The Short Answer
Stamp duty is a tax you pay to the government when you buy property or land above a certain price. Despite the single name, it's actually three separate taxes depending on where the property is:
| Nation | Tax name | Collected by |
|---|---|---|
| England & Northern Ireland | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) | HMRC |
| Scotland | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) | Revenue Scotland |
| Wales | Land Transaction Tax (LTT) | Welsh Revenue Authority |
All three work the same basic way: the tax is calculated in bands (like income tax), so you pay a different rate on each slice of the price, not one flat rate on the whole amount.
Who Pays It, and When?
The buyer pays stamp duty, not the seller. It's normally handled by your solicitor or conveyancer as part of the purchase, and must be paid within a set number of days of completion (see our payment deadlines guide).
Does Everyone Pay the Same Rate?
No — the rate depends on the property price, whether it's your only/main home, whether you're a first-time buyer, and whether you already own another residential property. Buying a second home or via a limited company changes the calculation significantly — see our second home, non-resident and limited company calculators for those specific scenarios.