Wales LTT vs SDLT — Welsh property tax compared
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In short. Welsh property buyers pay Land Transaction Tax (LTT) administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. The main residential rates start at 0% up to £225,000 and rise to 12% above £1.5m. There is no specific first-time buyer relief in Wales (the £225,000 nil-rate band is already higher than the English equivalent). Additional properties pay a separate higher-rates table, from 5% up to £180,000 to 17% above £1.5m.
Land Transaction Tax replaced Stamp Duty Land Tax in Wales on 1 April 2018 under devolution. The Welsh Revenue Authority publishes the current bands. Work out your bill, with the band-by-band working, using our Land Transaction Tax calculator, and see the moving home guide for the other costs of buying.
Content updated: 2 min read
Main residential LTT bands (Wales, since 10 October 2022)
- Up to £225,000 — 0%
- £225,001 to £400,000 — 6%
- £400,001 to £750,000 — 7.5%
- £750,001 to £1.5m — 10%
- Over £1.5m — 12%
- No specific first-time buyer relief (the higher starting band covers most first-home purchases)
Higher Residential Rates (additional properties, BTL)
- 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 £1.5m — 15%
- Over £1.5m — 17%
- Each band rose by 1 percentage point on 11 December 2024 — the lowest band from 4% to 5%
Comparison with England
Wales's main-rate 0% threshold (£225,000) is higher than England's £125,000, but Welsh higher bands kick in earlier and are slightly steeper. The Higher Residential Rate surcharge for additional properties in Wales is built into separate bands rather than as a flat percentage on top of the main rates as in England.
Common questions
Is there first-time buyer relief in Wales?
No — Wales has not introduced a separate FTB relief. The argument is that the £225,000 main-rate threshold (well above the typical Welsh first-home price) already removes most first-time buyers from LTT.
I'm a Welsh resident buying a property in England — which tax?
English SDLT — the tax follows the location of the property, not the buyer's home.
Are commercial property rates different?
Yes — Wales has separate non-residential and mixed-use rates with a 0% band to £225,000 and main rates of 1%, 5% and 6%. Full details on the Welsh Revenue Authority site.