How is LTT different from stamp duty?

Land Transaction Tax replaced UK Stamp Duty in Wales in April 2018 and is administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. It is progressive (slice-by-slice) but, unlike England, Wales has no first-time-buyer relief and uses its own band thresholds.

Which main-residence bands apply?

The main residential rates are 0% up to 225,000, 6% from 225,001 to 400,000, 7.5% from 400,001 to 750,000, 10% from 750,001 to 1.5m, and 12% above 1.5m. The nil-rate band of 225,000 is higher than in England or Scotland.

What are the higher rates for additional dwellings?

Buying a second home or buy-to-let uses separate higher-rate bands (effective from 11 December 2024): 5% up to 180,000, 8.5% to 250,000, 10% to 400,000, 12.5% to 750,000, 15% to 1.5m, and 17% above. The whole price is charged at these bands.

Is there first-time-buyer relief in Wales?

No. Wales chose not to offer a separate first-time-buyer relief, instead setting a relatively high main-residence nil-rate band of 225,000 that benefits all buyers of lower-priced homes.

An LTT return must be filed and the tax paid within 30 days of completion. Your conveyancer normally submits the return to the Welsh Revenue Authority and collects the funds at completion.

Wales LTT Calculator

This tool calculates Wales’s Land Transaction Tax (LTT), which replaced UK Stamp Duty in 2018 and is collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority. It supports main-residence purchases and the higher-rate bands for additional dwellings. Wales has no first-time-buyer relief. It is a planning estimate.

How it works

LTT is progressive: each portion of the price within a band is taxed at that band’s rate, then the slices are summed.

Main residential bands:

0% up to 225,000
6% on 225,001 to 400,000
7.5% on 400,001 to 750,000
10% on 750,001 to 1,500,000
12% above 1,500,000

Higher rates (additional dwellings, from 11 Dec 2024):

5% up to 180,000
8.5% on 180,001 to 250,000
10% on 250,001 to 400,000
12.5% on 400,001 to 750,000
15% on 750,001 to 1,500,000
17% above 1,500,000

Example

Main-residence purchase at 300,000:

0% on the first 225,000 = 0
6% on 225,001 to 300,000 (75,000) = 4,500
Total LTT = 4,500.

Notes

Returns are due within 30 days of completion, usually filed by your conveyancer. The higher rates apply to the entire purchase price (not as a separate surcharge). Bands are set by the Senedd and can change. All math runs in your browser.