Three stamp duties decide the true cost of almost every residential property transaction in Singapore: Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD), which everyone pays; Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD), which depends on who you are and how many properties you own; and Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD), which punishes short holding periods. Get them wrong and a budget can be out by six figures. This guide sets out every rate current as at July 2026, with the worked math — always verify statutory figures with IRAS before you sign.
ABSD: the rate that depends on who you are
Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty is Singapore’s main cooling measure. It is charged on top of BSD, on the higher of the purchase price or market value, and the rate depends on your residency profile and how many residential properties you already own. The current schedule took effect on 27 April 2023 and remains unchanged as at July 2026 — Budget 2026 made no revision.
| Buyer profile | 1st property | 2nd property | 3rd & subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen (SC) | 0% | 20% | 30% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) | 5% | 30% | 35% |
| Foreigner (non-PR) | 60% — flat, on any residential purchase | ||
| Entity (company, trustee) | 65% — on any residential purchase | ||
Three details matter in practice. First, “property count” includes any residential property you own wholly, jointly or beneficially — including overseas property in some remission assessments. Second, for joint purchases by mixed profiles (say, an SC and a foreigner), the higher applicable ABSD rate generally applies to the whole purchase unless a specific remission applies. Third, ABSD is payable in cash — you cannot fold it into your mortgage — within 14 days of the taxable document. Treat it as part of your upfront cash outlay, alongside the minimum 5% cash downpayment most first-time borrowers face.
Who pays what: three real scenarios
Tables are abstract; budgets are not. Here is how ABSD and BSD combine for the three buyer profiles I see most often, using prices typical of their segments (all figures computed at July-2026 rates, rounded).
Scenario 1 — SC upgrader couple, condo before selling the flat
A Singapore Citizen couple buys a S$1.5 million resale condo while still holding their HDB flat. Because the flat is still in their names on the purchase date, the condo counts as their second property: ABSD at 20% = S$300,000, payable upfront in cash, plus BSD of S$44,600 (worked below). That is S$344,600 of stamp duty alone — the single biggest argument for planning the sequence carefully. If they qualify for the married-couple remission and sell the flat within the six-month window, the ABSD can be remitted; if not, it is a sunk cost. This is exactly the decision the ABSD calculator is built for.
Scenario 2 — PR buying a first home
A Permanent Resident buys a S$1.2 million apartment as a first property. ABSD at 5% = S$60,000; BSD comes to S$32,600 (1% on the first S$180k, 2% on the next S$180k, 3% on the next S$640k, 4% on the remaining S$200k). Total duties: S$92,600 — about 7.7% on top of the price, before the downpayment. Many PR clients are surprised the 5% applies even to a first and only home; it does, as at July 2026.
Scenario 3 — Foreigner buying at S$2 million
A foreign buyer without FTA coverage pays 60% ABSD on any residential purchase: at S$2 million that is S$1.2 million in ABSD, plus S$69,600 in BSD — S$1,269,600 in duties. Since the April 2023 hike, this has reshaped the foreign-buyer market toward FTA-covered nationalities and commercial property. If a salesperson ever tells you there is a “structure” to dodge ABSD, walk away — anti-avoidance provisions are real and enforced.
BSD: the stamp duty everyone pays
Buyer’s Stamp Duty applies to every property purchase, citizen or foreigner, first home or tenth. Residential BSD has followed the marginal schedule below since 15 February 2023 (unchanged as at July 2026). Like ABSD, it is computed on the higher of price or market value — but unlike ABSD, it can be paid from your CPF Ordinary Account, subject to CPF limits.
| Tier of price / market value | BSD rate | Duty on that tier |
|---|---|---|
| First S$180,000 | 1% | S$1,800 |
| Next S$180,000 (to S$360,000) | 2% | S$3,600 |
| Next S$640,000 (to S$1,000,000) | 3% | S$19,200 |
| Next S$500,000 (to S$1,500,000) | 4% | S$20,000 |
| Next S$1,500,000 (to S$3,000,000) | 5% | up to S$75,000 |
| Remaining amount above S$3,000,000 | 6% | 6% of the excess |
Worked example: BSD on a S$1.5 million purchase
Stack the tiers one by one:
- First S$180,000 × 1% = S$1,800
- Next S$180,000 × 2% = S$3,600
- Next S$640,000 × 3% = S$19,200
- Final S$500,000 × 4% = S$20,000
Total BSD = 1,800 + 3,600 + 19,200 + 20,000 = S$44,600. For purchases at or under S$1 million, a shortcut works: (3% × price) − S$5,400. Cross-checks: S$2 million of value pays S$69,600; S$3 million pays S$119,600. If a number you see elsewhere differs, check whether that site has updated for the 4% tier introduced in February 2023.
