Wales Land Transaction Tax Calculator

How Wales Land Transaction Tax actually works

Land Transaction Tax (LTT) replaced Stamp Duty Land Tax in Wales on 1 April 2018. It is administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA), not HMRC. Like SDLT, it is a banded tax — different portions of the purchase price are taxed at different rates, not the entire price at one flat rate.

Standard residential rates (main residence)

If you're buying your main home in Wales, these rates apply to the portion of the purchase price within each band:

• Up to £225,000 — 0%
• £225,001 to £400,000 — 6%
• £400,001 to £750,000 — 7.5%
• £750,001 to £1,500,000 — 10%
• Above £1,500,000 — 12%

Wales has a higher nil-rate threshold than England (£225,000 vs £125,000), which means a greater proportion of lower-value purchases are tax-free.

No first-time buyer relief

Wales abolished first-time buyer LTT relief in October 2022. All buyers purchasing a main residence now use the same standard band table, regardless of whether it is their first purchase. This is a key difference from England and Scotland.

Higher residential rates (additional dwellings)

If you're purchasing an additional dwelling — a second home, a buy-to-let, a holiday home, or any property that won't be your only or main residence — a completely separate set of higher rates applies. These are not a surcharge on top of standard rates; they replace the standard table entirely:

• Up to £180,000 — 4%
• £180,001 to £250,000 — 7.5%
• £250,001 to £400,000 — 9%
• £400,001 to £750,000 — 11.5%
• £750,001 to £1,500,000 — 14%
• Above £1,500,000 — 16%

Notice that under the higher rates, even the first pound is taxed at 4% — there is no nil-rate band for additional dwellings.

How LTT differs from English SDLT

• Different authority: LTT is collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority, not HMRC.
• No first-time buyer relief: Abolished in Wales since October 2022; England still offers it.
• Higher additional dwelling rates: The higher residential band table in Wales is structurally different to England's 5% flat surcharge model — each band has its own distinct rate.
• Different band thresholds: The nil-rate band ends at £225,000 in Wales vs £125,000 in England.

When do you pay LTT?

LTT must be paid and a return filed within 30 days of completing your property purchase. Your solicitor or conveyancer will usually handle this on your behalf as part of the completion process.

Scotland

Scotland has its own separate property tax called Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). Different rates and rules apply — use our Scotland LBTT Calculator.