LTT calculator — tax on buying a home in Wales

How much LTT is due at £280,000?

At the main rates the tax is £3,300: 0% on the first £225,000 and 6% on the remaining £55,000. This is the example the Welsh Revenue Authority gives on its LTT rates page (gov.wales) — the calculator starts at this price so that the result can be checked against the official working.

The same price at the higher rates gives £17,950, because the higher table also taxes the first £180,000. For comparison, SDLT on a home at this price in England is £4,000 (SDLT rates per gov.uk, last verified 2026-08-04), and a first-time buyer in England who meets the relief conditions would pay £0 thanks to a relief that Wales does not have (SDLT calculator for England).

When do the higher rates apply?

According to the Welsh Revenue Authority overview on gov.wales (updated 27 August 2025), the higher rates usually apply when both of these are true: the residential property costs £40,000 or more, and the buyer already owns one or more other properties. That covers, for example, buying a second home or — when the buyer already owns another property — a property to let.

• Replacing a main residence. The higher rates usually do not apply if the new property will be the main home and the previous main home was sold before the purchase or on the same day.
• Selling afterwards. According to the overview, if the previous main home is sold only after the new one is bought, the higher rates are usually paid on the purchase. If it is sold within 3 years, a refund of the difference between the higher-rates and main-rates amounts can usually be claimed.
• Property outside Wales counts too. When checking whether the buyer already owns another residential property, the Act also counts dwellings outside Wales — for example a flat in Poland: “references to a ‘dwelling’ include references to a dwelling situated outside Wales” (Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Act 2017, Schedule 5, paragraph 35(1)).
• Spouses, civil partners and joint buyers. Spouses and civil partners are usually treated as if they were buying together. If the higher rates apply to any buyer, they apply to the whole transaction.

This is a summary, not a complete list of exceptions — the overview itself says it is not comprehensive and points to the technical guidance, a solicitor or conveyancer, or the WRA.

Is there first-time buyer relief in Wales?

No. The Welsh Revenue Authority puts it plainly on gov.wales: “There's no first-time buyers' relief in Wales”. A first-time buyer therefore works out the tax under the same rules as any other buyer — usually at the main rates, with the 0% band up to £225,000. If they buy jointly with someone who already owns another property, the higher rates may apply to the whole transaction (see the rules for joint buyers above). Assuming such a relief exists is an easy mistake to make when carrying knowledge over from England, where SDLT does have it.

Do non-residents pay more in Wales?

Not just for living outside the UK. LTT has no non-resident surcharge — the 2-point surcharge for non-UK residents applies only to SDLT, in England and Northern Ireland. A non-UK resident who already owns another property can still be subject to the higher rates on the same terms as any buyer — including when that other property is outside the UK. SDLT surcharge per gov.uk, last verified 2026-08-04.

When and how is LTT paid?

The return must be filed and the tax paid within 30 days of the day after completion (or another effective date of the transaction; gov.wales). A solicitor or conveyancer can file the return online and pay the tax on the buyer’s behalf; they will usually add the amount to their bill. The tax is collected and managed by the Welsh Revenue Authority. No return is needed at all when buying a freehold property for less than £40,000 (gov.wales).

What does the calculator not cover?

• non-residential and mixed-use property (which has its own rates table) and rent on a new non-residential or mixed-use lease — rent on a residential leasehold lease is not chargeable to LTT;
• multiple dwellings relief, which was modified by regulations in 2025 and 2026;
• the exception from the higher rates when a dwelling is later let to a local council, added by regulations in force from 13 February 2026;
• refunds of the higher rates after selling a previous home, and purchases by companies and trusts;
• transactions where contracts were exchanged before the current rates took effect — earlier rates may apply to them.

What next?

• Total cost of buying calculator — LTT together with the HM Land Registry fee and the costs from your quotes.
• Additional buying costs — what to add to the price besides tax: solicitor, survey, lender fees.
• SDLT calculator — if the property is in England, not Wales.
• The buying process step by step — where paying the tax fits into the whole transaction.
• All calculators — mortgage payments, LTV, affordability and the total cost of buying.