UK Property

What is the 60-day CGT rule?

Answered by Jordan Onraet-Wells, Founder & Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA). Published 17 July 2026. Last reviewed 17 July 2026.

The short answer

The 60-day CGT rule requires anyone selling UK residential property at a taxable gain to report the disposal to HMRC and pay the Capital Gains Tax within 60 days of completion. UK residents only need to file when tax is actually due, but non-residents must report every disposal of UK property or land within 60 days, even at a loss or nil gain. The clock runs from the completion date, not exchange of contracts, and the rule applies to completions on or after 27 October 2021 (it was 30 days between 6 April 2020 and 26 October 2021).

The deadline is 60 days from the completion date, not exchange of contracts, and filing the return and paying the tax share the same 60-day window.
UK residents only file the 60-day return when Capital Gains Tax is actually due on a residential property sale.
Non-residents must report every disposal of UK property or land within 60 days, including losses, nil gains and sales fully covered by reliefs.
For 2026/27, residential property gains are taxed at 18% within your unused basic rate band and 24% above it, after the £3,000 annual exempt amount.
Late filing triggers an automatic £100 penalty even where no tax is due, with further penalties at 6 and 12 months plus interest on late-paid tax.
The 60-day return is a payment on account: the same disposal also goes on any Self Assessment return, where the figures are reconciled.

Who has to file: residents versus non-residents

For UK residents, the 60-day return is only required when Capital Gains Tax is actually due on a residential property sale. Non-residents face a much wider duty: every disposal of UK property or land must be reported within 60 days of completion, covering residential and commercial property, certain indirect disposals of shares in property-rich companies, and gifts as well as sales. That duty applies even if you made a loss, owe nothing, or are already registered for Self Assessment. Our 60-day CGT guide for non-residents works through three examples with full calculations.

The common trap: a nil-gain sale still needs a return

The most common mistake sellers abroad make is skipping the return because there is nothing to pay. A non-resident whose gain is fully covered by Private Residence Relief, or who sold at a loss, must still file within 60 days; missing the deadline triggers an automatic £100 penalty even though no tax was at stake, and the penalties escalate at 6 and 12 months with interest running on any late-paid tax. Filing a loss also puts it on record so it can be set against future gains on UK property.

How to report and pay

You file through HMRC's online Capital Gains Tax on UK property account; non-residents can set one up without a National Insurance number, and an agent can file on your behalf. For 2026/27, residential gains are taxed at 18% within your unused basic rate band and 24% above it, after the £3,000 annual exempt amount, with your income estimated where the tax year is not yet over. The 60-day return acts as a payment on account, and the disposal is reported again on any Self Assessment return, with credit for the tax already paid.

Go deeper

Sources and further reading

This is general information for the 2026/27 UK tax year, not personal tax advice; speak to a Chartered Tax Adviser about your own position.

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