Stamp Duty Estimator

How Stamp Duty Estimator Works

Estimate stamp duty or property transfer tax on a home purchase. Select buyer type and country to calculate tiered rates for UK, Australia, or general tax. Use the tool above to get your results instantly — everything runs in your browser with no data sent to any server.

What Is Stamp Duty?

Stamp duty, also known as property transfer tax or land transfer tax, is a tax levied by governments on the purchase of real property. The tax is typically calculated as a percentage of the property's purchase price and is paid by the buyer at or shortly after completion of the transaction. The name stamp duty originates from the historical practice of physically stamping documents to show that duty had been paid, though today the process is entirely digital in most jurisdictions.

Most countries that levy stamp duty use a tiered or progressive rate structure, meaning that different portions of the property price are taxed at different rates. For example, in the UK, the first portion of the property value is taxed at 0%, with higher rates applying to portions above certain thresholds. This means the effective rate of stamp duty increases as the property price rises, but it is not a flat percentage applied to the entire price.

Buyer Types and Concessions

Many jurisdictions offer reduced stamp duty rates or exemptions for first-time buyers to help them onto the property ladder. In the UK, first-time buyers purchasing properties up to certain price thresholds benefit from a higher nil-rate band, meaning they pay less stamp duty than someone who already owns a property. Conversely, buyers purchasing additional properties (such as buy-to-let investors or those buying second homes) typically pay a surcharge on top of the standard rates.

The rates and thresholds used in this tool are based on publicly available rate schedules and are intended as estimates for planning purposes. Actual stamp duty liability can be affected by many factors including the specific property location within a country, the date of the transaction, whether the property is residential or commercial, and any applicable reliefs or exemptions. Always verify the current rates with the relevant tax authority or a qualified solicitor before making financial decisions.

Stamp Duty Estimator — 2026 UK SDLT Bands After the 31 March 2025 Reset

This stamp duty estimator uses the 2026 SDLT bands that took effect on 1 April 2025, after the temporary 2022 thresholds expired. Per HMRC SDLT residential rates, the current main-home bands are: 0% to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5m, then 12% above. First-time buyers get 0% to £300,000 (relief withdrawn above £500,000). The additional-property surcharge sits at 5% on top of every band (raised from 3% in October 2024). If a calculator still shows the old £250,000 nil-rate band, it is out of date — use this one and verify against HMRC the day you exchange contracts.

Scotland LBTT and Wales LTT — Why the UK Figure Above is England/NI Only

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) only applies to property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland replaced SDLT in 2015 with Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) collected by Revenue Scotland, and Wales replaced it in 2018 with Land Transaction Tax (LTT) collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority. The bands and thresholds differ materially: LBTT nil-rate sits at £145,000 (£175,000 for first-time buyers), with rates running 2% / 5% / 10% / 12%. LTT nil-rate is £225,000 — the most generous of the three — with rates of 6% / 7.5% / 10% / 12% on higher bands. Both jurisdictions also apply an additional-dwelling supplement (Scotland 8% from December 2024, Wales 5%). If the property you're estimating sits in Scotland or Wales, treat the UK figure above as indicative only and run the official devolved calculator for the binding number.

Stamp Duty Estimator — What It Does and Which UK 2026 Rates It Applies

A stamp duty estimator calculates the government transfer tax due when you buy residential property, using the tiered rate schedule published by the relevant tax authority. This estimator applies England & Northern Ireland's SDLT bands in force from 1 April 2025 through 2026: 0% up to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5m, and 12% above — per HMRC SDLT residential property rates. It also handles first-time-buyer relief (0% to £300,000, capped at £500,000 property value), the 5% additional-property surcharge (raised from 3% in October 2024), and an Australia (NSW) tier plus a general flat-rate fallback. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) run separate schedules — see the section below. Updated 2026-07-15.

SDLT Ready-Reckoner — Common 2026 Property Prices

Sanity-check your stamp duty estimator output against this England & NI ready-reckoner for a standard home-mover (not first-time buyer, not additional property) under the SDLT bands in force at July 2026: £250,000 → £2,500 SDLT (2% on the £125K–£250K slice); £350,000 → £7,500; £500,000 → £15,000; £750,000 → £25,000; £1,000,000 → £43,750; £1,500,000 → £93,750. Add the 5% additional-property surcharge if this is a buy-to-let, second home, or company purchase — that's another £12,500 on a £250,000 home, rising to £50,000 on a £1,000,000 home. First-time buyers under £500,000 shave off up to £6,250. Source: HMRC SDLT calculator.

Last updated 2026-07-01. Sources: HMRC SDLT rates, HMRC SDLT calculator, Revenue Scotland LBTT, Welsh Revenue Authority LTT.