Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is charged on property and land transactions in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales has Land Transaction Tax (LTT). All three work broadly similarly but with different bands and rates.
SDLT is paid by the buyer (not the seller) and must be submitted to HMRC within 14 days of completing the purchase.
Residential SDLT Rates 2026/27 (England and Northern Ireland)
Standard Rates (Main Home Purchase)
| Purchase price portion | SDLT rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
Calculating Your SDLT Bill
SDLT is applied in bands on the marginal portion of the purchase price — similar to income tax. You do not pay the percentage on the whole price.
Example: Buying a £400,000 home
| Band | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| First £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| Next £125,000 (£125,001–£250,000) | 2% | £2,500 |
| Next £150,000 (£250,001–£400,000) | 5% | £7,500 |
| Total SDLT | £10,000 |
Example: Buying a £750,000 home
| Band | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| First £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| Next £125,000 | 2% | £2,500 |
| Next £500,000 (£250,001–£750,000) | 5% | £25,000 |
| Total SDLT | £27,500 |
First-Time Buyer Relief (England and Northern Ireland)
First-time buyers get a reduced nil-rate band:
| Purchase price portion | FTB rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £300,000 | 0% |
| £300,001 – £500,000 | 5% |
| Above £500,000 | Standard rates apply (no FTB relief) |
Important change: The first-time buyer nil-rate threshold was temporarily increased to £425,000 between 23 September 2022 and 31 March 2025. It reverted to £300,000 on 1 April 2025.
Example: First-time buyer, £380,000 property
| Band | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| First £300,000 | 0% | £0 |
| Next £80,000 | 5% | £4,000 |
| Total SDLT | £4,000 |
Without FTB relief, standard rates would give: £0 + £2,500 + £6,500 = £9,000. Saving: £5,000.
FTB Relief Conditions
- All buyers must be first-time buyers (if buying jointly, everyone must be)
- Property must be your only home (you cannot buy a property alongside another home)
- Property must be residential
Additional Property Surcharge (Second Homes and Buy-to-Let)
If you already own a home (anywhere in the world) and purchase another residential property, you pay 5 additional percentage points on each band:
| Purchase price portion | Standard rate | With surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% | 5% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% | 7% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 5% | 10% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% | 15% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% | 17% |
The surcharge was increased from 3% to 5% in the Autumn Budget on 31 October 2024 — applying to completions from that date.
Example: Buy-to-let purchase at £250,000
| Band | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| First £125,000 | 5% | £6,250 |
| Next £125,000 | 7% | £8,750 |
| Total SDLT | £15,000 |
Without surcharge (standard rates): £0 + £2,500 = £2,500. Surcharge cost: £12,500 extra.
Reclaiming the Surcharge
If you paid the 5% surcharge because you bought a new main home before selling your old one, you can reclaim the surcharge from HMRC if you sell your previous main home within 3 years of completing the new purchase.
- Apply for the refund within 12 months of selling the old property (or 12 months after the filing date of the SDLT return, if later)
- HMRC form: SDLT refund application (online or postal)
- The refund can be substantial — on a £400,000 property, the surcharge alone is £20,000
Non-UK Resident Surcharge
Non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England or Northern Ireland pay an additional 2% surcharge on top of the standard rates (or additional property surcharge). The non-resident surcharge applies from 1 April 2021.
How Does SDLT Work on New Builds?
SDLT applies to the purchase price of a new build, which may include the premium you pay the developer above the base price. Shared equity and Help to Buy arrangements have specific rules — SDLT is generally paid on the full market value even if you are only borrowing a proportion initially.
Leasehold Properties
For leasehold purchases, SDLT is calculated on two elements:
- The premium (purchase price) — standard rates above apply
- The net present value of rent — SDLT at 1% on the net present value of rent over the lease term exceeding £250,000
This mainly affects commercial leases and some London leasehold properties with high ground rents.
Non-Residential (Commercial) SDLT Rates
| Purchase price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £150,000 | 0% |
| £150,001 – £250,000 | 2% |
| Over £250,000 | 5% |
Mixed-use properties (e.g., a flat above a shop) can qualify for non-residential rates, which are significantly lower than residential — this can be a useful planning tool where the property genuinely has commercial and residential elements.
Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)
Scotland replaced SDLT with LBTT from April 2015.
LBTT Standard Residential Rates 2026/27
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £145,000 | 0% |
| £145,001 – £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 – £325,000 | 5% |
| £325,001 – £750,000 | 10% |
| Over £750,000 | 12% |
First-time buyers get a nil-rate band up to £175,000. The Scottish additional dwelling supplement is 6% on additional properties.
Wales: Land Transaction Tax (LTT)
Wales replaced SDLT with LTT from April 2018.
LTT Standard Residential Rates 2026/27
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £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% |
Wales has no first-time buyer relief. The higher residential rate (additional properties) is 4% surcharge in 2026/27.
SDLT: Key Deadlines
| Action | Deadline |
|---|---|
| File SDLT return | Within 14 days of completion |
| Pay SDLT | Within 14 days of completion |
| Claim FTB relief later | Amendment must be within 12 months of filing |
| Claim surcharge refund | Within 12 months of selling previous home |
SDLT is typically handled by your solicitor or conveyancer as part of the completion process. Make sure your solicitor has all the correct information about your circumstances — especially whether you own other properties — as this directly affects how much tax is due.