Land Registry Fee Guide
The Land Registry is the official, centralised record of property ownership in England and Wales, and it charges fees for updating these records. In any property transaction, you'll need to understand these fees.
But with different scales and application types, understanding what you owe and when can feel like a maze. We'll walk you through the various Land Registry fees, explain the crucial differences between Scale One and Scale Two, clarify when they apply, and show you how our panel solicitors can make the entire process smooth and hassle-free.
Scale 1 Fees: For purchases and first registrations
Land Registry Scale 1 fees apply to property transactions involving a change of ownership where money is exchanged – most commonly, when you are purchasing or selling a property.
If your transaction involves entirely new names being recorded on the Land Registry title due to a sale, Scale 1 fees are relevant and applicable.
This category also includes first registrations of land. This occurs when a property that has never been officially recorded with the Land Registry is registered for the first time, often applying to older properties that haven't been bought or sold since compulsory registration began to be phased in (fully compulsory nationwide by 1990).
The Land Registry actively encourages all unregistered land to be brought onto the register, aiming for registration of all land in England and Wales by 2030. To incentivise this, a reduced fee is offered for voluntary first registrations – typically a 25% discount on the standard Scale 1 fee.
Registering voluntarily provides clearer proof of ownership, enhanced protection against property fraud, and simplifies any future dealings with the property.
Land Registry Scale ONE Fees
| Value of Property (£) | Fee - Electronic | Fee - Postal (New Builds or First Registration) |
| 0 - £80,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £80,001 - £100,000 | £40 | £95 |
| £100,001 - £200,000 | £100 | £230 |
| £200,001 - £500,000 | £150 | £330 |
| £500,001 - £1,000,000 | £295 | £655 |
| £1,000,001 and over | £500 | £1,105 |
Call us at 0333 344 3234 or request a callback/email to answer your queries about our Land Registry application services. SAM's UK-based team will explain which of our solicitor services are required to make changes to the title.
There's no obligation to instruct. We'll make sure you understand your options and provide a free, fixed-fee quote for our best-value service to meet your needs. No robots, no call centres. Property challenges solved.
Scale 2 Fees: For transfers and other applications
In contrast to Scale 1, Land Registry Scale 2 fees apply to transactions where the legal title is not being completely changed for monetary consideration.
The easiest way to think of it is: if you are only changing some of the names on the legal title, or if the transfer is not directly part of a sale, Scale 2 fees are applicable.
This category covers a range of common applications, including but not limited to:
- Transfers or assents of registered estates not for monetary consideration (e.g., gifting a property, transferring ownership after probate).
- Transfers of registered charges (like changing a mortgage provider).
- Registering new charges of registered estates (e.g., taking out a new mortgage).
- Other applications affecting registered estates (various types of minor amendments or updates).
- Surrenders of leases not for monetary consideration.
- Large-scale applications (typically for developers or large organisations).
Land Registry Scale TWO Fees
| Value of Property (£) | Fee - Electronic | Fee - Postal (New Builds or First Registration) |
| 0 - £80,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £80,001 - £100,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £100,001 - £200,000 | £30 | £70 |
| £200,001 - £500,000 | £45 | £100 |
| £500,001 - £1,000,000 | £65 | £145 |
| £1,000,001 and over | £140 | £305 |
Contact us to request a free call back or an email from our transfer team. We'll answer your queries whether you're adding or removing someone to or from the legal title. We can also help if you want to assign the beneficial, not legal ownership, for income and tax purposes.
There's no obligation to instruct. We'll provide a free, fixed-fee quote for our best-value service to meet your needs. No robots, no call centres. Property challenges solved.
Viewing property ownership records at the Land Registry
In England and Wales, anyone can view who owns a particular property – whether it's a leasehold flat or a freehold title. This information is publicly accessible and can be obtained for a fee, currently £7 per document for a digital copy of a title register or title plan directly from HM Land Registry.
However, it's important to note that the Land Registry only records registered properties. The only exception to this public access is unregistered property.
While the Land Registry moved its records increasingly online from 1996, the number of unregistered properties is steadily falling as more land comes onto the register through transactions and voluntary first registrations.
If you encounter an unregistered property and need to prove ownership, you'll typically be dealing with an Epitome of Title.
If you encounter an unregistered property, proving ownership involves presenting an Epitome of Title. This is a bundle of original title deeds and documents that trace the property's history of ownership.
Land Registry Fees vs Stamp Duty
Both Land Registry fees and Stamp Duty Land Tax are costs associated with buying or transferring property, but they both serve entirely different purposes and are paid to different government bodies:
- Land Registry Fees: These are administrative charges paid to HM Land Registry for updating the central register of property ownership. They are required to formally record changes of ownership, mortgages, and other interests in land.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT): This is a tax on land transactions paid to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). SDLT is typically payable when you acquire an interest in land or property in England and Northern Ireland for a consideration of more than £40,000. The amount you pay depends on the purchase price, whether you're a first-time buyer, buying an additional property, and other factors.
Because they are distinct charges, ensure you budget for both when planning a property purchase. You can easily calculate your potential Stamp Duty Land Tax using our dedicated Stamp Duty Calculator.
What does a solicitor do with Land Registry registration fees?
As part of our comprehensive conveyancing service for buying, selling, or re-mortgaging a property, our panel solicitors manage the entire Land Registry process on your behalf. This includes:
- Preparing all necessary Land Registry forms: Such as the Transfer Deed (TR1) for transferring ownership, or the Application to Register a Transfer (AP1).
- Ensuring accuracy: Meticulously checking all details to prevent delays or requisitions from the Land Registry.
- Submitting applications: Electronically lodging the completed forms and supporting documents to the Land Registry.
- Handling fee payments: Calculating and paying the correct Land Registry fees (Scale 1 or Scale 2, as applicable) on your behalf as part of the overall conveyancing process.
We aim to make your property journey as smooth and stress-free as possible. With our fixed conveyancing fees and no hidden costs, you can get a clear picture of your legal expenses upfront. Get an instant online conveyancing quote.
- Experts in removing a charge, bankruptcy order, Form LL, Form A, and Form B.
- Can draft a Deed of Trust to protect your interest in a property within 1-2 days.
- Fixed fee conveyancing.
- Experienced with RX3, RX4, and ST5 forms.
- We can solve any property challenge.
- Fixed fee of £99 INC VAT.
Andrew started his career in 2000 working within conveyancing solicitor firms and grew hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of conveyancing challenges and solutions. After helping in excess of 50,000 clients in his career, he uses all this experience within his article writing for SAM, mainstream media and his self published book How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone.
Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.
