Property Stamp Duty in Singapore: The Complete 2026 Guide
- Singapore levies three property stamp duties: BSD (all buyers, tiered 1%–6%), ABSD (by buyer profile, up to 65%) and SSD (sellers within the holding period).
- On a S$3 million home, BSD alone is S$119,600 — and a foreigner's total duty bill reaches S$1.92 million at the 60% ABSD rate.
- PRs pay 5% ABSD on a first property and 30% on a second; Singapore Citizens pay 0% and 20% respectively.
- Residential property bought on or after 4 July 2025 carries a four-year SSD ladder of 16% / 12% / 8% / 4%.
- Duty is payable to IRAS within 14 days of signing; plan it as a cash cost even if CPF reimbursement is available later.
Property stamp duty in Singapore is not one tax but three. Depending on who you are and what you are doing, a residential transaction can attract Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD), Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) and — if you sell early — Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD). Buyers routinely budget for the purchase price and the renovation, then discover the duty bill runs into six figures. This guide puts all three duties in one place, with 2026 rates from IRAS and a worked example on a S$3 million home.
The three property stamp duties at a glance
Every buyer of Singapore residential property pays BSD. ABSD applies on top of BSD depending on your citizenship and how many residential properties you already own. SSD applies only to sellers who dispose of a property within the holding period. Here is the 2026 picture:
| Duty | Who pays | 2026 rates (residential) |
|---|---|---|
| BSD | All buyers, no exceptions | Tiered 1%–6% of price or market value, whichever is higher |
| ABSD | Buyers, by profile | SC: 0% / 20% / 30% · PR: 5% / 30% / 35% · Foreigner: 60% · Entities: 65% |
| SSD | Sellers within the holding period | Bought on/after 4 Jul 2025: 16% / 12% / 8% / 4% over 4 years. Bought 11 Mar 2017–3 Jul 2025: 12% / 8% / 4% over 3 years |
All three are computed on the higher of the transacted price or market value, and all are payable to IRAS. Rates are current as at August 2026; BSD tiers date from 15 February 2023 and ABSD rates from 27 April 2023.
Buyer's Stamp Duty: the tax every buyer pays
BSD is tiered, so the effective rate rises with price: 1% on the first S$180,000, 2% on the next S$180,000, 3% on the next S$640,000, 4% on the next S$500,000, 5% on the next S$1.5 million, and 6% on anything above S$3 million. For non-residential property the top tier is 5%. I've written a dedicated guide to Buyer's Stamp Duty in Singapore with the full tier mechanics and a S$3.2 million worked example.
ABSD for citizens, PRs and foreigners
ABSD is where profiles diverge sharply. A Singapore Citizen buying a first home pays none. A Citizen buying a second property pays 20%; a third or subsequent, 30%. Permanent Residents pay 5% on their first property, 30% on the second and 35% thereafter. Foreigners pay a flat 60% on any residential purchase, and entities pay 65%.
Two commonly missed points. First, nationals of the United States, and nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, are treated as Singapore Citizens for ABSD under free trade agreements. Second, a married couple with at least one Singapore Citizen spouse can apply for ABSD remission when replacing their home — buy the second property, pay the duty, then reclaim it if the first home is sold within six months. The mechanics are in my ABSD calculation guide, and foreign buyers should read the ABSD for foreigners explainer before committing.
Seller's Stamp Duty: the 2025 rule change
SSD changed materially on 4 July 2025. For residential property bought on or after that date, the holding period is four years and the rates are 16%, 12%, 8% and 4% for sales in the first, second, third and fourth year respectively. Property bought between 11 March 2017 and 3 July 2025 keeps the old three-year ladder of 12%, 8% and 4%. The change was aimed at short-hold speculation, particularly sub-sales of uncompleted units — but it also catches owners forced to sell early by divorce, estate matters or cash-flow pressure. If a sale inside the window is unavoidable, timing it against the anniversary date can save a full 4 percentage points; see what Seller's Stamp Duty means for your sale, or run your own dates through my SSD calculator.
Property stamp duty in Singapore: a S$3 million worked example
Take a S$3,000,000 condominium. BSD is the same for everyone: 1% × 180,000 + 2% × 180,000 + 3% × 640,000 + 4% × 500,000 + 5% × 1,500,000 = S$119,600. ABSD then depends on who is buying:
| Buyer profile | BSD | ABSD | Total duty | % of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizen, first property | S$119,600 | S$0 | S$119,600 | 4.0% |
| PR, first property | S$119,600 | S$150,000 | S$269,600 | 9.0% |
| Citizen, second property | S$119,600 | S$600,000 | S$719,600 | 24.0% |
| Foreigner | S$119,600 | S$1,800,000 | S$1,919,600 | 64.0% |
The spread is the point. On the same property, the duty bill runs from S$119,600 to almost S$2 million purely on buyer profile — which is why sequencing (which spouse buys, in what order, under what ownership structure) is often worth more than any negotiation on price.
When and how you pay
Stamp duty is due within 14 days of signing the sale and purchase agreement or exercising the option (30 days if the document is executed overseas). BSD and ABSD can be paid with CPF Ordinary Account funds for most private purchases, but the timing is awkward: for resale properties you typically pay cash first and seek CPF reimbursement after completion. Budget for the duty as a cash item and treat any CPF refund as a bonus, not a plan.
Planning around stamp duty — legitimately
There is no lawful way to avoid BSD, and IRAS has pursued 99-to-1 and similar arrangements designed to dodge ABSD, with penalties up to four times the duty avoided. What does work: buying in one spouse's name to preserve the other's first-property status for a future purchase, using the married-couple remission properly when replacing a home, and timing a sale past an SSD anniversary. Each has trade-offs in financing and CPF usage that deserve proper advice before you sign anything.
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Frequently asked questions
What stamp duties do I pay when buying property in Singapore?
Every buyer pays Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD), tiered from 1% to 6% of the price or market value, whichever is higher. Depending on your citizenship and property count you may also pay Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) — from 0% for a Citizen's first home to 60% for foreigners.
How much is stamp duty on a S$3 million property?
BSD on S$3,000,000 is S$119,600. ABSD is added on top: S$0 for a Citizen's first property, S$150,000 for a PR's first property, S$600,000 for a Citizen's second property, and S$1,800,000 for a foreign buyer.
Do PRs pay more stamp duty than Singapore Citizens?
Yes. BSD is identical, but PRs pay 5% ABSD on their first residential property and 30% on a second, versus 0% and 20% for Citizens. Nationals of the US, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are treated as Citizens under free trade agreements.
What is Seller's Stamp Duty and when does it apply?
SSD applies if you sell a residential property within the holding period. For property bought on or after 4 July 2025 the ladder is 16% / 12% / 8% / 4% over four years; property bought between 11 March 2017 and 3 July 2025 keeps the three-year 12% / 8% / 4% ladder.
Can I pay stamp duty with CPF?
Often yes, for private residential purchases — but for resale properties you generally pay cash within 14 days and apply for CPF reimbursement after completion. Treat the duty as a cash cost when budgeting.
Is there any legal way to reduce ABSD?
Structuring matters: buying in one spouse's name preserves the other's first-property status, and married couples with a Citizen spouse can claim ABSD remission when replacing their home if the first is sold within six months. Artificial arrangements like 99-to-1 splits attract penalties of up to four times the duty avoided.