How to register for the Stamp Taxes for Agents online service
Find out how to register to send your Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return to HMRC if you're an agent, solicitor or organisation.
You do not pay SDLT if you buy a property in:
- Scotland from 1 April 2015 — you pay Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
- Wales from 1 April 2018 — you pay Land Transaction Tax (LTT)
Allow 10 working days (21 if you’re abroad) to register. Once you’ve activated your Stamp Taxes for Agents online service, use it to complete, edit and store SDLT transactions.
If you’re not represented by a solicitor, agent or legal conveyancer, you must send paper returns.
Only one person in your organisation needs to register. You can add other people if they need to access, edit or carry out SDLT transactions. Each user must use their own Government Gateway user ID and password.
There are different arrangements to register if you’re a:
- local authority
- government department
- an organisation not registered with Companies House
- not registered either as a self-assessed partnership or trust
Write to HMRC for a reference number. You’ll need this number when you register.
HMRC will ask you for more details about the organisation, and you’ll need these details later when you register for the online service.
What you’ll need
You’ll need your own or your company details to hand.
If you’re a limited company registered with Companies House, you’ll need your:
- Companies House Registration Number (CRN)
- registered office postcode
If you’re a partnership or trust under Self Assessment, you’ll need your:
- partnership or trust Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
- postcode
If you’re self-employed under Self Assessment, you’ll need your:
- Self Assessment UTR
- National Insurance number
- Self Assessment correspondence postcode
How to register
To add Stamp Taxes for Agents to your HMRC Online Services account:
- Sign in using your Government Gateway user ID and password (if you do not have an ID, you can create one from the sign in page).
- Go to ‘Your HMRC services’.
- Select ‘Services you can add’ on the left-hand menu.
- Select ‘Enrol for service’ next to ‘Stamp Taxes for Agents’.
- Provide your details when asked and select ‘Request access’.
Once enrolled, you’ll get your Stamp Taxes Online Reference Number (STORN) on screen. Make a note of this as you’ll need it when contacting HMRC.
HMRC will send you an Activation Code in the post, usually within 7 days. The Activation Code will be sent to the contact name and address HMRC holds for tax purposes for your business. If you’re not the named contact, you’ll need to make that person aware that they’ll be getting the Activation Code.
Once you’ve received your code, you can activate the service.
To do this you must:
- Sign in to your HMRC Online Services account using your Government Gateway user ID and password
- Select ‘Services you can add’ in the left hand menu
- Find the service you want in the list and select ‘Activate service’
- Enter your Activation Code when asked
You’ll then be given access to the tax service and it will be added to your HMRC online services account.
The Activation Code is only valid for 28 days. If you do not activate it within the time limit, you’ll need to enrol again to get a new one.
If you have any problems with registering, contact the Stamp Taxes Helpline.
What to do next
Once you’ve registered, you can find out more about stamp taxes, such as online and paper forms and how to submit a return.
Last updated 11 January 2023 + show all updates
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The postal address to use get a reference number to register for the online service has been updated.
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From 1 April 2018 SDLT will no longer apply in Wales. You'll pay Land Transaction Tax which is dealt with by the Welsh Revenue Authority.
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First published.