Stämpelskatt

What it is

Stämpelskatt is the tax the state charges when you register yourself as the owner of a property (lagfart, the title registration) and when you take out pantbrev (mortgage deeds) so you can borrow against the home. It sits on top of the price, so it is worth building into your budget from the start.

The two numbers

For the lagfart you pay 1.5 percent of the price as a private individual. On a home costing 4.5 million kr that comes to 67 500 kr. The tax is calculated on the higher of the purchase price and the tax assessment value (taxeringsvärde) for the year before the title is granted, rounded down to the nearest thousand. (If you buy through a limited company or another legal entity, the rate is 4.25 percent instead.)

For new pantbrev you pay 2 percent of the amount you mortgage, also rounded down to the nearest thousand. If you take over existing pantbrev from the seller, you skip that part. On top of the tax there is a fixed administration fee: 825 kr for the lagfart and 375 kr per pantbrev.

What you do

Plan for stämpelskatt as a cash cost on the completion date, on top of your down payment. A quick estimate: 1.5 percent of the price, plus 2 percent on any new pantbrev you need to take out, plus 825 kr and 375 kr per pantbrev. Ask the estate agent how much pantbrev already exists on the home, so you know whether you need to take out new ones at all.