Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) 1–4% Scale
Before addressing ABSD, every residential property purchaser in Singapore must first pay the standard Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD), which applies to all buyers regardless of residency status or property count. BSD in 2026 follows a tiered progressive scale based on the purchase price or market value of the property, whichever is higher. The current BSD schedule is: 1% on the first SGD 180,000, 2% on the next SGD 180,000, 3% on the next SGD 640,000, and 4% on any remaining amount exceeding SGD 1,000,000. For example, a property purchased at SGD 2 million incurs BSD of approximately SGD 64,600, while a SGD 1.5 million home yields SGD 44,600 and a SGD 800,000 apartment results in SGD 18,600 in standard stamp duty before ABSD considerations. BSD is always calculated first and forms the base duty upon which ABSD percentages are applied.
ABSD Tier Structure
Singapore Citizens (SC)
Singapore Citizens enjoy the most favorable ABSD treatment, with tiered rates calibrated to the number of residential properties owned at the time of purchase. A Singapore Citizen purchasing their first residential property pays 0% ABSD — no additional duty beyond standard BSD. For a second residential property, the ABSD rate is 17%, applied to the higher of purchase price or market value. SCs acquiring a third or subsequent property face a 25% ABSD rate. It is important to note that these counts include all residential properties held individually, jointly, or as a trustee in Singapore. Properties purchased overseas do not count toward the ABSD tally, nor do non-residential properties such as commercial units, industrial space, or shophouses with commercial zoning. Married Singaporean couples where both parties are SCs and do not own any residential property at the time of purchase continue to qualify for the 0% first-property ABSD remission when buying jointly. For couples with mixed citizenship, the higher ABSD rate of the two buyers applies to the entire purchase.
Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR)
Singapore Permanent Residents follow a similar three-tier structure but at elevated rates compared to citizens. An SPR buying a first residential property in Singapore is subject to 5% ABSD, a second attracts 25% ABSD, and a third or any subsequent residential property incurs a 30% ABSD charge. Former Singapore Citizens who have renounced their citizenship and taken up SPR status are treated under the SPR ABSD schedule from the date of citizenship cessation, with no grandfathering of prior SC-tier entitlements. PRs purchasing with their SC spouses can leverage remission rules if the property is bought jointly; however, the PR ABSD rate applies when the PR buyer is counted as an individual buyer or if the SC spouse already owns residential property. It is advisable for SC-SPR couples to carefully review the IRAS ABSD remission eligibility checker before committing to a purchase.
Foreign Individual Buyers
Foreign individual buyers — individuals who are neither Singapore Citizens nor Permanent Residents — pay a flat 60% ABSD rate on any residential property purchase in Singapore, regardless of whether it is their first, second, or subsequent property. This flat 60% rate was introduced in the December 2021 cooling measures and has been maintained through the 2023 and 2026 reviews. Nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, as well as Nationals of the United States of America, are treated as Singapore Citizens for BSD purposes under existing bilateral agreements and pay ABSD per the SC tier schedule rather than the 60% foreigner rate. All other foreign passport holders are subject to the 60% flat ABSD regardless of long-term visit pass, employment pass, or residency permit status. Residential property purchases by foreign buyers through nominees or intermediaries are also subject to the 60% ABSD, with additional scrutiny under the 15% non-individual trust ABSD where applicable.
Entity / Housing Developer Rates (65% with Remission Conditions)
Purchases of residential Singapore residential property by entities — including companies, associations, societies, and corporations — attract a 65% ABSD rate on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher. However, qualifying housing developers approved under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Qualifying Certificate (QC) framework can apply for ABSD remission subject to specific conditions. The 65% ABSD remission for approved housing developers requires that development and sale of all units within five years of the land acquisition date, adherence to maximum unit count and pricing guidelines, and compliance with any additional building completion and sale milestones. Developers who fail to meet the five-year deadline may be subject to clawback of the remitted ABSD plus accrued interest at 5% per annum. Non-developer entities purchasing residential property for rental holding purposes are not eligible for remission and must pay the full 65% ABSD without recourse. Purchases by real estate investment trusts (REITs) listed on the Singapore Exchange may qualify for structured ABSD frameworks under separate MAS-approved arrangements, subject to ongoing disclosure and holding period conditions.
15% Additional ABSD for Non-Individual Trusts
An additional 15% ABSD surcharge applies to residential property purchases made through non-individual trusts, layered on top of the base ABSD rate applicable to the trustee or beneficiary profile. This means a trust purchase by a corporate trustee acting for foreign beneficiaries would face the 60% foreigner ABSD plus the 15% non-individual trust ABSD, totaling 75%. The 15% additional ABSD does not apply to individual trusts established for genuine welfare purposes, such as HDB-approved trust transfers for estate planning where the beneficiary is a named Singapore Citizen or SPR child or spouse, nor to bare trusts where the identified beneficiaries are individuals and ABSD has already been assessed at the correct individual tier rate. Trustees are required to declare the trust structure and beneficiary details during the stamping process to IRAS, with penalties for non-disclosure attracting stamp duty penalties of up to 400% of the underpaid duty plus 6% annual interest compounded monthly.
Stamp Duty Refund for En-bloc Sale Replacement Property Owners
Property owners who sell their residential property through a collective sale (en-bloc) and purchase a replacement residential property within 24 months of the en-bloc sale completion may qualify for ABSD and BSD refund remission under the IRAS en-bloc replacement scheme. The refund applies to the lower of the ABSD/BSD paid on the replacement property or the stamp duty applicable to the sale value of the en-bloc unit sold. To qualify, the seller must have held the en-bloc unit for at least 3 years prior to the collective sale date, and the replacement property must be purchased between 6 months before the collective sale agreement date up to 24 months after. The refund is processed via IRAS MyTax portal submission with supporting documentation including the collective sale agreement, the replacement property sale and purchase agreement, and ownership evidence. Approved refunds are typically processed within 12–3 months of complete documentation review.
IRAS E-Stamping Procedures
All stamp duty payments including BSD and ABSD in Singapore are processed through the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore's (IRAS) e-Stamping portal, managed by service bureaus licensed under StampDuty@SG Service Bureaus for e-Stamping for documents. The stamping deadline is within 14 days of the date of execution of the document in Singapore, or 30 days if the document is executed overseas and received in Singapore. Buyers can lodge documents themselves or engage a law firm or licensed e-stamping service bureau to file. Payment can be made via GIRO, FAST transfer, debit or credit card, or through IRAS-approved payment gateways. IRAS recommends filing early to avoid late payment penalties starting at 5% of the unpaid duty after the due date, escalating to an additional 1% per month for continued non-payment up to a maximum penalty of 12 additional percentage points. The IRAS MyTax Portal provides a stamp duty calculator that allows prospective buyers to input purchase price, buyer residency status, property count, and ownership structure to accurately estimate combined BSD and ABSD liabilities before committing to a property purchase.