Stamp Duty

Stamp Duty is a tax charged on the documents that transfer the ownership of property from one person to another. It is paid by the purchaser or receiver of the property. Stamp Duty is an additional expense that must be taken into account when buying a property. The level of Stamp Duty that you pay depends on the value of the property that you are purchasing and your status, e.g. first time buyer, owner occupier, investor.

As a general rule,  the following property transactions are exempt from Stamp Duty:

• Transfers of property between spouses and civil partners
• Property transferred between former spouses/civil partners under a court order, following a divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership
• Property transferred by a cohabitant to his or her cohabitant, under a proeprty adjudjustment order.

Current Stamp Duty rates on residential property

Residential property includes houses, duplex and apartments.

Residential property

EXAMPLE

Sam purchases an apartment in Dublin at a cost of €1,300,000. Sam is an owner occupier.

Stamp Duty payable is as follows:

€1,000,000 @ 1% = €10,000

€300,000 @ 2% =  €6,000

Total Stamp Duty = €16,000

The duty is paid to the Revenue Commissioners, who place a stamp on the property deeds. Without this stamp, the deeds cannot be registered.

Current Stamp Duty rates on non-residential property

Non-Residential property includes commercial property, business assets, land etc.

Non-Residential property

EXAMPLE

Sam purchases a warehouse in Limerick at a cost of €500,000.  Stamp Duty payable is as follows:

€500,000 @ 2% =  €37,500

Total Stamp Duty = €37,500

Stamp Duty on Leases 

A lease of a house/apartment for a term less than 35 years or for any indefinite term and where the rent does not exceed €40,000 per annum is exempt from Stamp Duty.

Note: If you executed the lease before 25 December 2017, the figure for rent is €30,000.

For other leases the following applies: