Summary
Households that buy a second subsidised flat from the Housing & Development Board (HDB) pay a resale levy, because they have already received one housing subsidy. The levy is a fixed amount set by the type of that first flat: from S$15,000 for a 2-room flat to S$50,000 for an executive flat, and S$55,000 for an executive condominium (EC), according to HDB. Singles pay half, where the flat type allows singles.
It is paid in cash and/or from the sale proceeds of the first flat, not with a housing loan, HDB says, and it falls due when the first flat is sold or at key collection for the new one, whichever is later, with no interest charged, the Ministry of National Development (MND) said in January 2026. Buyers of resale flats or private property do not pay it.
What this means for Singapore flat buyers
Who pays, and who does not
MND says the levy exists so that limited housing subsidies are allocated fairly: buyers of a second subsidised flat receive a smaller subsidy than first-timers. It applies when you buy another subsidised flat from HDB after an earlier subsidised purchase. HDB counts an EC or a DBSS flat bought with a CPF housing grant as a subsidised purchase.
A resale flat or private property carries no levy, HDB says.
How much
| First subsidised flat | Families | Singles |
|---|---|---|
| 2-room / 2-room Flexi | S$15,000 | S$7,500 |
| 3-room | S$30,000 | S$15,000 |
| 4-room | S$40,000 | S$20,000 |
| 5-room | S$45,000 | S$22,500 |
| 3Gen | S$45,000 | Not applicable |
| Executive | S$50,000 | S$25,000 |
| Executive condominium | S$55,000 | S$27,500 |
Source: HDB, Conditions after buying a new flat (updated 18 Aug 2026).
The amount follows the flat you sold, not the flat you buy, and it does not change with the price you sold at.
When and how it is paid
The levy is paid with "cash and/ or your flat sale proceeds, and not a housing loan", HDB says. It is deducted from the net sale proceeds of the first flat, and any shortfall is paid in cash; if the first flat was sold before you collect the keys to the new one, you pay in cash at key collection. Second-timers "pay a resale levy upon the sale of the first subsidised flat or on the collection of keys to the second flat, whichever is later. There is no interest component," MND said in a written answer on 13 Jan 2026.
Levies collected from second-timers whose first subsidised flat was a 4-room flat ranged from S$9,614,000 to S$82,982,000 a year from FY2010 to FY2021, MND said in February 2023.
Illustration: a second-timer household
Illustration only. ProprKey calculation using HDB's tables; the households are examples.
- A couple sold their first subsidised flat, a 4-room, and book a new 5-room flat. Their levy is S$40,000, deducted from their sale proceeds. Had their first flat been a 3-room, it would be S$30,000.
What it means for your next BTO application
Because the levy follows the first flat, a household that sold a 4-room flat pays S$40,000 whether it books a 3-room or a 5-room flat. When you compare a new flat with a resale flat, add the levy to the new flat's price.
Education only — not tax, legal or investment advice. Confirm with a licensed professional.
What to do next
- Check the type of your first subsidised flat; it sets your levy.
- Work out whether your first flat's sale proceeds will cover the levy, and set aside cash for any shortfall.
- If you still own your first flat, plan its sale alongside the new flat's timeline.
- Compare resale flats, which carry no levy, with your new-flat options: https://proprkey.com/en/properties?segment=buyer&mode=buy
- Talk to a verified mortgage adviser or conveyancing lawyer before you book: https://proprkey.com/en/pros?segment=legalFinance