Stamp Duty and the Purchase of Company Shares
Stamp duty is a tax levied by the government on the purchase or transfer of certain assets. In the context of a company shareholder, when shares are bought or exchanged, stamp duty is sometimes payable.
A general threshold exists whereby if the value of the shares being transferred is greater than £1000 stamp duty is payable at a rate of 0.5% (incremented to the nearest £5) of the asserted valuation.
In exchange for acquisition of the shares, the purchase might offer money, equities or some other form of financial instrument on which a monetary value can be placed.
Stamp duty on shares is not normally payable on valuations of less than £1000. Notification of such a transfer is not made to HM Revenue & Customs but internal matters such as the updated of the company’s statutory records should take place in such an event.
Shares issued to the original subscribers on company set-up are not subject to stamp duty.
As with most areas of the UK taxation system there are penalties and interest for the late payment of stamp duty as well as an appeals facility where the imposition of levied might be viewed as inappropriate or unjust.
Further information of stamp duty in shares.
