Stamp Duty UK 2026/27 — Rates, First-Time Buyer Relief and Second Homes
Land Transaction Tax Wales Explained — LTT Rates & Calculator
Complete guide to Land Transaction Tax Wales. Current LTT rates, how it differs from Stamp Duty, first-time buyer relief, and calculating your LTT bill.
Land Transaction Tax (LTT) applies to property purchases in Wales. Here’s everything you need to know.
For the wider cluster covering SDLT, Scottish LBTT, first-time-buyer relief and additional-property tax rules, use the main Stamp Duty UK hub.
LTT vs Stamp Duty
Key Differences
| Feature |
Wales (LTT) |
England (SDLT) |
| Starting threshold |
£225,000 |
£250,000 |
| First-time buyer relief |
No |
Yes (up to £425k) |
| Additional property |
+4% |
+5% |
| Administered by |
Welsh Revenue Authority |
HMRC |
Which Applies to You
| Location |
Tax |
| Property in Wales |
LTT |
| Property in England |
SDLT |
| Property in Scotland |
LBTT |
| Where you live |
Doesn’t matter — it’s where property is |
Current LTT Rates (2025/26)
Main Residential Rates
| Property Price Band |
LTT Rate |
| £0 - £225,000 |
0% |
| £225,001 - £400,000 |
6% |
| £400,001 - £750,000 |
7.5% |
| £750,001 - £1,500,000 |
10% |
| Over £1,500,000 |
12% |
Higher Rates (Additional Properties)
| Property Price Band |
Higher Rate |
| £0 - £180,000 |
4% |
| £180,001 - £250,000 |
7.5% |
| £250,001 - £400,000 |
9% |
| £400,001 - £750,000 |
11.5% |
| £750,001 - £1,500,000 |
14% |
| Over £1,500,000 |
16% |
Non-Residential/Mixed Use
| Price Band |
Rate |
| £0 - £225,000 |
0% |
| £225,001 - £250,000 |
1% |
| £250,001 - £1,000,000 |
5% |
| Over £1,000,000 |
6% |
LTT Calculations
How It Works (Main Rates)
| Purchase Price £300,000 |
Calculation |
| First £225,000 |
£0 (0%) |
| Next £75,000 (to £300k) |
£4,500 (6%) |
| Total LTT |
£4,500 |
More Examples
| Property Price |
Total LTT |
As % of Price |
| £200,000 |
£0 |
0% |
| £225,000 |
£0 |
0% |
| £250,000 |
£1,500 |
0.6% |
| £300,000 |
£4,500 |
1.5% |
| £350,000 |
£7,500 |
2.1% |
| £400,000 |
£10,500 |
2.6% |
| £450,000 |
£14,250 |
3.2% |
| £500,000 |
£18,000 |
3.6% |
Higher Rates Examples (Second Homes/BTL)
| Property Price |
Main Rate |
Higher Rate |
Difference |
| £200,000 |
£0 |
£8,000 |
+£8,000 |
| £300,000 |
£4,500 |
£18,450 |
+£13,950 |
| £400,000 |
£10,500 |
£30,850 |
+£20,350 |
| £500,000 |
£18,000 |
£44,000 |
+£26,000 |
First-Time Buyers in Wales
No Specific Relief
| Important |
Wales Has No FTB Relief |
| Unlike England |
No enhanced nil-rate band |
| Unlike Scotland |
No Additional Dwelling Supplement exemption |
| Main rates apply |
To everyone |
Why It May Not Matter Much
| Comparison |
Wales |
England (FTB) |
| £225,000 property |
£0 LTT |
£0 SDLT |
| £250,000 property |
£1,500 LTT |
£0 SDLT |
| £300,000 property |
£4,500 LTT |
£0 SDLT |
| £400,000 property |
£10,500 LTT |
£0 SDLT |
| £425,000 property |
£12,375 LTT |
£0 SDLT |
Average Welsh House Prices
| Area |
Average Price |
LTT Due |
| Wales average |
~£215,000 |
£0 |
| Cardiff |
~£280,000 |
£3,300 |
| Swansea |
~£195,000 |
£0 |
| Newport |
~£235,000 |
£600 |
| Pembrokeshire |
~£245,000 |
£1,200 |
Higher Rates Explained
When Higher Rates Apply
| Situation |
