The law applies to sales after May 6, 1997. To claim the whole exclusion, you must have owned and lived in your home as your principal residence an aggregate of at least two of the five years before the sale (this is called the ownership and use test). You can claim the exclusion once every two years.

What qualifies as a personal residence?

A primary residence is the main home someone inhabits. Your primary property can be an apartment, a houseboat or another form of property that you live in most of the year. Primary residences tend to qualify for the lowest mortgage rates. You need documentation to prove your residence.

How long do you have to live in a personal residence?

As a general rule, lenders assume all owner-occupied transactions come with the intention the homeowner will live in the home for a minimum of 12 months. But there may be qualifying reasons for converting your primary residence to a rental property before a year has elapsed.

Are there new rules for principal private residence relief?

However, a new rule is being introduced, from 6 April 2015, for situations where the property is located in a different ‘territory’ to that in which the taxpayer is resident. The new rule will restrict the availability of PPR for both non-UK residents with property in the UK and UK residents with property located in another country.

When does residence, domicile and remittance basis guidance apply?

The previous guidance Residence, Domicile and the Remittance Basis (HMRC6) applies for all tax years ending on or before 5 April 2013. This guidance offers general information on how the rules apply, but whether the guidance is appropriate in a particular case will depend on all the facts of that case.

Can you be UK resident and domicile at same time?

Section 5 of this guidance gives more information about domicile. 1.6 It is possible for you to be UK resident under UK tax rules and at the same time be resident in another country under that country’s rules. This is sometimes referred to as ‘dual residence’.

How is a principal residence determined for taxes?

Principal residence describes a person’s primary residence. When a principal residence is sold, the seller may qualify for a tax exclusion. How a Principal Residence Is Determined for Tax Purposes In most cases, taxpayers must file taxes on capital gains from the sale of any property.