LTT Higher Rates Calculator (Wales)
Land Transaction Tax for Welsh purchases with investor defaults: the higher (additional-property) rates are on from the start, with a band-by-band breakdown and the extra cost of the higher rates shown separately.
Your numbers
You (or your company) will own more than one dwelling after completion. On by default for investors.
Companies always pay the additional-property rates.
Your results
- LTT due
- £14,950
- Effective rate
- 5.98%
Land Transaction Tax
Band-by-band breakdown
| Band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £180,000 | 5% | £9,000 |
| £180,000 to £250,000 | 8.5% | £5,950 |
- Higher-rates elementportion of the bill from buying an additional dwelling
- £13,450
Free to use, no sign-up needed. Figures are estimates for guidance, not financial or tax advice.
How LTT higher rates work in 2026
Wales replaced stamp duty with Land Transaction Tax in April 2018, administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. For investors the crucial difference from England is structural: instead of adding a surcharge to the standard bands, Wales uses a completely separate higher-rates table for additional dwellings.
The two rate tables
Main residential rates: 0% up to £225,000, 6% to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above. Higher residential rates (since 11 December 2024): 5% up to £180,000, 8.5% to £250,000, 10% to £400,000, 12.5% to £750,000, 15% to £1.5 million and 17% above. The higher table has no nil band at all, so an investor pays LTT from the very first pound of the price.
Who pays the higher rates
The same test as the rest of the UK: buying a dwelling for £40,000 or more while ending the day with more than one dwelling, without replacing a main residence. Couples are assessed as one unit and companies always pay the higher rates. Wales has no first-time buyer relief and no non-resident surcharge, which keeps the calculation simpler than England's but rarely cheaper for investors.
How the calculation runs
The calculator picks the correct table for your buyer profile, slices the price across its bands and totals the tax, rounding down to the pound. It also shows the higher-rates element: the difference between what you are paying and what the same purchase would cost at main rates, which is the true price of it being an additional property. The rate tables are dated and verified against gov.wales, and the same engine powers the stamp duty figures in Dealist's deal packs.
Worked example
You buy a £250,000 buy-to-let in Cardiff as an individual who already owns a home. The higher rates apply:
| £0 to £180,000 at 5% | £9,000 |
| £180,000 to £250,000 at 8.5% | £5,950 |
| Total LTT | £14,950 |
The effective rate is 5.98%. At main rates the same purchase would cost just £1,500 (6% on the £25,000 above the £225,000 threshold), so the higher-rates element is £13,450, the real cost of this being an additional dwelling. Any appraisal that budgets English SDLT for a Welsh property is wrong on day one.
Frequently asked questions
What are the LTT higher rates?
Wales taxes additional dwellings using an entirely separate band table rather than a surcharge on the standard one. Since 11 December 2024 the higher rates are: 5% up to £180,000, 8.5% to £250,000, 10% to £400,000, 12.5% to £750,000, 15% to £1.5 million and 17% above. Unlike the main rates, there is no 0% band: tax starts from the first pound.
When do the higher rates apply?
When you buy a residential property for £40,000 or more and will own more than one dwelling at the end of the completion day, unless you are replacing your main residence. Married couples and civil partners are counted together, and limited companies pay the higher rates on every dwelling they purchase.
Is there first-time buyer relief in Wales?
No. Wales is the only UK nation without a first-time buyer relief. The compensation is a comparatively generous main-rates structure: the 0% band runs to £225,000, higher than England’s £125,000 threshold, which does a similar job for cheaper first homes without a separate relief.
How do Welsh rates compare with England for investors?
It depends on price. At £150,000 an investor pays £7,500 in Wales against £8,000 in England; at £250,000 the two are nearly identical (£14,950 versus £15,000); by £600,000 Wales charges £54,950 against England’s £50,000. The tables cross over, so model the actual property in the actual nation rather than assuming they are equivalent.
Can I get a refund of the higher rates?
Only in the replacement scenario: you bought a new main residence before selling the old one and then sell the former home within three years. In some exceptional circumstances the WRA extends this. Selling a buy-to-let never qualifies; for investment purchases the higher rates are a permanent cost.
What are the main LTT rates for comparison?
The main residential rates are 0% up to £225,000, 6% to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above. This calculator can show them too: untick the additional-property toggle and the band table switches to the main rates, which is also how you can see exactly what owning that extra dwelling costs you.
When is LTT paid and to whom?
A return must be filed with the Welsh Revenue Authority and the tax paid within 30 days of completion. In practice your conveyancer handles both. LTT applies to properties in Wales regardless of where the buyer lives; there is no non-resident surcharge, unlike England.
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