT), which replaced stamp duty in April 2018, there is no LTT to pay for all buyers purchasing homes costing up to £180,000.
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The following table shows the main residential LTT rates and bands in Wales
Property Value LBTT rate
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Up to £145,000 Zero
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The next £105,000 (the portion from £145,001 to £250,000) 2%
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The next £75,000 (the portion from £250,001 to £325,000) 5%
The next £425,000 (the portion from £325,001 to £750,000) 10%
The remaining amount (the portion above £750,000) 12%
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