How much ABSD do I pay on a second property?
It depends on your residency status, not on the property. The rate is a flat percentage of the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher.
| Buyer | Second property | Cost | Third and subsequent | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen | 20% | S$300,000 | 30% | S$450,000 |
| Singapore PR | 30% | S$450,000 | 35% | S$525,000 |
| Foreigner | 60% | S$900,000 | 60% | S$900,000 |
| Entity or trustee | 65% | S$975,000 | 65% | S$975,000 |
Buyer's Stamp Duty of S$44,600 applies on top of every figure above, and is the same regardless of how many properties you own.
What counts as owning a property?
Any interest in residential property in Singapore counts, and the count is taken at the moment you acquire the new one. This is broader than most buyers assume.
- A part share counts in full. Owning 50% of a flat with a sibling makes your next purchase a second property, not a first.
- Being named on a title counts even if you do not live there and did not pay for it.
- Overseas property does not count. Only Singapore residential property enters the tally.
- Commercial and industrial property does not count, because ABSD applies to residential property only.
- Where joint buyers have different profiles, the highest applicable rate applies to the whole purchase.
People are routinely caught by a share of a parent's flat they were added to years ago. Check the title before you assume you are a first-time buyer.
Does it matter whether I buy or sell first?
It decides the entire bill. ABSD is assessed on what you hold at the moment of acquisition, so the order of the two transactions is the single largest lever available to an upgrader.
Sell first and the new home is a first property with no ABSD. Buy first and it is a second, with 20% attached for a citizen. Most families cannot sell first without being homeless in between — which is precisely why the spouses remission exists.
| Order | ABSD at purchase | Reclaimable? | Net ABSD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell first, then buy | S$0 | — | S$0 |
| Buy first, sell within 6 months | S$300,000 | Yes, via the spouses remission | S$0 |
| Buy first, sell after 6 months | S$300,000 | No | S$300,000 |
How do I avoid paying ABSD on a second property?
The honest answer is that you cannot make a second property into a first one. What exists are two lawful routes, and it is worth being precise about them because this is the question the internet answers worst.
The first is sequencing: dispose of your existing property before acquiring the next, so the new one is genuinely your first at the moment of acquisition. The second is the married-couple remission, which lets a couple including a Singapore Citizen buy first, pay the ABSD, and reclaim it by selling the old home within six months.
- Sequencing — sell before you buy. No ABSD arises at all.
- The spouses remission — buy first, pay, reclaim within the six-month window. IRAS does not grant extensions.
- Free Trade Agreement remission — relevant only if you are a national of one of five jurisdictions.
Buying through a company does not help: entities pay 65%, above every individual rate. Buying on trust does not help by itself either — ABSD (Trust) is 65%, with a remission that brings it back only to the beneficiary's own rate.
What about the "99-to-1" arrangement?
It is the structure IRAS audits. The pattern they describe is a buyer with no property count purchasing alone, then within a very short period selling a small share — typically 1% — to someone with a higher ABSD profile, so that ABSD falls due only on that 1% rather than on the full value a joint purchase would have attracted.
IRAS treats this as an arrangement entered into for the purpose of reducing or avoiding stamp duty. Where they determine tax avoidance has occurred they recover the rightful duty and may impose a surcharge of 50% of the additional duty payable. There is no statutory time limit on stamp duty audits, so an old arrangement stays open indefinitely.
Enforcement has gone beyond assessment. In February 2025 a mother and son became the first people convicted of giving false and misleading information to IRAS during a stamp duty audit.
This section is here because the question gets asked, not because the answer is a strategy. Treated as a way to reduce ABSD, it carries the original duty, a possible 50% surcharge, and — where information given to IRAS is false — a criminal exposure.
What changes on a third property?
The rate steps up again: 30% for a Singapore Citizen and 35% for a Singapore PR. For foreigners and entities nothing changes, because their rates are already flat regardless of count.
The spouses remission does not help here. It is written around moving from one home to the next, not around accumulating. A third purchase held alongside two others attracts the full rate with no route back.
Work out your own number
Stamp Duty Calculator Singapore
Set the profile to a second or third property and see the full BSD plus ABSD bill.
Open the calculator →Frequently asked questions
How much is ABSD for a second property in Singapore?
20% for a Singapore Citizen and 30% for a Singapore PR, charged on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher. On a S$1,500,000 home that is S$300,000 and S$450,000 respectively, plus S$44,600 in Buyer's Stamp Duty.
How can I avoid ABSD on a second property?
By selling your existing property before acquiring the next one, so the new home is genuinely your first at the moment of acquisition. Or, if you are a married couple including a Singapore Citizen, by using the spouses remission — buy first, pay the ABSD, and reclaim it by selling the first home within six months.
Does a part share in a property count towards ABSD?
Yes, in full. Owning half a flat jointly with a sibling or parent makes your next purchase a second property. The count is on interests held, not on whole properties owned.
Does overseas property count towards my ABSD property count?
No. Only Singapore residential property enters the count. A home owned abroad does not make your Singapore purchase a second property.
Can I buy a second property in my child's name to avoid ABSD?
A purchase held on trust for a child attracts ABSD (Trust) at 65% upfront. A remission can bring it back to the child's own profile where the beneficial interest is vested and unconditional, but the route is narrow and IRAS rejects trusts where the interest is contingent or deferred.
Can I set up a company to buy a second property?
It costs more, not less. Entities pay 65% ABSD, above the 30% a PR or 20% a citizen would pay on a second home. There is no ABSD advantage to corporate ownership of residential property.
How long do I have to sell my first property to get the ABSD back?
Six months from the date of purchase of the second property if it was completed, or from the issue date of the TOP or CSC if it was uncompleted. IRAS states that extensions to this window are not granted, for any reason.
Is a second property subject to higher property tax as well?
Property tax is charged on Annual Value, at owner-occupier rates for a home you live in and higher non-owner-occupied rates otherwise. That is a separate annual tax from ABSD, which is a one-off duty at purchase — but it is a real ongoing cost of holding a second home.
What is the ABSD rate for a third property?
30% for a Singapore Citizen and 35% for a Singapore PR. Foreigners remain at 60% and entities at 65%, since those rates do not vary by property count.
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 — Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD)
- ↗ IRAS — Remission of ABSD for a married couple
- ↗ IRAS — Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD)
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