Land Transaction Tax Calculator (Wales)

Wales has no first-time buyer relief, but its starting threshold is higher than England’s.

Updated 2026-10-03 · 2026/27 HMRC rates

Land Transaction Tax£7,500Effective rate 2.14%

Band	Rate	Tax
£0 – £225,000	0%	£0
£225,000 – £400,000	6%	£7,500
Total		£7,500

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Key facts

Since 1 April 2025, SDLT on a home in England or Northern Ireland starts at £125,000 (down from £250,000): 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above.
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay no SDLT up to £300,000 and 5% on £300,001–£500,000; buy for more than £500,000 and the relief is lost entirely.
Buying an additional residential property in England or Northern Ireland adds a 5% SDLT surcharge to every band, unless it replaces your main residence and the old one is sold within 36 months.
Non-UK residents (not present in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before purchase) usually pay a further 2% SDLT surcharge.
In Scotland, LBTT is 0% up to £145,000 (£175,000 for first-time buyers), then 2%, 5%, 10% and 12% above £750,000.
Scotland's Additional Dwelling Supplement rose from 6% to 8% of the total purchase price on 5 December 2024.
In Wales there is no first-time buyer relief: LTT main residential rates start at 6% above £225,000, while higher rates for additional properties start at 5% from the first pound (rising to 17% above £1.5 million) since 11 December 2024.
The Inheritance Tax nil-rate band of £325,000 and residence nil-rate band of £175,000 are frozen until 5 April 2031, extended by a further year at Budget 2025.

Stamp duty calculator

How Land Transaction Tax works in Wales

LTT is charged in slices: 0% up to £225,000, then 6%, 7.5%, 10%, 12% on successive bands. A £300,000 home costs £4,500 and a £450,000 home costs £14,250. The tax is collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority, not HMRC.

There is no first-time buyer relief in Wales: everyone buying a main home pays the same rates. Because nothing is due on the first £225,000, many first homes still pay little or no tax.

Price	LTT main rates	LTT higher rates	England SDLT	England first-time buyer
£150,000	£0	£7,500	£500	£0
£225,000	£0	£12,825	£2,000	£0
£300,000	£4,500	£19,950	£5,000	£0
£400,000	£10,500	£29,950	£10,000	£5,000
£600,000	£25,500	£54,950	£20,000	£20,000

Higher rates for additional homes

Higher rates apply when you buy a residential property of £40,000 or more and already own another property. They start at 5% from the first pound, so a £150,000 buy-to-let pays £7,500 where a main home at that price would pay nothing.

Companies buying residential property worth £40,000 or more generally pay the higher rates, even if they own no other property.

Replacing your main home

You avoid the higher rates if the new property will be your main home and you have sold your last main home before or on the same day as buying. If you buy first and sell later, you pay the higher rates and can usually apply for a refund if you sell the previous main home within 3 years.

Claim the refund by amending your LTT return within 12 months of the filing date, or by making a refund claim later, usually within 4 years of the purchase. The Welsh Revenue Authority says processing can take 15 to 20 working days.

Return and payment deadline

You must file an LTT return and pay within 30 days of the day after completion (the effective date). Freehold purchases under £40,000 and some transfers, such as on divorce or inheritance without payment, do not need a return. Your solicitor normally files the return and pays the tax from the completion funds.

Step-by-step: LTT on a £400,000 main home

LTT is worked out slice by slice. Only the part of the price within each band is taxed at that band’s rate.

Slice of price	Rate	Tax
£0 – £225,000	0%	£0
£225,000 – £400,000	6%	£10,500
Total		£10,500

Step-by-step: higher rates on a £250,000 buy-to-let

Under the higher rates every slice is taxed, starting from the first pound.

Slice of price	Rate	Tax
£0 – £180,000	5%	£9,000
£180,000 – £250,000	8.5%	£5,950
Total		£14,950

Non-residential and mixed-use purchases

Shops, offices, farmland and mixed-use property such as a flat above a shop use the non-residential rates. Since 22 December 2020 these are 0% up to £225,000, 1% to £250,000, 5% to £1 million and 6% above.

Common LTT mistakes

Assuming English first-time buyer relief applies in Wales – it does not.
Missing the refund window after selling a previous main home within 3 years.
Filing late: the 30-day deadline runs from the day after completion and penalties apply.

Worked example: a Welsh home mover

A family in Cardiff buy a £375,000 house while their current home is still on the market. Because they own two homes at completion, they pay the higher rates: £27,450 instead of the £9,000 a main-home purchase would cost.

When their old home sells, within 3 years, they can amend the LTT return or claim a refund of the £18,450 difference. If they had sold first and completed both on the same day, only the main rates would have been charged.

It is sensible to keep evidence that the old property was your main residence, such as council tax bills and the address on bank statements, before you claim the refund.

Is buying in Wales cheaper than in England?

For a home mover the answer flips as the price rises. At £250,000 LTT is £1,500 against £2,500 of SDLT; At £300,000 LTT is £4,500 against £5,000 of SDLT; At £400,000 LTT is £10,500 against £10,000 of SDLT; At £600,000 LTT is £25,500 against £20,000 of SDLT. Wales charges nothing on the first £225,000, but its 6% rate above that bites harder than England’s 5% band.

For first-time buyers England is usually cheaper up to £500,000 because of its relief: a £300,000 first home costs £0 in England but £4,500 in Wales. Above £500,000 English first-time buyers lose the relief and the comparison is the same as for movers.

Frequently asked questions

Who collects LTT?

The Welsh Revenue Authority.

Is LTT cheaper than English stamp duty?

It depends on price. LTT is lower or equal on many mid-priced homes because nothing is due up to £225,000, but English first-time buyers can pay less on homes between £225,000 and £500,000.

Do first-time buyers pay LTT?

Yes, at the same rates as anyone buying a main home. Nothing is due on a purchase up to £225,000.

Does LTT apply to non-residential property?

Yes, but at different non-residential rates. This calculator covers residential purchases.

How long does a Welsh LTT refund take?

The Welsh Revenue Authority says refunds can take 15 to 20 working days to process once claimed.

Sources

Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.