Good news about Stamp Duty & Civil Partners – an update

21 May 2010

Friends in political circles have clarified the amendment in relation to stamp duty on the transfer of homes by civil partners into joint names reported in Wednesday's the Irish Times.

Apparently there was an amendment put to the bill by Fine Gael to exclude properties fees such as court fees, stamp duty or property registration charges for civil partners. The minister accepted this amendment in principle. However as a change to Stamp Duty is a change in tax legislation, it must be dealt with in a finance bill. Hence the reason only court and property charges are included in the amendment to the current bill. We understand therefore that it is the Government's intention that stamp duty exemptions available to spouses, will be available to civil partners and will therefore be dealt with in a Finance Bill, along with the other tax changes proposed for civil partners.