Stamp Duty in Ireland: Rates, Thresholds, and First-Time Buyers
Stamp duty is the once-off tax every Irish home buyer pays on top of the purchase price — and its most surprising feature is what it does not contain: there is no general first-time buyer exemption. This guide gives the current rates, the thresholds, worked examples, and what first-time buyers actually get instead.
Key takeaways
- Residential stamp duty (deeds from 2 October 2024): 1% on the first €1,000,000, 2% on the portion from €1,000,000 to €1,500,000, 6% above €1,500,000.
- There is NO general stamp-duty exemption or relief for first-time buyers in Ireland — first-time buyers pay the same rates as everyone else.
- What first-time buyers do get: Help to Buy (a tax rebate on new homes) and the First Home Scheme (shared equity) — supports for overall cost, not stamp-duty relief.
The rates and thresholds
Stamp duty on Irish residential property is charged in bands, like income tax: you pay each rate only on the portion of the price inside that band. The rates for instruments executed on or after 2 October 2024 (Finance Act 2024, confirmed unchanged in Budget 2026) are:
| Portion of price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to €1,000,000 | 1% |
| €1,000,000 to €1,500,000 | 2% |
| Above €1,500,000 | 6% |
The buyer pays, not the seller, and the duty is charged on the price excluding VAT for new builds (see below). The rates apply regardless of buyer status — first-time buyer, owner-occupier, investor, or company buying a single home all face the same bands. The Ireland tax calculator on this page estimates overall Irish tax on income; use the examples below for the stamp-duty figure itself.
Worked examples
€350,000 home. Entirely inside the first band: 1% × €350,000 = €3,500.
€400,000 home. 1% × €400,000 = €4,000.
€1,200,000 home. 1% × €1,000,000 = €10,000, plus 2% × €200,000 = €4,000. Total €14,000.
€1,500,000 home. €10,000 + 2% × €500,000 (€10,000) = €20,000.
€2,000,000 home. €10,000 + €10,000 + 6% × €500,000 (€30,000) = €50,000. The 6% top band is what makes the total jump: the last €500,000 costs as much in duty as the first €1,500,000 combined.
Common error: applying the top rate to the whole price. A €1,200,000 purchase is not charged 2% on €1,200,000 (€24,000); it is charged band by band, totalling €14,000. Always compute band by band.
First-time buyers: what you actually get
Plainly: Ireland has no general stamp-duty exemption or reduced rate for first-time buyers. A first-time buyer of a €400,000 home pays the same €4,000 as a second-time buyer. Any source claiming a first-time buyer stamp-duty exemption in Ireland is out of date or describing another jurisdiction (England’s former relief is a frequent source of confusion).
What first-time buyers do get is help with overall buying costs through other schemes. Help to Buy gives first-time buyers of new homes a tax rebate (up to €30,000, subject to price caps and conditions) that can go toward the deposit — it reduces the cash needed, not the stamp duty. The First Home Scheme provides shared equity: the State takes an equity stake (up to 30%, or 20% with Help to Buy) that bridges the gap between mortgage and price, repaid when the home is sold or remortgaged. Neither scheme changes the stamp-duty bands, and eligibility for each has its own price caps, income conditions, and definitions of “first-time buyer” (broadly, never having bought or built a home, in Ireland or abroad, or borrowed to buy one).
New builds and the VAT wrinkle
For new homes, stamp duty is charged on the price excluding VAT. A new house carries 13.5% VAT and a qualifying new apartment 9%, so the duty base is lower than the headline price: a new house advertised at €452,000 including 13.5% VAT has an ex-VAT price of about €398,230, and stamp duty at 1% is about €3,982, not €4,520. Your solicitor computes this from the contract price breakdown — but knowing the rule stops you from over-budgeting the duty on a new build.
Paying: who, how, and when
Your solicitor normally files the stamp-duty return and pays Revenue through the eStamping system. The return must be filed and paid within 44 days of execution of the deed of transfer — miss the deadline and interest and penalties apply. The duty must be paid before the title can be registered, so it sits on the critical path to completion: budget it alongside the deposit, legal fees, and survey costs from day one, not as an afterthought at closing.
Other cases: bulk buys, apartments, non-residential
Three special cases deserve a line each. Bulk purchases: buyers acquiring 10 or more residential units in 12 months face a 15% rate on those acquisitions — an anti-bulk-buying measure, not relevant to ordinary buyers. Apartment blocks: purchases of 3 or more apartments in a single multi-storey block have their own treatment under the 6% top-band rules; the 1%/2% structure still applies to the bulk of the value. Non-residential property (commercial, land for commercial use) is charged at a flat 7.5%, a different regime entirely. If your purchase touches any of these, take conveyancing advice — the standard bands above do not tell the whole story.
Frequently asked questions
What is stamp duty on a house in Ireland?
A once-off tax paid by the buyer when ownership transfers: 1% on the first €1,000,000, 2% on the portion to €1,500,000, and 6% above €1,500,000 (rates since 2 October 2024). It is filed via eStamping within 44 days of the deed.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty in Ireland?
Yes, at the same rates as everyone else. There is no general first-time buyer stamp-duty exemption in Ireland. First-time buyers may qualify for Help to Buy (a rebate on new homes) or the First Home Scheme (shared equity), but neither reduces stamp duty.
How much stamp duty is on a €1,200,000 house?
€14,000: 1% on the first €1,000,000 (€10,000) plus 2% on the remaining €200,000 (€4,000). Rates apply band by band, not to the whole price at the top rate.
Is stamp duty charged on the price including VAT for new builds?
No. For new homes, duty is charged on the price excluding VAT (13.5% for houses, 9% for qualifying apartments), which lowers the duty base compared with the headline price.
When must stamp duty be paid?
Within 44 days of execution of the deed of transfer, via your solicitor through Revenue’s eStamping system. Late filing attracts interest and penalties, and title cannot be registered until duty is paid.
What is the stamp duty rate for commercial property?
A flat 7.5% for non-residential property — a separate regime from the residential bands. Bulk residential purchases (10+ units in 12 months) face 15%.
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