Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD)
in Singapore: Rates, Remissions and Strategy
Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) is Singapore's primary demand-side property tax — applied on top of Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) to cool speculative purchasing. Rates vary by buyer profile and property count, from 0% for a Singapore Citizen's first home to 65% for entities. This guide covers the current rate table, every remission available, and a verdict for each buyer type. ABSD rates are current as of April 2023, confirmed unchanged as of June 2026.
1. What ABSD is and why it exists
Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty was introduced in Singapore in December 2011 as a demand-side cooling measure to prevent speculative property purchases from pushing prices out of reach for owner-occupiers. Unlike Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD), which applies to all property purchases regardless of buyer profile, ABSD is targeted: it charges higher rates to buyers who already own property, to non-citizens, and to entities.
ABSD is administered by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and has been raised multiple times since its introduction — most recently on 27 April 2023, when rates for foreigners were doubled from 30% to 60% and Singapore Citizen second-property rates were increased from 17% to 20%. As of June 2026, the April 2023 rates remain in effect.
ABSD is payable in addition to Buyer's Stamp Duty, not instead of it. A Singapore Citizen buying a $1.5 million second property pays BSD of $44,600 plus ABSD of $300,000 (20% of $1.5m), for a total stamp duty liability of $344,600. See the Stamp Duty Guide for BSD rates and worked examples.
2. Current ABSD rate table (effective 27 April 2023)
ABSD is calculated on the purchase price or market valuation, whichever is higher. For joint purchases involving buyers of different profiles, the highest applicable ABSD rate among all buyers applies to the entire property value.
| Buyer profile | Property count | ABSD rate |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen (SC) | 1st residential property | 0% |
| Singapore Citizen (SC) | 2nd residential property | 20% |
| Singapore Citizen (SC) | 3rd and subsequent | 30% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) | 1st residential property | 5% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) | 2nd residential property | 30% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) | 3rd and subsequent | 35% |
| Foreigner | Any residential property | 60% |
| Entity (company / trust) | Any residential property | 65% |
Nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as nationals of the United States of America, are accorded the same ABSD treatment as Singapore Citizens under applicable Free Trade Agreements. These buyers effectively pay 0% ABSD on a first residential property.
The count of "residential properties" includes all residential property held anywhere in Singapore — HDB flats, private condos, landed homes, strata-titled shophouses, and EC units. An undivided share in a residential property (e.g. inherited) counts toward the total. IRAS determines the count at the date the Option to Purchase (OTP) is exercised or the Sale & Purchase Agreement is signed.
3. How ABSD is computed
ABSD is a flat-rate tax — unlike BSD, it is not tiered. The applicable rate is applied to the full purchase price (or market valuation, whichever is higher). There is no threshold below which ABSD does not apply.
Purchase price: $1,500,000 · ABSD rate: 20% (SC second property)
ABSD payable: $1,500,000 × 20% = $300,000
BSD payable: $44,600 (see Stamp Duty Guide for BSD calculation)
Total stamp duty: $344,600
ABSD must be paid within 14 days of signing the Sale & Purchase Agreement (or within 14 days of exercising the OTP for private properties). Payment is via the IRAS e-Stamping portal. For new launch purchases, ABSD is typically collected by the developer's lawyers at the point of exercising the OTP.
4. ABSD remission conditions
ABSD is always paid first; remissions are applied for after the fact. There is no mechanism to skip ABSD payment at the point of purchase (except for SC first properties, which are genuinely exempt). The key remissions available are:
HDB upgrader remission (married SC couple)
A married couple where both spouses are Singapore Citizens, currently owning only an HDB flat, may apply for ABSD remission on a second private residential property, provided:
(1) The couple's only existing residential property at the time of private property purchase was the HDB flat.
(2) The HDB flat is sold within 6 months of the private property's completion (resale) or within 6 months of its Temporary Occupation Permit / Certificate of Statutory Completion, whichever is earlier (new launch).
(3) The couple applies to IRAS for the refund within 6 months of the HDB sale.
The couple pays 20% ABSD upfront on the private property and claims the refund after selling the HDB. Cash flow planning is important: on a $1.5m condo, $300,000 in ABSD must be funded for potentially 6–12 months before the refund is processed.
SC/SC married couple buying jointly — first private property
When a married couple (both Singapore Citizens) buys their first private property jointly, 0% ABSD applies — as neither spouse has previously owned residential property. This is not a "remission" as such; it is simply both buyers qualifying at the 0% first-property rate.
Developer ABSD remission
Licensed housing developers who purchase land for residential development pay ABSD of 35% upfront, which is remittable (plus a 5% non-remittable component) subject to conditions: the development must be completed and all units sold within specified timeframes. This remission applies only to licensed developers, not individual buyers.
5. ABSD for property purchased under trust
From 9 May 2022, any residential property purchased or transferred into a living trust is subject to ABSD of 65% — the same rate as entities. This rule was introduced to close a planning strategy where high-net-worth buyers were placing properties in trust for minor children to reset their property count.
The 65% ABSD on trust purchases is non-remittable. There is no exception based on the age of the beneficial owner or the relationship between settlor and beneficiary. Any consideration of purchasing property in trust should be made with the understanding that this 65% charge applies in full.
The 65% ABSD for trusts and the 65% ABSD for entities are both at the same rate, but the trust ABSD has its own specific rules and was introduced separately. A property transferred by a legal entity (company) into a trust is subject to both charges separately. Seek specialist legal advice before any trust-based property structure.
