Land Transaction Tax Calculator (Wales) | LTT Rates 2026
Free Land Transaction Tax calculator for Wales. Work out the LTT on your purchase, including the higher rates for additional properties, with the current bands.
Land Transaction Tax (LTT) is what replaced stamp duty in Wales. If you are buying a property in Wales you pay LTT to the Welsh Revenue Authority, not Stamp Duty Land Tax to HMRC — the thresholds and the rates are different.
The one thing to know before you budget: Wales has no first-time buyer relief. England gives first-time buyers a raised threshold; Wales does not. What Wales does have is a considerably higher starting threshold for everyone — nothing is due below £225,000.
At a glance
- Applies in
- Wales
- Paid to
- The Welsh Revenue Authority
- Nothing due below
- £225,000
- First-time buyer relief
- None in Wales
- Additional property
- A separate, higher rate table
- Deadline to file
- 30 days from completion
| Band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| £225,000 – £250,000 | 6% | £1,500 |
Wales has no first-time buyer relief — the same rates apply whether or not it is your first home.
Land Transaction Tax (LTT), payable to the Welsh Revenue Authority. Main rates from 10 October 2022. Higher rates from 11 December 2024. For guidance only — confirm with your solicitor before budgeting.
Key Takeaways
- LTT replaced stamp duty in Wales in April 2018, and is paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority.
- The nil-rate band is £225,000, which is considerably higher than England's £125,000.
- There is no first-time buyer relief in Wales — the same rates apply whoever you are.
- Additional properties use a completely separate, higher band table, not a surcharge added on top.
- Your solicitor normally files the return and pays it, but the legal responsibility is yours.
Land Transaction Tax rates in Wales
These are the main residential rates, which apply if the property will be your only home. They have been in force since 10 October 2022.
| Purchase price | LTT rate |
|---|---|
| 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% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
Like stamp duty, LTT is charged in slices, not on the whole price. Buying at £300,000 does not mean paying 6% on £300,000 — you pay nothing on the first £225,000 and 6% only on the £75,000 above it.
Higher rates for additional properties
If you will own more than one residential property at the end of the day you complete, the higher residential rates apply instead. These are not a surcharge bolted onto the main rates — Wales uses a separate table, and it starts charging from the first pound.
| Purchase price | Higher rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £180,000 | 5% |
| £180,001 to £250,000 | 8.5% |
| £250,001 to £400,000 | 10% |
| £400,001 to £750,000 | 12.5% |
| £750,001 to £1,500,000 | 15% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 17% |
These rose by one percentage point across every band on 11 December 2024.
The same trap applies as in England: buying your next home before selling your current one makes the new purchase an additional property, even though you only intend to own one. If you sell the previous main residence within the time limit you can reclaim the difference, but you have to claim it — nobody refunds it automatically.
How Wales compares with the rest of the UK
Three different taxes now apply across the UK, and they are genuinely different rather than variations on a theme.
- England and Northern Ireland — Stamp Duty Land Tax, nothing below £125,000, with first-time buyer relief up to £300,000. See stamp duty explained and the stamp duty calculator.
- Scotland — Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, nothing below £145,000, with first-time buyer relief to £175,000. See the LBTT calculator.
- Wales — LTT, nothing below £225,000, and no first-time buyer relief.
For a first-time buyer, that means Wales is more generous than England below £225,000 and less generous above £300,000. Which regime you fall under is decided by where the property is, not where you live.
When and how you pay
Your conveyancer normally files the return and pays LTT on your behalf as part of completion, and will ask you for the money in advance alongside the rest of the completion funds.
The return must be filed and the tax paid within 30 days of completion. The legal duty sits with you as the buyer even when your solicitor handles it, so it is worth confirming it has been done rather than assuming.
Frequently asked questions
Do first-time buyers pay Land Transaction Tax in Wales?
Yes, on the same terms as anyone else. Wales has no first-time buyer relief. The compensation is a higher starting threshold — nothing is due below £225,000, against £125,000 in England.
Is Land Transaction Tax the same as stamp duty?
It does the same job but it is a separate tax with its own rates, thresholds and rules, paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority rather than HMRC. Stamp duty ceased to apply in Wales in April 2018.
Which tax applies if I live in England but buy in Wales?
LTT. The tax follows the location of the property, not your own address.
Do I pay the higher rates if I am replacing my main home?
No, provided you sell your previous main residence. If you buy before you sell you pay the higher rates initially and can reclaim the difference once the old property is sold, within the time limit — but you must claim it.
Who actually files the return?
Usually your conveyancer, as part of completion. The legal responsibility remains yours, so confirm it has been filed within 30 days.
Rates shown are the current main and higher residential rates for guidance only. Confirm your position with your solicitor or the Welsh Revenue Authority before budgeting.