Higher Rates? |
| Buying second home |
Yes |
| Buy-to-let purchase |
Yes |
| Company buying residential |
Yes |
| Replacing main residence |
Usually no |
| First property ever |
No |
Main Residence Replacement
| Rule |
Details |
| Buying before selling |
Higher rates apply initially |
| Sell within 3 years |
Claim refund of extra |
| Refund claim |
Within 12 months of selling |
Claims and Refunds
| Situation |
Action |
| Paid higher rates, now sold old home |
Claim refund |
| Inherit property while buying |
May be exempt |
| Divorce/separation |
Special rules |
Paying LTT
Timeline
| Event |
Deadline |
| Complete purchase |
Day 0 |
| File return |
Within 30 days |
| Pay tax |
Within 30 days |
| Land Registry registration |
After LTT paid |
How Payment Works
| Step |
Who Does It |
| Calculate LTT |
Solicitor |
| File return |
Solicitor |
| Collect from you |
Solicitor (at completion) |
| Pay WRA |
Solicitor |
Penalties for Late Payment
| Lateness |
Penalty |
| 1 day late |
£100 |
| 3 months late |
Additional £300 |
| 6 months late |
5% of tax due |
| 12 months late |
Further 5% |
| Plus |
Interest charges |
Exemptions and Reliefs
Fully Exempt Transactions
| Transaction |
LTT Due |
| Property under £225,000 (residential) |
£0 |
| Inheritance |
Exempt |
| Gifts (usually) |
Exempt |
| Divorce/dissolution transfers |
Exempt |
| Charity purchases |
Exempt |
Partial Reliefs
| Relief |
Conditions |
| Multiple dwellings relief |
3+ properties in one transaction |
| Group relief |
Company transfers |
| Charities relief |
Qualifying purposes |
Welsh Revenue Authority
| Method |
Details |
| Website |
gov.wales/welsh-revenue-authority |
| Phone |
03000 254 000 |
| Post |
Welsh Revenue Authority, Box 110, Pontypridd, CF37 9EH |
Online Services
| Service |
Available |
| LTT calculator |
Online at gov.wales |
| File returns |
Online for professionals |
| Check payment |
WRA online services |
Comparing to Other UK Nations
£300,000 Property
| Location |
Tax Due |
| Wales (LTT) |
£4,500 |
| England (SDLT) |
£2,500 |
| England (FTB) |
£0 |
| Scotland (LBTT) |
£4,600 |
£500,000 Property
| Location |
Tax Due |
| Wales (LTT) |
£18,000 |
| England (SDLT) |
£12,500 |
| England (FTB) |
£3,750 |
| Scotland (LBTT) |
£23,350 |
Summary
Key Points
| Point |
Detail |
| Applies to |
Property in Wales |
| Threshold |
£225,000 |
| No FTB relief |
Unlike England |
| Higher rates |
+4% for additional properties |
| Payment deadline |
30 days |
Tax Rates Summary
| Band |
Main Rate |
Higher Rate |
| £0-225k |
0% |
4% |
| £225k-400k |
6% |
9% |
| £400k-750k |
7.5% |
11.5% |
| £750k-1.5m |
10% |
14% |
| Over £1.5m |
12% |
16% |
Checklist
| Action |
Done? |
| Check property is in Wales (not England) |
☐ |
| Calculate LTT due |
☐ |
| Check if higher rates apply |
☐ |
| Budget for payment at completion |
☐ |
| Solicitor will arrange payment |
☐ |
aliases:
- /mortgages/stamp-duty/land-transaction-tax-wales-guide/
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. PocketWise provides information and guidance — we do not offer financial advice. Seek independent mortgage advice before making decisions about borrowing.
You Might Also Find Useful