If you pay too much Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (SDRT) on a transaction because you made a mistake, you can claim a refund from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Whether the SDRT was paid through the CREST system or by some other means, you'll need to write to HMRC to apply for a refund.
This guide explains how to apply for a refund if too much SDRT has been paid. It tells you what information you need to provide, where to send your claim, and how long you have to make a claim.
On this page:
If too much SDRT has been paid on a share transaction made through the CREST electronic system you can get a refund.
To get a refund you'll need to write to HMRC and provide the following information:
| Code | Reason |
|---|---|
| 1 | No change of beneficial owner (NCBO) |
| 2 | Charity |
| 3 | Intermediary Relief (principal purchase) |
| Code | Reason |
|---|---|
| 4 | TSS Flag |
| 5 | Trade System of Origin or Stock Lending Relief |
| 6 | Market sale or American depositary receipt conversion back to underlying shares |
| 7 | Stampable consideration |
| 8 | Agent indicator |
| Code | Reason |
|---|---|
| 9 | Cancelled or rebooked trades, or duplicated trades |
| 10 | Bulk or split payments, paid both in and outside CREST, paid by both parties |
| 11 | Other reasons not listed |
If you claim for 15 transactions or more in a single application, you should put the information into a spreadsheet and email it to HMRC.
HMRC suggests using the format below for your spreadsheet.
| CREST transaction ID | Claim | Date | Repayment code |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC0225466 | £33.22 | 12/02/03 | 1 |
| BC00605484 | £784.63 | 01/01/03 | 2 |
| FG10569882 | £12.54 | 03/11/00 | 10 |
| ADC0562337 | £2120.33 | 04/11/00 | 8 |
Email HMRC Stamp Taxes your completed spreadsheet
HMRC will send a refund, plus any interest due, for all claims they receive with a valid CREST transaction ID. They won't make any detailed accuracy checks on the claim there and then. But they will check a sample of the claims they receive in detail to make sure they're correct.
HMRC may need to contact you later on to request more information to support your claim. If they do, they'll normally contact you within 60 days of the date when you applied for a refund.
To get a refund for a transaction that wasn't made through CREST you'll need to write to HMRC and explain why you think a refund is due. You should provide the following in your letter:
Before they make any refund HMRC will check the details of the claim. They may request more supporting information if you didn't provide enough detail when you first claimed the refund.
If HMRC agrees the refund they will repay the SDRT, usually along with interest from the date when the tax was paid.
If the total amount of the refunds you are applying for is £150,000 or more you can ask for payment by CHAPS electronic transfer. You'll need to include your bank details with your claim.
Send your repayment request to HMRC Birmingham Stamp Office
Birmingham Stamp Office contact details or
e-mail it to; mailbox.sdrt@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
Mark your letter Stamp Duty Reserve Tax
Use these addresses for all refund claims, whether the transaction was made through CREST or not.
You can get a refund of overpaid SDRT as long as you claim a repayment within four years of the later of:
