buying
Stamp duty Wales: Land Transaction Tax residential rates, higher rates and worked examples
Stamp duty Wales is called Land Transaction Tax. See the main and higher residential rates, worked examples at six prices and how they compare with England.
- 4 min read
- Last reviewed 4 November 2026
- By Your Property Check team
Key answer
Part 1 of 8
What stamp duty is called in Wales
General information, not advice. Stamp duty Wales buyers pay is called Land Transaction Tax. In Wales, the tax on property purchases is Land Transaction Tax, known as LTT. England uses Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), and Scotland has its own tax, LBTT. GOV.WALES says each LTT rate applies only to the part of the price inside its band, as with SDLT. We read the GOV.WALES and GOV.UK pages named below on 4 November 2026.
Part 2 of 8
Main residential rates
These are the rates GOV.WALES lists for purchases on or after 10 October 2022.
| Price band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £225,000 | 0% |
| £225,000 to £400,000 | 6% |
| £400,000 to £750,000 | 7.5% |
| £750,000 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
Part 3 of 8
Higher residential rates
GOV.WALES lists higher rates for buyers who already own one or more residential properties, and for companies and some trusts. They apply on or after 11 December 2024, and the page says they do not apply where contracts were exchanged before that date. It also says the higher rates may not apply if you are replacing your main residence.
| Price band | Higher rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £180,000 | 5% |
| £180,000 to £250,000 | 8.5% |
| £250,000 to £400,000 | 10% |
| £400,000 to £750,000 | 12.5% |
| £750,000 to £1,500,000 | 15% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 17% |
Part 4 of 8
Worked examples
The figures below are calculated from the bands above for a single purchase. "England SDLT" is the standard main-home figure from GOV.UK's England rates, not first-time buyer relief.
| Price | LTT main home | LTT higher rates | England SDLT, main home |
|---|---|---|---|
| £150,000 | £0 | £7,500 | £500 |
| £225,000 | £0 | £12,825 | £2,000 |
| £250,000 | £1,500 | £14,950 | £2,500 |
| £300,000 | £4,500 | £19,950 | £5,000 |
| £400,000 | £10,500 | £29,950 | £10,000 |
| £500,000 | £18,000 | £42,450 | £15,000 |
| £750,000 | £36,750 | £73,700 | £27,500 |
To see the method, take £300,000 as a main home. The first £225,000 is taxed at 0%. The remaining £75,000 is taxed at 6%, which is £4,500. For the higher rates, the first £180,000 is taxed at 5% (£9,000), the next £70,000 at 8.5% (£5,950) and the last £50,000 at 10% (£5,000), a total of £19,950.
Part 5 of 8
Is there first-time buyer relief in Wales?
The GOV.WALES page we read lists no first-time buyer relief and no separate first-time buyer rates. England is different. GOV.UK says first-time buyers in England pay no SDLT on the first £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000, with no relief if the price is above £500,000. So a first-time buyer in England can pay less than the table above shows. Check stamp duty for first-time buyers for the English rules.
Part 6 of 8
What is different from England?
- Name: LTT applies to purchases in Wales; SDLT is the English tax.
- Zero-rate band: LTT main rates start at 0% up to £225,000. England's standard band is 0% up to £125,000.
- Top of the scale: both countries reach 12% above £1,500,000.
- First-time buyers: England has relief on the first £300,000 and Wales does not, on the pages we read.
- Higher rates: England usually adds 5% to the standard rates if you already own another residential property. Wales uses its own higher-rate table, shown above.
Our comparison of stamp duty in England, Scotland and Wales sets all three side by side, and the glossary entry for LTT gives the short definition.
Part 7 of 8
How to read the tables
Two points matter when you use these figures. First, the tax is charged in slices, so a price just over a band edge does not push the whole price into a higher rate. At £250,000, for example, only the £25,000 above £225,000 is taxed at 6%, which is £1,500. Second, the table assumes a single purchase of one home. Buying more than one property, buying through a company or buying with a mix of residential and other land can change the calculation, and a solicitor should confirm which rates apply. GOV.WALES lists earlier sets of rates for earlier periods, for example rates that applied from 1 July 2021 to 9 October 2022, so check the date of your transaction before you use any older figure you find elsewhere.
The difference between the main and higher columns is large. At £300,000 it is £15,450 (£19,950 less £4,500), because the higher rates start at 5% on the first £180,000 where the main rates charge nothing below £225,000. If you are moving home and selling your old one, GOV.WALES says the higher rates may not apply if you are replacing your main residence, so the main rates may be the relevant column. Your solicitor will confirm this before exchange.
Part 8 of 8
Before you rely on a figure
Rates can change, and the exact tax depends on your circumstances, for example whether the higher rates apply. Use the figures here to plan, then check the current GOV.WALES page and ask your solicitor to confirm the amount before exchange. Our stamp duty calculator covers England, Scotland and Wales.
This page is general information, not advice.
Our take
In Wales there is no first-time buyer relief to lean on
The GOV.WALES page we read lists no first-time buyer relief. On a £250,000 home the tax is £1,500 on a main home but £14,950 at the higher residential rates, so which rates apply matters far more than the headline band. We think the biggest mistake is assuming England's rules apply in Wales. Check before you exchange.
What Your Property Check adds: our stamp duty calculator covers SDLT, LBTT and LTT, including first-time buyer and additional-property rates, so you can see each band for your own price rather than rely on a rounded example.
Our opinion, drawn from the facts on this page: not advice and not a forecast. We earn from OfferCheck reports and from introducing sellers to cash buyers, so weigh it with that in mind (see our disclosure). We are not authorised or regulated by the FCA.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
How much LTT do I pay in Wales?
What are the higher rates?
Is there first-time buyer relief in Wales?
What is different from England?
Is Land Transaction Tax the same as stamp duty?
Where this comes from
Sources
- GOV.WALES: Land Transaction Tax rates and bands
- GOV.UK: Stamp Duty Land Tax residential property rates
Last reviewed 4 November 2026 by the Your Property Check team. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, speak to a conveyancing solicitor or another qualified professional.