Stamp Act 1891

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved


Stamp Act, 1891

(54 & 55 Vict.) CHAPTER 39.

An Act to consolidate the Enactments granting and relating to the Stamp Duties upon Instruments and certain other enactments relating to Stamp Duties.

[21st July 1891]

B E it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

I Regulations applicable to Instruments generally .

PART I.

Regulations applicable to Instruments generally .

Charge of Duty upon Instruments.

Charge of Duty upon Instruments.

S-1 Charge of duties in schedule.

1 Charge of duties in schedule.

1. From and after the commencement of this Act the stamp duties in duties to be charged for the use of Her Majesty upon the several instruments specified in the First Schedule to this Act shall be the several duties in the said schedule specified, which duties shall be in substitution for the duties theretofore chargeable under the enactments repealed by this Act, and shall be subject to the exemptions contained in this Act and in any other Act for the time being in force.

S-2 All duties to be paid according to regulations of Act.

2 All duties to be paid according to regulations of Act.

2. All stamp duties for the time being chargeable by law upon any instruments are to be paid and denoted according to the regulations in this Act contained, and except where express provision is made to the contrary are to be denoted by impressed stamps only.

S-3 How instruments are to be written and stamped.

3 How instruments are to be written and stamped.

(1)3.—(1.) Every instrument written upon stamped material is to be written in such manner, and every instrument partly or wholly written before being stamped is to be so stamped, that the stamp may appear on the face of the instrument, and cannot be used for or applied to any other instrument written upon the same piece of material.

(2) (2.) If more than one instrument be written upon the same piece of material, every one of the instruments is to be separately and distinctly stamped with the duty with which it is chargeable.

S-4 Instruments to be separately charged with duty in certain cases.

4 Instruments to be separately charged with duty in certain cases.

4. Except where express provision to the contrary is made by this or any other Act,—

a. ) An instrument containing or relating to several distinct matters is to be separately and distinctly charged, as if it were a separate instrument, with duty in respect of each of the matters
b. ) An instrument made for any consideration in respect whereof it is chargeable with ad valorem duty, and also for any further or other valuable consideration or considerations, is to be separately and distinctly charged, as if it were a separate instrument, with duty in respect of each of the considerations
S-5 Facts and circumstances affecting duty to be set forth in instruments.

5 Facts and circumstances affecting duty to be set forth in instruments.

5. All the facts and circumstances affecting the liability of any instrument to duty, or the amount of the duty with which any instrument is chargeable, are to be fully and truly set forth in the instrument; and every person who, with intent to defraud Her Majesty,

a. ) executes any instrument in which all the said facts and circumstances are not fully and truly set forth; or
b. ) being employed or concerned in or about the preparation of any instrument, neglects or omits fully and truly to set forth therein all the said facts and circumstances

shall incur a fine of ten pounds.

S-6 Mode of calculating ad valorem duty in certain cases.

6 Mode of calculating ad valorem duty in certain cases.

(1)6.—(1.) Where an instrument is chargeable with ad valorem duty in respect of—

(a. ) any money in any foreign or colonial currency, or

(b. ) any stock or marketable security,

the duty shall be calculated on the value, on the day of the date of the instrument, of the money in British currency according to the current rate of exchange, or of the stock or security according to the average price thereof.

(2) (2.) Where an instrument contains a statement of current rate of exchange, or average price, as the case may require, and is stamped in accordance with that statement, it is, so far as regards the subject matter of the statement, to be deemed duly stamped, unless or until it is shown that the statement is untrue, and that the instrument is in fact insufficiently stamped.

Use of Adhesive Stamps.

Use of Adhesive Stamps.

S-7 Certain adhesive stamps to be applicable to instruments and postal purposes.

7 Certain adhesive stamps to be applicable to instruments and postal purposes.

7. Any stamp duties of an amount not exceeding two shillings and sixpence upon instruments which are permitted by law to be denoted by adhesive stamps not appropriated by any word or words on the face of them to any particular description of instrument, and any postage duties of the like amount, may be denoted by the same adhesive stamps.

S-8 General direction as to the cancellation of adhesive stamps.

8 General direction as to the cancellation of adhesive stamps.

(1)8.—(1.) An instrument, the duty upon which is required or permitted by law to be denoted by an adhesive stamp, is not to be deemed duly stamped with an adhesive stamp, unless the person required by law to cancel the adhesive stamp cancels the same by writing on or across the stamp his name or initials, or the name or initials of his firm, together with the true date of his so writing, or otherwise effectively cancels the stamp and renders the same incapable of being used for any other instrument, or for any postal purpose, or unless it is otherwise proved that the stamp appearing on the instrument was affixed thereto at the proper time.

(2) (2.) Where two or more adhesive stamps are used to denote the stamp duty upon an instrument, each or every stamp is to be cancelled in the manner aforesaid.

(3) (3.) Every person who, being required by law to cancel an adhesive stamp, neglects or refuses duly and effectually to do so in the manner aforesaid, shall incur a fine of ten pounds.

S-9 Penalty for frauds in relation to adhesive stamps.

9 Penalty for frauds in relation to adhesive stamps.

(1)9.—(1.) If any person—

(a. ) Fraudulently removes or causes to be removed from any instrument any adhesive stamp, or affixes to any other instrument or uses for any postal purpose any adhesive stamp which has been so removed, with intent that the stamp may be used again; or

(b. ) Sells or offers for sale, or utters, any adhesive stamp which has been so removed, or utters any instrument, having thereon any adhesive stamp which has to his knowledge been so removed as aforesaid;

he shall, in addition to any other fine or penalty to which he may be liable, incur a fine of fifty pounds.

(2) (2.) The expression ‘instrument’ in this section includes any post letter as defined by the Post Office Protection Act, 1884 , and the cover of any post letter.

Appropriated Stamps and Denoting Stamps.

Appropriated Stamps and Denoting Stamps.

S-10 Appropriated stamps.

10 Appropriated stamps.

(1)10.—(1.) A stamp which by any word or words on the face of it is appropriated to any particular description of instrument is not to be used, or, if used, is not to be available, for an instrument of any other description.

(2) (2.) An instrument failing under the particular description to which any stamp is so appropriated as aforesaid is not to be deemed duly stamped, unless it is stamped with the stamp so appropriated.

S-11 Denoting stamps.

11 Denoting stamps.

11. Where the duty with which an instrument is chargeable depends in any manner upon the duty paid upon another instrument, the payment of the last-mentioned duty shall, upon application to the Commissioners and production of both the instruments, be denoted upon the first-mentioned instrument in such manner as the Commissioners think fit.

Adjudication Stamps.

Adjudication Stamps.

S-12 Assessment of duty by Commissioners.

12 Assessment of duty by Commissioners.

(1) Subject to such regulations as the Commissioners may think fit to make, the Commissioners may be required by any person to express their opinion with reference to any executed instrument upon the following questions:

(a. ) Whether it is chargeable with any duty;

(b. ) With what amount of duty it is chargeable

(2) (2.) The Commissioners may require to be furnished with an abstract of the instrument, and also with such evidence as they may deem necessary, in order to show to their satisfaction whether all the facts and circumstances affecting the liability of the...

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