Stamp Duty Estimator
Estimate the stamp duty or property transfer tax you would pay on a property purchase. Enter the property price, select your buyer type (first-time buyer, existing homeowner, or investor), and choose a country to calculate using tiered rates. This tool covers UK Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), Australian stamp duty (NSW rates), and a general flat-rate estimate for other jurisdictions.
How Stamp Duty Estimator Works
A stamp duty estimator calculates the property transfer tax due when you buy a home, applying the tiered band schedule of the country you are buying in. This free browser-based tool covers England & NI (SDLT), Scotland (LBTT), Wales (LTT) and Australia (NSW) on 2026 bands — a £500,000 English home-mover purchase comes to £15,000.
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%). Both are now built into the estimator above — pick Scotland (LBTT) or Wales (LTT) in the Country dropdown and it applies that nation's own band table rather than the England & NI schedule. Scotland's Additional Dwelling Supplement is charged at 8% of the whole price on purchases of £40,000 or more; Wales does not add a surcharge to its main rates at all — it swaps in a completely separate higher-residential band table (5% / 8.5% / 10% / 12.5% / 15% / 17% from 11 December 2024), which is why a flat "+5%" calculator gives the wrong Welsh answer on second homes. Wales has no first-time-buyer relief; Scotland's relief lifts the nil-rate band to £175,000, worth at most £600. Verify against the devolved authority the day you conclude missives or exchange. Updated 2026-07-31.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is stamp duty calculated on tiered rates?
Stamp duty is calculated in tiers (sometimes called slices). Each portion of the property price within a given band is taxed at the rate for that band. For example, in the UK, the first \u00a3250,000 might be at 0%, the next portion at 5%, and so on. You only pay the higher rate on the portion above each threshold, not on the entire purchase price.
Do first-time buyers pay less stamp duty?
In many countries, yes. The UK offers a first-time buyer relief that raises the nil-rate threshold, meaning first-time buyers pay no stamp duty on the first \u00a3425,000 of a property priced up to \u00a3625,000. Similar concessions exist in parts of Australia and other jurisdictions, though the details vary.
Is there a surcharge for buying a second home or investment property?
Yes. In the UK, buyers purchasing an additional residential property (such as a buy-to-let or second home) pay a surcharge of 5% on top of the standard SDLT rates (increased from 3% in October 2024). Australia and other countries have similar surcharges for investment properties.
Are the rates in this tool up to date?
The rates are based on publicly available schedules at the time the tool was created and are intended as planning estimates. Rates change periodically through government budgets and policy decisions. Always verify the current rates with the relevant tax authority (HMRC for the UK, your state revenue office for Australia) before making decisions.
Is Stamp Duty Estimator free to use?
Yes, Stamp Duty Estimator is completely free with no sign-up, no login, and no hidden fees. The tool runs entirely in your browser — your data never leaves your device.
Stamp duty estimator — does it use the latest 2026 SDLT bands?
Yes. The UK calculation uses the bands in force after 1 April 2025: nil-rate up to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5m, 12% above. First-time buyer relief: 0% to £300,000 (capped at £500,000 property value). The additional-property surcharge is 5%. Always verify against HMRC the day of completion in case of a Budget change.
Does this stamp duty estimator include Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT)?
Yes — both are in the Country dropdown. SDLT applies only in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) collected by Revenue Scotland: nil-rate to £145,000 (£175,000 for first-time buyers), then 2% / 5% / 10% / 12%, with an 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement on second properties of £40,000 or more. Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT) from the Welsh Revenue Authority: nil-rate to £225,000, then 6% / 7.5% / 10% / 12%, with no first-time-buyer relief. Selecting Scotland or Wales swaps the whole band table, not just a surcharge.
Why does the Welsh second-home figure differ from adding a flat surcharge?
Because Wales does not add a surcharge. From 11 December 2024 the Welsh Revenue Authority applies an entirely separate higher residential rates table for additional properties: 5% to £180,000, 8.5% to £250,000, 10% to £400,000, 12.5% to £750,000, 15% to £1.5m and 17% above. England & NI and Scotland work the other way — a flat 5% (SDLT) or 8% (Scottish ADS) added on top of the main rates. Any calculator that models Wales as "main rates + X%" returns the wrong number, so this estimator switches band tables instead.
Why does the stamp duty estimator show £0 for some first-time buyers?
First-time buyer relief is 0% up to £300,000 and 5% on the slice between £300,000 and £500,000. So a first-time buyer paying £280,000 sees £0 SDLT. The relief is fully withdrawn for purchases above £500,000 — at £510,000 the buyer pays full standard SDLT from the £125,000 nil-rate band, not the £300,000 relief band.
Will UK Budget 2026 change the SDLT bands this estimator uses?
Possibly. The Chancellor reviews SDLT each Budget. The current bands (effective 1 April 2025) are likely to hold through 2026-27. Always re-run this estimator the morning of exchange in case of an emergency band change or a Budget announcement the same month — HMRC publishes any band change on the gov.uk SDLT residential rates page.
Stamp duty estimator — how much SDLT on a £500,000 UK home in 2026?
A standard home-mover pays £15,000 SDLT on a £500,000 property: £0 on the first £125K, £2,500 (2%) on £125K-£250K, and £12,500 (5%) on £250K-£500K. First-time buyers pay £10,000 (relief covers the first £300K, then 5% on £300K-£500K). Additional-property buyers add £25,000 surcharge (5% of £500K) — total £40,000.
Do I pay stamp duty on the land or the house separately?
Neither — you pay one SDLT figure on the combined price of the land and any buildings on it, treated as a single chargeable consideration. Buying a plot and paying a builder separately for the house is not a work-around: HMRC applies the linked-transactions rule if the two contracts are with connected parties, and the tax is charged on the combined value.
Stamp duty estimator — what does this tool actually calculate?
This stamp duty estimator returns the SDLT (England & NI), Australian stamp duty (NSW), or a general flat-rate estimate for other jurisdictions on a residential property purchase, based on the 2026 tiered rate schedule for the country you select. It applies buyer-type variations (first-time buyer, home-mover, additional-property investor), the tiered slice model where each band is taxed at its own rate, and any applicable surcharges (5% for UK additional properties, 2% for NSW investors). The effective rate output shows the total tax as a percentage of price — useful for comparing scenarios. It also calculates LBTT (Scotland) and LTT (Wales) using each nation's own band table. It does not calculate non-residential or mixed-use rates.
How does this stamp duty estimator handle the 5% additional-property surcharge?
When you select "Investor / additional property" under Buyer Type with the UK option, the estimator adds 5 percentage points to every SDLT band (raised from 3% in October 2024 per HMRC). So a £500,000 home-mover pays £15,000 SDLT; the same £500,000 as an additional-property buyer pays £15,000 + £25,000 surcharge = £40,000 total. The surcharge applies from the first pound (no nil-rate band) and captures buy-to-let, second homes, and most company purchases. Recent divorcees and certain family-transfer scenarios may qualify for surcharge refund — verify with a solicitor.