How much is stamp duty in the UK?

Stamp duty ranges from 0% on the first £250,000 to 12% on property over £1.5 million. First-time buyers pay 0% on the first £425,000 for properties up to £625,000. Additional properties have a 5% surcharge.

Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?

First-time buyers pay no stamp duty on properties up to £425,000, and reduced rates up to £625,000. Above £625,000, standard rates apply with no relief.

UK Stamp Duty Guide 2026: How Much Tax on Property Purchases

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is paid when buying property in England and Northern Ireland. Here’s how much you’ll pay and how to minimise it.

Standard Stamp Duty Rates 2026

Property Price Band	SDLT Rate
£0 - £250,000	0%
£250,001 - £925,000	5%
£925,001 - £1,500,000	10%
Over £1,500,000	12%

Note: Scotland has LBTT, Wales has LTT (different rates).

First-Time Buyer Relief

Property Price Band	SDLT Rate
£0 - £425,000	0%
£425,001 - £625,000	5%
Over £625,000*	Standard rates

*Relief lost entirely if property exceeds £625,000.

Additional Property Surcharge

Buying a second home or buy-to-let:

Property Price Band	Rate (Including 5% Surcharge)
£0 - £250,000	5%
£250,001 - £925,000	10%
£925,001 - £1,500,000	15%
Over £1,500,000	17%

Stamp Duty Calculator

£300,000 Property (Standard)

Band	Amount	Rate	Tax
£0-£250,000	£250,000	0%	£0
£250,001-£300,000	£50,000	5%	£2,500
Total SDLT			£2,500

£300,000 Property (First-Time Buyer)

Band	Amount	Rate	Tax
£0-£300,000	£300,000	0%	£0
Total SDLT			£0

Saving: £2,500

£500,000 Property (Standard)

Band	Amount	Rate	Tax
£0-£250,000	£250,000	0%	£0
£250,001-£500,000	£250,000	5%	£12,500
Total SDLT			£12,500

£500,000 Property (First-Time Buyer)

Band	Amount	Rate	Tax
£0-£425,000	£425,000	0%	£0
£425,001-£500,000	£75,000	5%	£3,750
Total SDLT			£3,750

Saving: £8,750

£1,000,000 Property (Standard)

Band	Amount	Rate	Tax
£0-£250,000	£250,000	0%	£0
£250,001-£925,000	£675,000	5%	£33,750
£925,001-£1,000,000	£75,000	10%	£7,500
Total SDLT			£41,250

SDLT Quick Reference

Property Price	Standard	First-Time	Additional
£250,000	£0	£0	£12,500
£300,000	£2,500	£0	£17,500
£400,000	£7,500	£0	£27,500
£500,000	£12,500	£3,750	£32,500
£600,000	£17,500	£8,750	£37,500
£700,000	£22,500	N/A	£42,500
£1,000,000	£41,250	N/A	£71,250

Who Counts as First-Time Buyer?

Qualifies

Situation	First-Time?
Never owned property anywhere	✓
Inherited property but sold before purchasing	✓*
Gifted share of property	Check carefully

*Some exceptions apply.

Does NOT Qualify

Situation	First-Time?
Previously owned any property	✗
Inherited property (still own share)	✗
Buying jointly with non-first-time buyer	✗

When SDLT Is Due

Timeline	Details
Submission deadline	14 days after completion
Payment deadline	14 days after completion
Penalty for late payment	Interest + potential fines
Who files	Usually solicitor

Reducing Stamp Duty

Strategy	Details
Negotiate price slightly below band	e.g., £249,999 instead of £260,000
First-time buyer relief	Up to £11,250 saving
Multiple Dwellings Relief	Bulk purchases
Chain break exemption	Some transfers
Separation/divorce transfers	Often exempt

Scotland: LBTT Rates

Land and Buildings Transaction Tax:

Band	Rate
£0 - £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: 0% up to £175,000.

Wales: LTT Rates

Land Transaction Tax:

Band	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%

No first-time buyer relief in Wales.

Additional Property Rules

Situation	Surcharge Applies?
Second home	Yes
Buy-to-let	Yes
Replacing main residence	No (if sold within 3 years)
Inherited property (<50% share)	No
Property worth <£40,000	No

Selling Previous Home

If buying before selling:

Pay surcharge upfront
Reclaim if previous home sells within 3 years
Must have intended it as main residence

Non-UK Residents

Status	Surcharge
Non-UK resident	Additional 2%
Stacks with other surcharges	Yes
Example: Non-resident + additional property	7% extra total

Exemptions and Reliefs

Situation	Relief
Gifts (no money exchanged)	Usually exempt
Transfers in divorce	Usually exempt
Social housing purchases	Reduced rates
Multiple dwellings relief	Average price method
Property < £40,000	No SDLT

Bottom Line

Buyer Type	Key Rate to Know
First-time buyer	0% up to £425,000
Standard buyer	0% up to £250,000
Additional property	+5% surcharge on all
Non-resident	+2% surcharge

Tips:

Use first-time buyer relief if eligible
Consider price negotiations near band thresholds
Pay within 14 days to avoid penalties
If replacing home, you can reclaim surcharge
Scotland and Wales have different rates

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