London, United Kingdom
Exit tax · London

Leaving London.

No exit tax as such. The temporary non residence rule taxes gains realized abroad on assets held before leaving, at 24% today, if you return within 5 years and had sole UK residence in 4 of the 7 tax years before leaving. After more than 5 years of non residence the rule no longer applies. The date you break residence is tested under the statutory residence test.

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By the Patrician.ch research desk · Updated 29 October 2026 · 7 min read
Rate on unrealized gains None at departure 24% on gains realized abroad if you return early
Deferral See below
Addresses with no capital gains tax 39 of the 100 on the board
Trigger Loss of tax residence the departure date is tested under local rules

What the charge looks like on your number.

Gain realized while abroadCharged at 24% on an early returnCharged once the rule has lapsed
$1M$240K$0
$5M$1.2M$0
$20M$4.8M$0

Nothing is charged on departure. The charge arises only if residence resumes before the rule lapses. No deferral. The rule stops applying after more than 5 years of non residence.

Official sources: UK Legislation, GOV.UK. Checked against them on .

When the rule lapses.

No deferral. The rule stops applying after more than 5 years of non residence.

Addresses with no capital gains tax.

Abu Dhabi, UAE🇦🇪 Abu DhabiUAE · effective tax 0% on $1MAndorra la Vella🇦🇩 Andorra la VellaAndorra · effective tax 10% on $1MAnguilla🇦🇮 AnguillaAnguilla · effective tax 0% on $1MAthens, Greece🇬🇷 AthensGreece · effective tax 43% on $1MBora Bora, French Polynesia🇵🇫 Bora BoraFrench Polynesia · effective tax 25% on $1MChristophe Harbour, St Kitts and Nevis🇰🇳 Christophe HarbourSt Kitts and Nevis · effective tax 0% on $1MDubai, UAE🇦🇪 DubaiUAE · effective tax 0% on $1MGeneva, Switzerland🇨🇭 GenevaSwitzerland · effective tax 40% on $1MGeorge Town, Cayman Islands🇰🇾 George TownCayman Islands · effective tax 0% on $1MGibraltar🇬🇮 GibraltarGibraltar · effective tax 6% on $1MGstaad, Switzerland🇨🇭 GstaadSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1MHong Kong🇭🇰 Hong KongHong Kong SAR · effective tax 15% on $1MHvar, Croatia🇭🇷 HvarCroatia · effective tax 29% on $1MJersey🇯🇪 JerseyJersey · effective tax 20% on $1MLimassol, Cyprus🇨🇾 LimassolCyprus · effective tax 34% on $1MLucerne, Switzerland🇨🇭 LucerneSwitzerland · effective tax 28% on $1MLugano, Switzerland🇨🇭 LuganoSwitzerland · effective tax 35% on $1MLuxembourg🇱🇺 LuxembourgLuxembourg · effective tax 44% on $1MMonaco🇲🇨 MonacoMonaco · effective tax 0% on $1MMontreux, Switzerland🇨🇭 MontreuxSwitzerland · effective tax 41% on $1MMykonos, Greece🇬🇷 MykonosGreece · effective tax 43% on $1MNassau, Bahamas🇧🇸 NassauBahamas · effective tax 0% on $1MPanama City🇵🇦 Panama CityPanama · effective tax 0% on $1MPlatinum Coast, Barbados🇧🇧 Platinum CoastBarbados · effective tax 27% on $1MPrague, Czech Republic🇨🇿 PragueCzech Republic · effective tax 22% on $1MProvidenciales, Turks and Caicos🇹🇨 ProvidencialesTurks and Caicos · effective tax 0% on $1MPunta del Este, Uruguay🇺🇾 Punta del EsteUruguay · effective tax 0% on $1MQueenstown, New Zealand🇳🇿 QueenstownNew Zealand · effective tax 38% on $1MSingapore🇸🇬 SingaporeSingapore · effective tax 21% on $1MSt John's, Antigua and Barbuda🇦🇬 St John'sAntigua and Barbuda · effective tax 0% on $1MSt. Moritz, Switzerland🇨🇭 St. MoritzSwitzerland · effective tax 28% on $1MTucker's Town, Bermuda🇧🇲 Tucker's TownBermuda · effective tax 11% on $1MVaduz, Liechtenstein🇱🇮 VaduzLiechtenstein · effective tax 18% on $1MValletta, Malta🇲🇹 VallettaMalta · effective tax 34% on $1MVerbier, Switzerland🇨🇭 VerbierSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1MVirgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands🇻🇬 Virgin GordaBritish Virgin Islands · effective tax 0% on $1MZermatt, Switzerland🇨🇭 ZermattSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1MZug, Switzerland🇨🇭 ZugSwitzerland · effective tax 21% on $1MZurich, Switzerland🇨🇭 ZurichSwitzerland · effective tax 36% on $1M
Questions

Is there an exit tax when you leave London?

No exit tax as such.

The temporary non residence rule taxes gains realized abroad on assets held before leaving, at 24% today, if you return within 5 years and had sole UK residence in 4 of the 7 tax years before leaving. After more than 5 years of non residence the rule no longer applies. The date you break residence is tested under the statutory residence test.

When does the London return rule stop applying?

No deferral.

The rule stops applying after more than 5 years of non residence.

Which addresses on the board levy no capital gains tax?

39 of the 100 addresses on the board levy no personal capital gains tax on listed securities, among them Abu Dhabi, Andorra la Vella, Anguilla, Athens, Bora Bora, Christophe Harbour.

Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 47 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to October 2026. Updated . Cite as: Patrician.ch, UK exit tax 2026: leaving London, none, and the return rule, patrician.ch/exit-tax/london/, October 2026.

Your own portfolio, on your own numbers: the exit tax calculator.

Where the same income keeps more once you have left: moving from London.

Further reading, by the Patrician.ch research desk: Retiring Abroad? The Exit Tax That Hits Your Portfolio Before You Sell, on The Good Life Journey.

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Income tax on the published 2026 rules. Social contributions, most deductions and treaties are not modeled. Figures are for a non-US single filer. Wealth tax, an exit and your passports are added when you run the engine on your own numbers. Not advice. Residence rules change often. Verify before acting.

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