Guide to UK Stamp Duty
This stamp duty calculator has been updated to account for the 2006 Budget changes.
Stamp duty is essentially a charge on certain documents, not transactions. However, an equivalent tax is charged on electronic share transfers under the CREST system. From 1 December 2003, stamp duty land tax (SDLT) replaced stamp duty for land transactions, whether or not completion takes place.
The most significant duties are based on the amount of consideration.
- 0.5% duty on share transfers.
- For land transactions and lease premiums, rates, charged on the whole consideration, are:
Up to £125,000* | nil |
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£125,001 to £250,000 | 1% |
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£250,001 to £500,000 | 3% |
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More than £500,000 | 4% |
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A special sliding scale applies to duty on rents. SDLT is charged at 1% (upfront payment) on the net present value of rent over the lease term where that exceeds £120,000 (residential) or £150,000 (commercial). This stamp duty calculator has been updated to account for the 2005 budget changes:
The lower threshold is £150,000 rather than £120,000 for people purchasing in a few pockets of 'disadvantaged areas'. You can use the Inland Revenue's postcode checker at www.hmrc.gov.uk/so/dar/dar-search.htm
For those interested in how to significantly reduce both CGT and income tax on property investments, we recommend the publication 'How to Avoid Property Tax'. For more information, click here.
Now that you have an idea of the stamp duty you might have to pay when you purchase your property, would you like an instant conveyancing quote? Click here for our online conveyancing calculator.





