Overview

You must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) if you buy a property or land over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland.

The tax is different if the property or land is in:

You pay the tax when you:

Thresholds

The threshold is where SDLT starts to apply. If you buy a property for less than the threshold, there’s no SDLT to pay.

The current SDLT thresholds are:

How much you pay

How much you pay depends on:

For example, if you’re buying a residential property there are different rates of SDLT if:

  • you’re a first-time buyer
  • you already own a property and you’re buying an additional property
  • you’re not a UK resident

You can use HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Stamp Duty Land Tax calculator to work out how much tax you’ll pay.

The value you pay SDLT on (the ‘consideration’)

The total value you pay SDLT on (sometimes called the ‘consideration’) is usually the price you pay for the property or land.

Sometimes it might include another type of payment like:

  • goods
  • works or services
  • release from a debt
  • transfer of a debt, including the value of any outstanding mortgage

Find out how to work out the consideration if your situation is complicated.

How and when to pay

Send an SDLT return to HMRC and pay the tax within 14 days of completion.

If you have a solicitor, agent or conveyancer, they’ll usually file your return and pay the tax on your behalf on the day of completion. They’ll then add the tax to their fees.

If they do not do this for you, you can file a return and pay the tax yourself.

You may be charged penalties and interest if you do not file your return and make your payment within 14 days of completion.