Stamp duty calculator

What your result means

Explore residential Stamp Duty Land Tax in England and Northern Ireland. The amount depends on the price and which buyer rules actually apply—not just whether a checkbox has been selected.

Compare scenarios by changing one input at a time. The glossary explains the technical words used on this page.

Estimated stamp duty

The tax calculated by adding the amounts due on successive portions of the entered price.

Effective tax rate

Calculated tax divided by the whole price, displayed as a percentage. It is not the rate charged on every portion.

Buyer type

The calculation category applied, not a verification of eligibility for relief or higher rates.

Taxable band summary

A short label indicating standard rates, first-time buyer relief or the additional-property surcharge. It is not a full band-by-band calculation.

Methodology: how the calculation works

SDLT taxes slices of the price rather than applying the highest band’s rate to the whole purchase. The model uses the standard residential bands, first-time buyer limits and additional-property threshold in GOV.UK guidance checked on 5 September 2026.

1. For standard residential rates, calculate 0% on the first £125,000; 2% on the next £125,000; 5% on the next £675,000; 10% on the next £575,000; and 12% above £1.5 million.
2. For qualifying first-time buyer purchases at £500,000 or less, apply 0% to the first £300,000 and 5% to the remaining portion. Above £500,000, relief is lost and standard rates apply to the whole calculation.
3. When additional-property mode is selected, use standard residential bands and add 5% of the full price only if the price is £40,000 or more. Below £40,000, no additional-property surcharge is added for the standalone purchase modelled here. The additional-property selection prevents first-time buyer relief from being applied.
4. Add the band amounts and divide the result by the full price for the effective tax rate. Tax is displayed to whole pounds and the effective rate to one decimal place.

The assumptions behind your estimate

• One straightforward standalone residential purchase in England or Northern Ireland, using the rules checked for this explanation.
• The buyer category is selected correctly. Qualifying first-time buyers must meet the relevant ownership and intended-main-home conditions, including all joint buyers.
• The additional-property checkbox represents a purchase to which the higher-rate rules would otherwise apply; the calculator separately applies the £40,000 purchase-price threshold. It does not establish the full ownership and transaction conditions.
• No non-resident surcharge or special transaction rules are applied. The calculator is not a tax return or an eligibility assessment.

Two simple worked examples

Both examples buy a £350,000 home. One uses standard rates and the other assumes all first-time buyer relief conditions are met. Neither is an additional-property purchase.

A closer look: buyer category and the relief limit

Compare standard and qualifying first-time buyers at £500,000, then cross the first-time buyer price limit. The final row assumes the higher-rate conditions really apply.

On a small screen, swipe the table sideways to see every figure.

At £500,000, a qualifying first-time buyer pays £10,000. At £501,000, relief is unavailable, so standard rates give £15,050—not just another £50. A first-time buyer should not tick a category solely because this is their first purchase in England if they have previously owned residential property elsewhere.

Examples use the stated assumptions and the calculator’s rounding. They are illustrations, not product offers, personalised recommendations or guarantees.

What the estimate does not include

• Checking higher-rate eligibility, replacement of a main residence, exemptions beyond the standalone under-£40,000 threshold or possible refunds.
• Scotland’s LBTT, Wales’s LTT, non-resident surcharge, corporate and trust rules, and non-residential or mixed-use transactions.
• Shared ownership, leasehold rent, linked purchases, other reliefs and a professional determination of the tax payable.

Stamp Duty glossary: the words explained

Plain-English definitions of the finance, calculation and technical terms used on this page. Dotted links take you directly to the relevant definition.

Additional property / surcharge

An extra residential property and a higher tax charge that may apply under the rules. Owning another property does not settle every eligibility question.

Broker / credit broker / broker fee

A business that introduces customers to finance providers or helps arrange finance, rather than lending the money itself. A broker fee is a charge for that service.

Corporate purchase / company / trust

A purchase involving an incorporated business or a legal arrangement holding property for others. Special tax rules can apply.

Credit / finance / borrowing

Money made available to borrow and repay later, usually with interest or charges.

Effective tax rate

Total calculated tax divided by the full property price, shown as a percentage. It is different from the rate on the highest slice.

Estimate / illustration / projection

A result based on stated inputs and assumptions, not a promise of what will happen or a provider’s offer.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) / authorised and regulated

The UK financial-services regulator named in the site footer. Authorisation gives a firm permission for specified activities; regulation means it must follow the applicable rules.

First-time buyer relief

Reduced SDLT for qualifying first-home purchases. All buyers must qualify, and the price limit and intended use conditions matter.

HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs)

The UK government department responsible for collecting and administering taxes including VAT and Stamp Duty Land Tax.

Joint buyers

Two or more people buying together. The conditions applying to each buyer can affect the tax treatment of the entire purchase.

Leasehold / lease premium / rent

A right to occupy property for a set period; the premium is the price paid for that right and rent is a separate ongoing payment. Lease-related SDLT can need a separate calculation.

Lender / provider

The organisation supplying a loan or financial product and setting its terms.

Linked purchases / linked transactions

Related transactions which may need to be considered together for tax. This tool treats the entered price as one standalone purchase.

LTT / LBTT

Land Transaction Tax in Wales and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland. Neither is calculated by this SDLT tool.

Methodology

The calculation method, steps and assumptions behind an estimate.

Non-resident surcharge

An extra SDLT charge which can apply under the SDLT residence test. This calculator does not assess or include it.

Property price / property value

Price is the amount paid; value is an assessment of what a property is worth. They can differ.

Refund

Tax returned when the applicable repayment conditions are met. A possible future refund is not deducted by this tool.

Residential property / main residence

Property used as a home, and the home a person mainly lives in. Not every residential purchase qualifies for the same tax treatment.

Rounding / unrounded

Shortening a number for display. An unrounded calculation keeps the more precise value when working out totals.

SDLT (Stamp Duty Land Tax)

A tax on certain purchases of land or property in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland and Wales have different systems.

Shared ownership

Buying a share in a property and usually paying rent on the rest. Special SDLT rules can apply and are not modelled here.

Tax / tax treatment

An amount that may be payable to government and the rules deciding how it applies. The applicable rules depend on the transaction and circumstances.

Tax band / threshold / marginal rate

A band is a slice of a price taxed at a particular rate. A threshold marks a boundary. The marginal rate applies to the relevant slice, not automatically the whole price.

Tax relief

A reduction in tax or a tax-related contribution available when the relevant qualifying rules are met.

Frequently asked questions