6. When ABSD is not payable
| Scenario | ABSD treatment |
|---|---|
| SC buying first residential property | 0% ABSD — fully exempt |
| SC+SC married couple buying first property jointly | 0% ABSD — both at 0% first-property rate |
| FTA-eligible nationals (IS, LI, NO, CH, US) buying first property | 0% ABSD — treated as Singapore Citizens |
| New EC purchase by eligible SC with no other property | 0% ABSD — EC treated as public housing for ABSD |
| Commercial property (offices, retail, industrial) | ABSD does not apply — residential only |
| HDB upgrader (SC married couple) who meets remission conditions | 20% ABSD paid first, then refunded after HDB sale |
7. ABSD strategy by buyer profile
SC first-time buyer
Zero ABSD on the first private property purchase. BSD applies normally. This is the most favourable profile in Singapore's stamp duty framework — a SC first-time buyer of a $1.5m condo pays only $44,600 in stamp duty (BSD only), versus $344,600 for an SC buying a second.
SC HDB upgrader (second property)
20% ABSD applies on the private property purchase. If buying as a married SC couple whose only existing property is the HDB flat, the ABSD remission is available — but only after selling the HDB within the required window. Plan for the upfront cash: on a $1.5m condo, $300,000 in ABSD is tied up until the refund is processed.
SC investor (second or third property)
20% on a second property, 30% on a third and subsequent. At these rates, rental yields must be substantially higher than the carrying cost of the ABSD to make the investment case positive. Decoupling (transferring sole ownership between spouses to "reset" property count) is a known strategy but involves its own BSD and legal costs, and IRAS scrutinises these transactions.
PR first-time buyer
5% ABSD on the first private residential property. PRs can buy private property and resale HDB flats (with MOP conditions) but cannot buy new HDB BTO launches. On a $1.5m condo, a PR first-time buyer pays $44,600 (BSD) + $75,000 (ABSD at 5%) = $119,600 in total stamp duty.
Foreigner
60% ABSD on any residential purchase. At this rate, foreign buyers are essentially priced out of the residential property market unless the property is a long-term hold with compelling fundamentals. On a $2m condo: BSD $69,600 + ABSD $1,200,000 = $1,269,600 in stamp duty alone. Check FTA remission eligibility — US, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Liechtenstein nationals qualify for SC treatment.
8. Frequently asked questions
What is the ABSD rate for foreigners buying property in Singapore in 2026?
Foreigners buying any residential property in Singapore pay 60% ABSD, regardless of whether it is their first or additional property. This rate was raised from 30% to 60% on 27 April 2023 and remains in effect in 2026. The only exceptions are nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and nationals of the United States of America — these buyers are accorded the same ABSD treatment as Singapore Citizens under applicable Free Trade Agreements.
Do Singapore Citizens pay ABSD on their first property?
No. Singapore Citizens purchasing their first residential property pay zero ABSD. ABSD only applies to a Singapore Citizen's second property (20%) and third or subsequent property (30%). This zero-ABSD threshold for a first property applies regardless of property type — HDB flat, Executive Condominium, or private condo — provided the buyer does not already own any other residential property in Singapore.
Can I get ABSD remission if I sell my HDB flat and buy a private condo?
Yes, subject to conditions. If a married Singapore Citizen couple currently owns an HDB flat and buys a second private residential property, they pay 20% ABSD upfront on the condo purchase. They may then apply to IRAS for an ABSD remission after selling the HDB flat — but only if both conditions are met: (1) the HDB flat must be sold within 6 months of the private property purchase (for completed resale properties) or within 6 months of the private property's Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) or Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC), whichever is earlier (for new launches); and (2) at the time of the private property purchase, the couple's only residential property was the HDB flat. The couple must first pay the ABSD upfront and claim the remission afterwards — the duty is not waived at the point of purchase.
What is the ABSD for a married couple where one spouse is a Singapore Citizen and the other is a Permanent Resident?
For a married couple where one buyer is a Singapore Citizen (SC) and the other is a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), the ABSD rate applied is based on the highest-profile buyer in the joint purchase. If this is their first residential property, the higher rate is the PR's first-property rate of 5% — meaning 5% ABSD applies on the full purchase price. There is no blanket remission that removes this 5% for a SC+PR couple buying their first property jointly. One common strategy is for the SC spouse to purchase the property as the sole owner, since the SC pays 0% ABSD on a first property held individually.
Is ABSD payable when buying an Executive Condominium (EC)?
For new EC purchases directly from developers, the EC is treated as a form of public housing for ABSD eligibility purposes. A Singapore Citizen who does not currently own any residential property pays 0% ABSD on a new EC. If the SC already owns one other residential property (such as an HDB flat), 20% ABSD is payable on the EC purchase — though an ABSD remission may apply if the existing property is sold within the required period. Singapore Permanent Residents cannot buy new EC launches. For resale EC units (sold on the open market after the 5-year Minimum Occupation Period), normal ABSD rules apply as with any private residential property.
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This guide is prepared by Straits Intelligence Pte. Ltd. for informational purposes only. ABSD rates and remission conditions are subject to change by the Singapore government. Verify current ABSD rates and remission eligibility at iras.gov.sg. This guide does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Consult a licensed conveyancer or tax adviser before making property purchase decisions.
Published: June 2026 · ABSD rates current as of April 2023 · About propkaki.sg