What is stamp duty on Singapore property?
Stamp duty is a tax on documents, not on property. It becomes payable when you sign a document that transfers an interest in property — an Option to Purchase, a Sale and Purchase Agreement, or a transfer instrument. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) collects it.
Three separate duties can apply to residential property, and it helps to keep them apart because they are triggered by different events:
- Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) — paid by every buyer on every property, residential or not, regardless of nationality or how many homes you own.
- Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) — paid on top of BSD by some buyers of residential property, depending on residency status and property count.
- Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD) — paid by the seller if a residential property is sold within the holding period after acquiring it.
A buyer never pays SSD and a seller never pays BSD or ABSD on the same transaction. If you are both selling and buying, you may owe SSD on the sale and BSD plus ABSD on the purchase — two separate calculations.
What is Buyer's Stamp Duty and how is it calculated?
BSD is charged on the purchase price or the market value of the property, whichever is higher, on a sliding scale. It is marginal — each band applies only to the portion of the price that falls inside it, in the same way income tax brackets work.
On a S$1,500,000 residential purchase, BSD is S$44,600. The first S$180,000 is taxed at 1%, the next S$180,000 at 2%, and so on up the scale — not the whole price at the top rate.
| Portion of price or market value | Residential | Non-residential |
|---|---|---|
| First $180,000 | 1% | 1% |
| Next $180,000 | 2% | 2% |
| Next $640,000 | 3% | 3% |
| Next $500,000 | 4% | 4% |
| Next $1,500,000 | 5% | 5% |
| Remaining amount | 6% | — |
Non-residential property tops out at 5%. The 6% band on the remaining amount applies to residential property only — which is why a commercial purchase above S$3 million carries less BSD than a home at the same price.
What is Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty and who pays it?
ABSD sits on top of BSD and applies only to residential property. Unlike BSD it is a flat percentage of the whole price — there are no bands. What determines the rate is your residency status and the number of residential properties you already hold.
The current rates took effect on 27 Apr 2023. The previous band, shown for comparison, ran from 16 Dec 2021 – 26 Apr 2023 — the change that took foreigners from 30% to 60% is the largest single jump in the tax's history.
| Buyer | Property | From 27 Apr 2023 | On a S$1,500,000 home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen | 1st residential property | None | S$0 |
| Singapore Citizen | 2nd residential property | 20% | S$300,000 |
| Singapore Citizen | 3rd and subsequent | 30% | S$450,000 |
| Singapore PR | 1st residential property | 5% | S$75,000 |
| Singapore PR | 2nd residential property | 30% | S$450,000 |
| Singapore PR | 3rd and subsequent | 35% | S$525,000 |
| Foreigner | Any residential property | 60% | S$900,000 |
| Entity | Any residential property | 65% | S$975,000 |
| Trustee | Any residential property | 65% | S$975,000 |
| Housing Developer | Any residential property | 35% (Plus a further 5% that is non-remittable) | S$525,000 |
A Singapore Citizen buying a first home pays no ABSD at all. That single exemption is worth more than any other concession in the system, and it is why property count matters so much when planning an upgrade.
How is my property count worked out?
ABSD is charged on the property you are buying, counted as your first, second or third based on what you already hold at that moment. A part share counts. If you own half of a flat with a sibling, that flat is one of your properties.
This is why the sequence of an upgrade matters so much. Buy before you sell and the new home is your second property, with ABSD charged at 20% for a citizen. Sell first and it is your first, with none. The remission route exists precisely because most families cannot afford to sell before they buy.
- Overseas property does not count towards the ABSD property count.
- Where buyers have different profiles, the highest applicable ABSD rate applies to the whole purchase — a citizen buying jointly with a foreigner pays the foreigner rate.
- Property held on trust has its own regime, with a 65% rate and a separate remission route.
Can I use CPF to pay stamp duty, and when is it due?
CPF Ordinary Account savings can be used towards BSD and ABSD, but not in the way most buyers expect. Stamp duty must be paid in cash first, and CPF then reimburses you. Budget the cash for the moment of stamping regardless of your CPF balance.
Stamp duty is payable within 14 days of the document being signed if it is signed in Singapore, or within 30 days of it being received in Singapore if signed overseas. Late payment attracts a penalty, so the date on the Option to Purchase matters.
One practical consequence: a foreigner buying a S$1.5 million home needs S$900,000 in ABSD plus S$44,600 in BSD available in cash within a fortnight. No loan covers stamp duty, and CPF is not available to foreigners.
Which ABSD remissions and refunds exist?
ABSD has a long list of remissions, and two of them cover a large share of ordinary buyers. Most people who pay ABSD unnecessarily do so because they did not know a remission applied or missed its deadline.
The married-couple remission lets a couple including a Singapore Citizen buy a second home, pay the ABSD, and reclaim it by selling their first home within six months. The Free Trade Agreement remission gives certain foreign nationals the same treatment as a citizen.
- Married couples — full remission where neither spouse owns a home, and a refund route when upgrading. The six-month sale window is firm; IRAS states plainly that extensions are not granted.
- Free Trade Agreement nationals — nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and nationals (but not permanent residents) of United States of America.