SSD: the four-year rule sellers forget
Seller’s Stamp Duty applies when a residential property is sold within a short holding period, and it changed materially in 2025. For properties bought on or after 4 July 2025, the holding period stretched from three years to four, and every tier rose by four percentage points. There was no transition window: the purchase date alone decides which regime you are in.
| Holding period before sale | Bought 11 Mar 2017 – 3 Jul 2025 | Bought on/after 4 Jul 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 year | 12% | 16% |
| More than 1 – 2 years | 8% | 12% |
| More than 2 – 3 years | 4% | 8% |
| More than 3 – 4 years | 0% | 4% |
| More than 4 years | 0% | 0% |
The arithmetic is sobering: sell a S$1.8 million condo inside the first year under the new regime and SSD alone is S$288,000 — on the higher of sale price or market value. HDB flat owners are effectively exempt in practice, because the five-year Minimum Occupation Period already keeps flats off the market longer than the SSD window (see the MOP guide). For private buyers, the message as at July 2026 is simple: buy with at least a four-year horizon, and if life forces an earlier sale, price the SSD into your net proceeds before you list.
Payment mechanics: deadlines, cash and CPF
Whichever duty applies, the mechanics are the same. Stamp duty is due within 14 days of signing the Sale & Purchase Agreement or exercising the Option to Purchase in Singapore (30 days if the document was signed overseas), and it is always computed on the higher of the agreed price or the market value — under-declaring is not a loophole, it is an offence. Payment is made electronically via IRAS e-Stamping, usually handled by your lawyer. Two funding rules to plan around: ABSD must be paid in cash — it cannot be financed — while BSD can be paid from CPF Ordinary Account savings, subject to the usual CPF limits. Because duties fall due within a fortnight, well before most loan disbursements, they behave like upfront cash even when CPF covers them.
Remissions and reliefs worth knowing
- FTA remission. Under Free Trade Agreements, nationals of the United States, and nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, are treated the same as Singapore Citizens for ABSD — 0% on a first property — as at July 2026. Confirm eligibility with IRAS before relying on it.
- Married-couple remission on a second matrimonial home. A couple with at least one SC spouse, buying jointly, can apply for full ABSD remission on their second matrimonial home if the first is sold within six months of the second purchase — or within six months of TOP/CSC for an uncompleted unit — subject to IRAS conditions. This is the mechanism that makes “buy first, sell second” workable for some upgraders; the six-month clock is unforgiving, so the sale plan must be ready before the purchase.
- Trust purchases. Residential property bought in trust attracts ABSD at the entity rate of 65% (in force since 9 May 2022), generally non-remittable. Trust structures are not an ABSD workaround.
- Remission is not automatic. Every relief is an application to IRAS with conditions and deadlines. Build the timeline with your lawyer and agent before you commit — after the fact is too late.
Frequently asked questions
As at July 2026: Singapore Citizens pay 0% on their first property, 20% on the second and 30% on the third and beyond. Permanent Residents pay 5%, 30% and 35%. Foreigners pay a flat 60% on any residential purchase, and entities 65%. Rates have been unchanged since 27 April 2023 — verify with IRAS before you commit.
Buyer’s Stamp Duty can be paid from your CPF Ordinary Account, subject to CPF usage limits. ABSD must be settled in cash within 14 days and cannot be financed with a loan. Either way, both duties fall due before most loan disbursements, so plan your liquidity before exercising an Option to Purchase.
Yes, in defined cases. A married couple with at least one Singapore Citizen spouse can apply for full ABSD remission on a second matrimonial home bought jointly, provided the first matrimonial home is sold within six months of the second purchase (or of its TOP if uncompleted) and IRAS’s other conditions are met.
Under Free Trade Agreements, nationals of the United States, and nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, are accorded the same ABSD treatment as Singapore Citizens — 0% on a first residential property, as at July 2026. All other foreign buyers pay 60%. Confirm eligibility with IRAS.
For homes bought on or after 4 July 2025, SSD runs four years: 16% in year one, 12% in year two, 8% in year three, 4% in year four — on the higher of sale price or market value. Earlier purchases follow the old three-year scale of 12%, 8%, 4%. HDB flats are shielded by the five-year MOP.
Stamp duty is payable within 14 days of signing the Sale & Purchase Agreement or exercising the Option to Purchase in Singapore (30 days if signed overseas). Payment is made through IRAS e-Stamping, computed on the higher of the purchase price or market value. Late payment attracts penalties, so diarise the deadline.
Related guides
- ABSD & BSD calculator — your numbers, computed at July-2026 rates
- EC vs condo in 2026 — where stamp duties fit the upgrader decision
- How to sell your HDB flat — the seller-side process, costs and CPF refund
- HDB MOP rules in 2026 — when you are allowed to sell at all
Rates and rules stated as at July 2026 and sourced from IRAS, HDB and MAS publications; statutory figures can change. This guide is general information, not financial or tax advice — verify your specific liability with IRAS or a qualified adviser before transacting.