If you are based in the UK and need to sell US shares, the process boils down to where those shares are currently held.
Option 1 – They Are Already In A UK Broker Account
If your stock sits in a standard UK platform, selling is straightforward. You fill out a W-8BEN form. Your broker will ask for this before you trade. It is just an official form that declares you live in the UK, which prevents the US from taxing your dividends at the full 30% rate. Most platforms let you sign it online in a couple of minutes. Hit sell during US market hours. Place the trade just like a UK stock. Watch out for currency conversion. The sale happens in US Dollars, so your broker will automatically convert the cash to Pounds and take an FX fee on the transfer.
Option 2 – They Are Stuck Directly With A US Transfer Agent
If you hold paper certificates or your shares sit directly with a US registrar like Computershare, which often happens with inherited stock or workplace scheme payouts, you have a bit more admin.
You can either instruct the US registrar directly to liquidate the holding or ask a UK broker to transfer the shares into your account here first. If you sell directly through the US agent, you will almost certainly need to post them a paper transfer form, a W-8BEN, and an official Medallion Signature Guarantee stamp from a UK bank to prove your identity. Our Medallion Signature Guarantee service helps UK investors complete US share transfers with the required authentication.
What About UK Tax?
The US does not tax your capital gains as a non-resident. However, you still owe standard UK Capital Gains Tax on any profit made once converted to Pounds, unless the shares were held inside an ISA wrapper. You can find full guidance on HMRC Capital Gains Tax for shares and investments on the GOV.UK website.