Land Registry Fees
When you buy, sell or remortgage a property in England or Wales, HM Land Registry (HMLR) charges a statutory fee to register the transaction. Your solicitor pays this on your behalf as a disbursement. Land Registry fees are not subject to VAT and cannot be negotiated — they are set by law under the Land Registration Fee Order 2021.
The fee that applies depends on the type of transaction — not just the property value. A remortgage, a transfer of part, and a standard purchase are each treated differently. Use the calculator below for an instant estimate, or scroll down for the full fee tables.
Instant Estimate
Land Registry Fee Calculator
Answer up to three plain-English questions to get an instant Land Registry fee estimate for your transaction. Fees are hardcoded from the HMLR Fee Order 2021 (effective 31 January 2022).
Land Registry Fee Calculator
Instant estimate · HMLR Fee Order 2021
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Transaction Types
Which Fee Applies to My Transaction?
HMLR uses two fee scales. The transaction type determines the scale, and the value of the transaction determines the band within that scale.
Buying a Property — Transfer of Whole (Scale 1, Portal Rate)
The most common transaction: the entire registered title transfers to the buyer. A Scale 1 fee applies on the purchase price. Solicitors submit applications electronically via the HMLR portal, which attracts a significant reduction — roughly 55% less than the postal rate. See the Scale 1 table below for the applicable portal fees.
Transfer of Part (Scale 1 — Full Rate, No Portal Reduction)
A transfer of part occurs when only a portion of a registered title is being sold or transferred — for example, a plot being sold off from a larger parcel of land. A Scale 1 fee applies based on the price paid, but there is no portal discount for a transfer of part. The full (postal) rate applies even when the application is submitted electronically. See the “Transfer of Part / New Lease” column in the Scale 1 table.
Grant of a New Lease / Leasehold Purchase (Scale 1 — Full Rate)
The grant or registration of a new lease uses Scale 1 fees, but without the portal discount — the full rate applies. The fee is calculated on the premium paid plus the annual rent (taking the highest rent reserved in the first five years of the lease). Where the rent cannot be quantified, the fee is based on the premium alone.
Voluntary First Registration (Scale 1 — 25% Reduction)
If you own unregistered land, you can choose to register it with HMLR without a triggering event. HMLR encourages this with a 25% reduction on the Scale 1 postal rate. Once registered, your title is more secure and easier to deal with in future transactions. See the Voluntary First Registration column in the Scale 1 table.
Remortgage (Scale 2 — Based on Mortgage Amount, Not Property Value)
A standalone mortgage registration — including a remortgage — attracts a Scale 2 fee. Crucially, this fee is calculated on the amount secured by the new mortgage, not the value of the property. Scale 2 rates are lower than Scale 1, and the discharge of any existing mortgage is registered free of charge. See the Scale 2 table and the detailed explanation below.
Discharge of Mortgage — No Fee
Registering the removal of a mortgage charge from your title is exempt from Land Registry fees. There is no charge when your solicitor registers the discharge of a mortgage.
Scale 1
Scale 1 Fees — Purchases, Transfers and Leases
Scale 1 applies to purchases and transfers of registered land, grants and registrations of new leases, voluntary first registrations, and transfers of part. The fee is based on the purchase price or — for a lease — the premium plus the annual rent.
| Value or Amount | Standard Purchase Portal rate — whole title transfer | Transfer of Part or New Lease No portal reduction — same rate post or electronic | Voluntary First Registration 25% off postal Scale 1 rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £80,000 | £20 | £45 | £30 |
| £80,001 – £100,000 | £40 | £95 | £70 |
| £100,001 – £200,000 | £100 | £230 | £170 |
| £200,001 – £500,000 | £150 | £330 | £250 |
| £500,001 – £1,000,000 | £295 | £655 | £495 |
| Over £1,000,000 | £500 | £1,105 | £830 |
The Standard Purchase column shows the electronic portal rate for a whole-title transfer. Transfers of part and new leases do not attract a portal reduction — the fee shown is the same whether submitted electronically or by post. Voluntary first registration fees represent a 25% reduction on the postal Scale 1 rate.
Scale 2
Scale 2 Fees — Mortgages and Remortgages
Scale 2 applies to standalone mortgage registrations — including remortgages — where the charge is not submitted simultaneously with a purchase transfer. The fee is calculated on the amount secured by the mortgage, not the value of the property.
| Amount Secured | Portal / Business Gateway Whole title charge | By Post |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £100,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £100,001 – £200,000 | £30 | £70 |
| £200,001 – £500,000 | £45 | £100 |
| £500,001 – £1,000,000 | £65 | £145 |
| Over £1,000,000 | £140 | £305 |
An unlimited or all-monies mortgage charge is assessed on the value of the property rather than a fixed amount. Discharging an existing mortgage is free — there is no HMLR fee to remove a charge from your title.
How It Works
The Remortgage Fee Explained
Many people are surprised to find that the Land Registry fee for a remortgage is calculated differently from the fee on a purchase. Here is why.
When You Buy a Property
You pay a Scale 1 fee on the purchase price. If you take out a mortgage at the same time, HMLR charges no separate fee for it — a mortgage submitted alongside the transfer is free.
When You Remortgage
There is no property purchase to register — only the new charge. HMLR charges a Scale 2 fee, and the calculation is based on the amount secured by the new mortgage.
Remortgage Fee Examples
- If your property is worth £450,000 and you are remortgaging to £225,000, the Scale 2 fee is assessed on £225,000 — giving an electronic portal fee of £45.
- The discharge of your existing mortgage is registered free of charge. HMLR does not charge for removing a registered charge from your title.
- If the mortgage is an unlimited or all-monies charge with no fixed cap, the fee is assessed on the value of the property rather than the mortgage amount.
In practice: the Land Registry fee on a remortgage is usually modest — Scale 2 rates are significantly lower than Scale 1 rates, and the mortgage amount is often well below the full property value.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Land Registry fee?
Do I pay a separate Land Registry fee for my mortgage when buying a property?
Why is the remortgage fee based on the loan amount rather than my property value?
Is there a Land Registry fee to discharge a mortgage?
What is voluntary first registration and why is the fee reduced?
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