Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 section 20

Assessment of duty by Commissioners

Section 20 sets out how stamp duty is assessed under the e-stamping system, requiring the accountable person to self-assess duty on the return and enabling Revenue to make or substitute assessments where necessary.

• An e-stamping return must include a self-assessment of the stamp duty the accountable person believes is due, and that duty plus any interest must be paid unless Revenue substitute a different assessment.
• Where no return is filed, Revenue may assess the duty they consider chargeable based on their own knowledge and information, and the accountable person is liable for that duty plus interest.
• Revenue may substitute any incorrect assessment with one they consider appropriate, and the accountable person must pay the duty and interest arising on the substituted assessment.
• An instrument stamped in accordance with an assessment is admissible in evidence for all purposes, and an unstamped or insufficiently stamped chargeable instrument may only be stamped through the assessment process.