Buy-to-let stamp duty calculator (UK, 2026)
Buy-to-let purchases pay the additional-property rates wherever you buy in the UK. England: 5% surcharge across every band. Scotland: 8%. Wales: a tapered surcharge structure. The calculator shows your exact bill.
£0
Effective rate: 0.00%
Indicative — final stamp duty depends on the exact completion date and HMRC's published rules at that date. Always confirm with your conveyancer. Figures based on rules in force April 2026.
Buy-to-let SDLT in 60 seconds
A buy-to-let in England in 2026 pays standard SDLT plus a flat 5% surcharge — built into the additional-property bands of 5/7/10/15/17%.
| Slice | Main home | Buy-to-let |
|---|---|---|
| £0 – £125,000 | 0% | 5% |
| £125,000 – £250,000 | 2% | 7% |
| £250,000 – £925,000 | 5% | 10% |
| £925,000 – £1.5m | 10% | 15% |
| £1.5m+ | 12% | 17% |
So the surcharge is 5% on every pound of price, not just the slice above £125,000 — including the £125,000 that's normally tax-free for a main-home buyer. That's why even cheap buy-to-lets attract surprisingly large bills.
Worked examples — how the maths plays out for landlords
Example 1 — £150,000 northern terrace. SDLT: 5% × £125,000 + 7% × £25,000 = £8,000. A main-home buyer pays £500. The surcharge alone is £7,500 — over six months' rent at £1,200 pcm.
Example 2 — £200,000 ex-council flat (the calculator's default). SDLT: 5% × £125,000 + 7% × £75,000 = £11,500. Main-home buyer pays £1,500. The surcharge premium is £10,000 — 12 months at £833 pcm.
Example 3 — £350,000 mid-terrace HMO. SDLT: 5% × £125,000 + 7% × £125,000 + 10% × £100,000 = £25,000. Main-home buyer pays £7,500. Surcharge: £17,500 — about 12 months of typical 5% gross yield rent.
Example 4 — £500,000 buy-to-let flat in London. SDLT: 5% × £125,000 + 7% × £125,000 + 10% × £250,000 = £40,000. The 8% effective rate on a 4% gross yield wipes out the first two years of rent before mortgage interest, voids and management.
Scotland — ADS is bigger
Scotland's Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8%, not 5% — so a £200,000 buy-to-let in Scotland pays:
- 0-145k @ 8% = £11,600
- 145-250k @ 10% (LBTT main 2% + ADS 8%) = limited to slice 145–200k @ 10% = £5,500
- Total: £17,100 — about £5,600 more than England.
The same £350k mid-terrace HMO in Scotland: £36,350 vs England's £25,000.
Wales — tapered higher rates
Wales's LTT higher rates start at 5% and step up. A £200,000 buy-to-let in Wales pays:
- 0-180k @ 5% = £9,000
- 180-200k @ 8.5% = £1,700
- Total: £10,700
Less than England in this band. Above £400,000 Wales becomes more expensive than England.
Where Offrly fits
Buy-to-let returns are unusually sensitive to overpaying. £15,000 of asking-price padding becomes £15,750 after surcharge — money that comes straight off your equity gain. Offrly's AI reads each comparable's photos (garden, condition, layout, finish) the way a seasoned property analyst would, and hyperlocal pricing resolves prices and rents to the street rather than the postcode. About 30 seconds. Free. No email. The sale-side estimate sanity-checks the asking; the rental estimate sanity-checks the agent's rent forecast.
Run a free Offrly valuation → · Run a free Offrly rental valuation →
Other stamp duty calculators: £400,000 · £500,000 · £750,000 · £1m · First-time buyer · Additional property · Non-resident · Scotland (LBTT) · Wales (LTT) · Head calculator
Disclaimer: Indicative figures based on HMRC SDLT, Revenue Scotland LBTT and WRA LTT rules in force April 2026. Not tax advice. Confirm the binding figure with your conveyancer before exchange.
FAQ: Buy-to-let stamp duty calculator (UK, 2026)
Do buy-to-lets pay extra stamp duty?
Yes. Across the UK, buy-to-let purchases pay the additional-property rates: a 5% surcharge in England and Northern Ireland, 8% in Scotland (Additional Dwelling Supplement), and tapered higher rates in Wales. The surcharge applies whether you're buying personally or via a limited company. Source: HMRC SDLT higher rates / Revenue Scotland ADS / WRA LTT higher rates.
Is the buy-to-let surcharge the same as the additional-property surcharge?
Yes — they're the same thing. HMRC's published rates use the term 'higher rates for additional dwellings' (HRAD). 'Buy-to-let surcharge' is the common name. Buy-to-lets, holiday lets, second homes and parental-help purchases all pay the same higher rates.
Can I claim back buy-to-let stamp duty later?
Generally no — buy-to-lets are deliberately additional properties. The 36-month refund is for buyers who couldn't complete a sale of their main home before completing the new one. A buy-to-let where you've kept your main home will not qualify for refund.
Limited company vs personal — does it change the SDLT?
No. Limited company residential purchases pay the higher rates by default. The choice between personal and Ltd ownership is driven by income tax (Section 24 mortgage interest restriction), not stamp duty.
How does buy-to-let SDLT compare to the rest of my buying costs?
On a typical £200,000 BTL in England the bill is £15,000 — usually the largest single transaction cost. Above that you'll have ~£1,500 conveyancing, ~£500 mortgage product fee, ~£300 valuation, ~£500 surveyor and ~£250 Land Registry. SDLT alone is around 60–70% of total transaction costs.