- Trusts — a separate remission where the beneficial owner is identifiable.
- Single Singapore Citizen seniors — a concession that is barely written about anywhere and worth checking if you are downsizing.
- Others cover HDB and new EC purchases, transfers of HDB flats within a family, matrimonial proceedings, aborted sale agreements and acquisitions of an additional interest in a property you already part-own.
What is Seller's Stamp Duty and when does it apply?
SSD is paid by the seller on residential property sold within the holding period. It is charged on the sale price or market value, whichever is higher, and it changed materially on 4 Jul 2025.
The rule that catches people out is that the applicable table is set by when you acquired the property, not by when you sell it. A home bought in 2024 and sold today still runs on the old three-year table, even though the new four-year table is in force.
| Holding period | SSD rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 year | 16% |
| More than 1 year, up to 2 years | 12% |
| More than 2 years, up to 3 years | 8% |
| More than 3 years, up to 4 years | 4% |
| More than 4 years | No SSD payable |
For property acquired between 11 Mar 2017 – 3 Jul 2025, the old table applies: 12% / 8% / 4% over three years, then nothing.
How much stamp duty will I pay on a S$1,500,000 home?
BSD is the same for everyone at S$44,600. What changes the total, sometimes by an order of magnitude, is ABSD.
| Buyer | BSD | ABSD | Total duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizen, first home | S$44,600 | S$0 | S$44,600 |
| Citizen, second home | S$44,600 | S$300,000 | S$344,600 |
| PR, first home | S$44,600 | S$75,000 | S$119,600 |
| PR, second home | S$44,600 | S$450,000 | S$494,600 |
| Foreigner | S$44,600 | S$900,000 | S$944,600 |
None of this is financeable. Loan-to-value limits apply to the property price; stamp duty sits outside them and must be found in cash or reimbursed from CPF afterwards.
Work out your own number
Stamp Duty Calculator Singapore
Enter your purchase price and buyer profile for an exact BSD and ABSD breakdown, using the IRAS rates on this page.
Open the calculator →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BSD and ABSD?
BSD is paid by every buyer on every property at 1% to 6% on a sliding scale. ABSD is an extra flat percentage charged only on residential property, and only on some buyers — it depends on your residency status and how many homes you already own. A Singapore Citizen buying a first home pays BSD but no ABSD.
How much is ABSD in Singapore?
Nothing for a Singapore Citizen buying a first residential property, 20% on a second and 30% on a third. Singapore PRs pay 5% on a first, 30% on a second and 35% on a third. Foreigners pay 60% on any residential property, entities and trustees 65%. These rates took effect on 27 April 2023.
How is ABSD calculated?
ABSD is a flat percentage of the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher — there are no bands as there are with BSD. A foreigner buying a S$1.5 million home pays 60% of S$1.5 million, which is S$900,000, on top of S$44,600 in BSD.
Can I use CPF to pay stamp duty?
Yes, for both BSD and ABSD, but only as a reimbursement. You must pay the duty in cash first and then claim it back from your CPF Ordinary Account. Plan the cash for the moment of stamping regardless of your CPF balance.
When is stamp duty payable?
Within 14 days of the document being signed if it is signed in Singapore, or within 30 days of it being received in Singapore if signed overseas. Late payment attracts a penalty. In practice the clock starts when you exercise the Option to Purchase.
Does ABSD apply to HDB flats?
Yes, the same rules apply. A Singapore Citizen buying a first HDB flat pays no ABSD. A Singapore PR buying a first property pays 5% even where that property is an HDB flat. BSD applies to HDB purchases, BTO and resale alike.
Does ABSD apply to commercial property?
No. ABSD applies only to residential property. Commercial and industrial purchases attract BSD only, and at a lower top rate — non-residential BSD stops at 5% rather than continuing to 6% above S$3 million.
Is stamp duty payable on inherited property?
Property received through inheritance is treated differently from a purchase, but inherited property still counts towards your property count for ABSD purposes on any future purchase. The rules turn on how the estate is administered, so check with IRAS or a conveyancing lawyer on the specific transfer.
Can I get a loan to pay ABSD?
No. Loan-to-value limits are calculated on the property price, and stamp duty sits outside them. Banks do not lend against stamp duty, which is why a foreigner buying in Singapore needs the full 60% available in cash within a fortnight of exercising the option.
Will ABSD be reduced or removed?
There is no announced plan to do so. ABSD has moved in one direction since it was introduced in 2011 — the last change, in April 2023, doubled the foreigner rate from 30% to 60%. Rates are set by the Ministry of Finance and can change without warning, which is why this page carries the date it was last checked against IRAS.
Sources
Every rate on this page was read directly from IRAS on . Stamp duty rules change with little notice — confirm against IRAS before you commit to a purchase.
- ↗ IRAS — Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD)
- ↗ IRAS — Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD)
- ↗ IRAS — Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD) for residential property
- ↗ IRAS — Foreigners eligible for ABSD remission under Free Trade Agreements
- ↗ IRAS — Remission of ABSD for a married couple
LoanCalculatorSingapore.com is not a licensed financial adviser, tax adviser or law firm. This page is general information, not personalised advice. See our full disclaimer.