Duties Act 1997

If a person (A) who has a right under a call option to require another person (B) to sell dutiable property assigns that right, so that the option is exercisable by a third person (C), duty under Chapter 2 is chargeable on that assignment as if the assignment were a transfer of the dutiable property concerned. The duty chargeable on that assignment is referred to in this Part as call option assignment duty.

Duty under Chapter 2A is also chargeable on the assignment if A is a foreign person and the dutiable property concerned is residential-related property. The duty chargeable on that assignment is additional to call option assignment duty and is referred to in this Part as surcharge call option assignment duty.

For the purposes of this section—

if A enters into an agreement or arrangement under which A, for valuable consideration, relinquishes the right under a call option to require B to sell dutiable property and a call option to require B to sell the dutiable property is granted to a third person (C), A is to be treated as having assigned that right under the call option so that the option is exercisable by C, and

if, on or in connection with the exercise of a call option, A, for valuable consideration, enters into an agreement or arrangement under which A nominates a third person (C) as the purchaser or transferee of dutiable property the subject of a call option, A is to be treated as having assigned the right under the call option to require B to sell the dutiable property so that the option is exercisable by C, and

if A enters into an agreement or arrangement under which A, for valuable consideration, relinquishes the right under a call option to require B to sell dutiable property and B agrees to sell the dutiable property to a third person (C), A is to be treated as having assigned that right under the call option so that the option is exercisable by C.

An assignment is chargeable with duty as a consequence of this Part only if the person who may be required under the call option to sell the dutiable property (that is, B) has a right under a put option to require A, an associated person of A or an assignee of A to purchase the dutiable property.

If the assignment is chargeable with call option assignment duty, Chapter 2 applies in respect of the assignment in the same way as it applies to other transfers of dutiable property, and a reference in this Act to a dutiable transaction includes such an assignment, subject to this Part.

If the assignment is chargeable with surcharge call option assignment duty, Chapter 2A applies in respect of the assignment in the same way as it applies to other transfers of residential-related property, and a reference in this Act to a surcharge duty transaction includes such an assignment, subject to this Part.

For the purposes of Chapters 2 and 2A, the transfer of dutiable property (including dutiable property that is residential-related property) is taken to occur when the assignment is made.

This section applies regardless of when the call option or put option is exercisable.

An assignment of a right under a call option to purchase dutiable property, as referred to in subsection (1) or (2), is referred to in this Part as a call option assignment.