Stamp Duty (SDLT) calculator

What is Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)?

SDLT is the tax you pay when you buy residential property or land over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland. It is charged in bands — you pay a different rate on the portion of the price that falls within each band — so the effective rate rises with the purchase price.

This calculator estimates the SDLT due, including first-time buyer relief where it applies and the additional-property surcharge for second homes and buy-to-lets. SDLT is normally due within 14 days of completion.

Reading the band breakdown

The result is shown band by band rather than as one figure, because that is where the confusion usually is. Each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its band — so paying slightly over a threshold costs the higher rate on that slice alone, not on the whole price. Negotiating a price down to just under a threshold saves less than most people expect.

Commercial and mixed-use

Switching the property type to commercial or mixed-use moves the calculation onto an entirely different and lower scale. A property with any genuine non-residential element — the classic case is a flat above a shop — normally falls on that scale for the whole purchase, which can make it substantially cheaper than the residential rates on the same money. Establish it before exchange.

What it still cannot do

Shared ownership has a choice between paying on the share now or electing to pay on the full market value at the outset, and the better option depends on whether you expect to staircase. Multiple dwellings, linked transactions, lease premiums and partnership transfers each have their own rules. None of these fit a form, and all of them change the answer materially — send us the detail rather than assuming.