England & Northern Ireland · Last reviewed: 1st September 2026 · My Conveyancing Specialist
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is the tax you pay when you buy a property over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland. This guide covers the current rates, first-time buyer relief, the surcharge on additional properties, and how and when it’s paid. (Buying in Wales? You pay Land Transaction Tax instead — see our Land Transaction Tax rates in Wales guide.)
What is Stamp Duty?
SDLT is charged on the purchase price of residential property in England and Northern Ireland, in tiered bands — you pay each rate only on the portion of the price that falls within that band, not on the whole price. Your conveyancer normally files the SDLT return and pays the tax on your behalf shortly after completion, adding it to your completion statement.
Current Stamp Duty rates
These are the standard residential rates for someone buying their only home, in force since 1 April 2025:
| Portion of the purchase price | SDLT rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 10% |
| Above £1.5 million | 12% |
Worked example — a home bought for £300,000: 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 (£2,500), and 5% on the final £50,000 (£2,500) = £5,000 total.
Stamp Duty for first-time buyers
First-time buyers pay less, or nothing, on lower-priced homes. If the price is £500,000 or under, first-time buyer relief applies:
- 0% on the portion up to £300,000
- 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000
If the property costs more than £500,000, no relief is available and the standard rates above apply to the whole price. To qualify, everyone buying must be a first-time buyer — meaning they have never owned (or part-owned, inherited or been gifted) a residential property anywhere in the world — and must intend to live in the property as their only or main home.
Stamp Duty on second homes and buy-to-lets
If you’re buying an additional residential property — a second home, a holiday home or a buy-to-let — and you’ll own more than one property at the end of the day, a surcharge applies on top of the standard rates. The surcharge rose from 3% to 5% on 31 October 2024, so the current additional-property rates are:
| Portion of the purchase price | Additional-property rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 5% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 7% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 10% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 15% |
| Above £1.5 million | 17% |
The surcharge applies where the additional property costs £40,000 or more, and it applies even if your other property is overseas. If you’re buying a new main home before selling your old one, you’ll usually pay the surcharge up front but can claim it back if you sell your previous main residence within 36 months.
Other surcharges and rates
- Non-UK residents: a further 2% applies on top of the rates above for buyers who are not UK resident for SDLT purposes.
- Companies: most companies buying residential property pay the additional-property (5% surcharge) rates, and a flat 17% applies to certain purchases of a single dwelling over £500,000 by a company or other “non-natural person”.
How and when to pay Stamp Duty
An SDLT return must be filed and the tax paid within 14 days of completion. In practice your conveyancing solicitor handles this for you, filing the return and paying HMRC, then including the amount on your statement. A return is required even where no tax is due because relief brings the bill to nil (a handful of transactions, such as most gifts and inheritances, need no return at all). Late filing triggers an automatic penalty — £100 if up to three months late, £200 beyond that — plus interest on any unpaid tax.
Reliefs and exemptions
Besides first-time buyer relief, SDLT may be reduced or not due at all in certain situations — for example, property left to you in a will, transfers on divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership, multiple-dwellings purchases, and some corporate reorganisations. The rules are detailed, so your conveyancer will confirm what applies to your transaction.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Stamp Duty in England now? Nothing on the first £125,000, then 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above that — each rate applying only to the portion of the price in that band. First-time buyers and additional-property buyers pay different rates.
Do first-time buyers pay Stamp Duty? Not on the first £300,000, provided the property costs £500,000 or less; 5% applies to the portion between £300,001 and £500,000. Above £500,000 there’s no relief.
How much is the second-home surcharge? Since 31 October 2024 it’s 5% on top of the standard rates, for additional residential properties costing £40,000 or more.
When do I have to pay Stamp Duty? Within 14 days of completion. Your conveyancer normally files the return and pays it for you.
Do I pay Stamp Duty in Wales? No — in Wales you pay Land Transaction Tax instead, which has its own thresholds and no first-time buyer relief.
This guide is general information as at September 2026 and is not tax or legal advice. SDLT rates and reliefs change, and the right figure depends on your circumstances — always confirm the current position with your conveyancer, or use HMRC’s Stamp Duty calculator.
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