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If you are not a Singapore Citizen buying your first residential property, the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty is the single largest tax on your purchase — as high as 60% of the price for foreign buyers in 2026, charged on top of the normal Buyer's Stamp Duty.
Key takeaways
- The ABSD schedule has not changed since 27 April 2023: Singapore Citizens pay 0% on a first residential property, 20% on a second, and 30% on a third or later. Permanent Residents pay 5%, 30% and 35%, while foreigners pay 60% on every residential purchase.
- ABSD is separate from BSD and is payable on the same property value, on top of the tiered BSD rates that every buyer must pay.
- PropAce Institutional Advisorydata from URA caveat records shows the new-launch premium is still stark: new private homes averaged S$2,304 psf against S$1,595 psf for resale — a roughly 44% gap. You pay ABSD on that inflated base.
- The holding period for Seller's Stamp Duty on residential properties bought on or after 4 July 2025 has been extended to four years. The flip is now taxed more heavily, not less.
- Policy tweaks since August 2024 — including the removal of the 15-month wait-out for private property owners buying HDB resale flats and a longer ABSD remission timeline for large en bloc sites — have changed timing, not the headline rates.
Who pays ABSD in 2026
ABSD is not a niche charge. It applies to almost every residential purchase that is not a Singapore Citizen's first home. The rates below have been in force since 27 April 2023 and remain unchanged in 2026.
| Buyer profile | 1st residential property | 2nd residential property | 3rd and subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen | 0% | 20% | 30% |
| Permanent Resident | 5% | 30% | 35% |
| Foreigner | 60% | 60% | 60% |
| Entity | 65% | 65% | 65% |
The entity rate is worth pausing on. A company or trust buying a home pays 65%, which is higher than the individual foreigner rate. Among the various ABSD remissions and reliefs, the most prominent for housing supply is the developer remission under the ABSD Remission Scheme, and that comes with conditions on completing and selling the project.
ABSD is assessed on the same base as BSD: the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher. It is not a small side item you can fold into the mortgage negotiation. It is a tax that must be produced in cash, on a schedule.
Every buyer also pays BSD along the way. The residential BSD rates are tiered and apply regardless of residency:
| Residential price band | BSD rate |
|---|---|
| First S$180,000 | 1% |
| Next S$180,000 | 2% |
| Next S$640,000 | 3% |
| Next S$500,000 | 4% |
| Next S$1,500,000 | 5% |
| Amount above S$3,000,000 | 6% |
Non-residential property such as commercial and industrial real estate does not attract ABSD. But if you are buying a home, the residential rates above are your starting point.
Why the residency labels matter
The rates are tied to who signs the Option to Purchase. A married couple buying jointly is assessed on the combined property count and the status that triggers the higher rate. This is where planning gets personal: the difference between a first and second property for a Singapore Citizen is 20 percentage points. For a Permanent Resident, it is 25 percentage points.
If you already own a residential property, you do not reset the clock by selling later. What counts is your position at the moment the purchase document is signed.
What the 2026 caveat data shows
The tax is a percentage, but the base still matters. Caveat data shows a market that has corrected modestly from its peak yet remains far above its trough.
Islandwide private-home prices averaged S$2,038 psf in 2026-Q2. That is 6.8% below the S$2,186 psf peak, but still 33.3% above the S$1,529 psf trough. In plain terms: prices have eased, but they have not collapsed. A 60% ABSD on a price that remains near record levels is a heavy absolute sum.
The new vs resale split is especially important for ABSD planning. Caveat data shows new-launch private homes averaged S$2,304 psf against S$1,595 psf for resale — a roughly 44% new-sale premium. Buy a new launch and you pay ABSD on a much larger base than a comparable resale unit.
Location also shifts the base. Across the private transaction record, prime Core Central Region homes averaged S$2,444 psf, city-fringe Rest of Central Region homes S$2,078 psf, and suburban Outside Central Region homes S$1,551 psf. Your ABSD rate does not change by region, but the dollar amount of tax does.
Even the HDB resale market is not ABSD-free for everyone. Caveat data puts islandwide HDB prices at S$652 psf in 2026-Q2, exactly at the S$652 psf peak and 57.5% above the S$414 psf trough. An HDB resale flat is still a residential property. A Permanent Resident buying one as a first home pays 5% ABSD; anyone buying a second residential property pays the higher rates.
Transaction volumes show a market that is active but not frothy. Private resale transactions came to 7,407 in the first half of 2026, down 5.1% year on year. HDB resale transactions fell 7.4% to 12,681. Activity is cooling, but the price base remains far from cheap.
The policy changes that matter in 2026
The 2026 rates are unchanged from 2023. The ABSD rate table has not moved since April 2023; what has moved is everything around it. Policy changes around SSD and the wait-out affect timing, not the headline rates.
First, the Seller's Stamp Duty holding period is now four years for residential properties acquired on or after 4 July 2025. Sell within the first year and you pay 16% of the sale consideration. The rate steps down to 12% in the second year, 8% in the third, and 4% in the fourth. For properties acquired between 11 March 2017 and 3 July 2025, the old three-year schedule still applies: 12%, 8%, 4%, and zero after three years. This is a direct message: short-term flipping has become more expensive.
Second, developers got more time, not less tax. They still pay 40% ABSD on land acquisitions — 5% non-remittable plus 35% that can be remitted if the project is completed and sold within a deadline. That standard deadline is generally cited as 5.5 years. But for large en bloc collective sale sites, the deadline has reportedly been extended to up to seven years. This is meant to encourage the reuse of older land. It also tells you that developers still carry a heavy ABSD burden, and that burden is part of the reason new-launch prices carry a premium.
Third, the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners buying HDB resale flats was removed in August 2024. That lifts a timing barrier, but it does not reduce ABSD. If you still own a private home at the point of signing an HDB resale purchase, the second-property ABSD rate applies to you. The wait-out removal changes when you can buy, not what you owe.
The worked example: a S$2 million home, every buyer profile
Let's make the tax concrete. Assume a residential purchase at S$2,000,000.
BSD is the same for everyone: S$1,800 on the first S$180,000, S$3,600 on the next S$180,000, S$19,200 on the next S$640,000, S$20,000 on the next S$500,000, and S$25,000 on the remaining S$500,000. Total BSD: S$69,600.
Now add ABSD.
| Buyer profile | ABSD payable | Total BSD + ABSD |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen, first property | S$0 | S$69,600 |
| Singapore Citizen, second property | S$400,000 | S$469,600 |
| Singapore Citizen, third or later | S$600,000 | S$669,600 |
| Permanent Resident, first property | S$100,000 | S$169,600 |
| Permanent Resident, second property | S$600,000 | S$669,600 |
| Permanent Resident, third or later | S$700,000 | S$769,600 |
| Foreigner, any purchase | S$1,200,000 | S$1,269,600 |
| Entity, any purchase | S$1,300,000 | S$1,369,600 |
Look at the step changes. For a Singapore Citizen, the difference between buying a first and second home is S$400,000 in tax on a S$2 million property. For a PR, the jump from first to second is S$500,000. For a foreigner, the stamp bill alone is comfortably more than the entire BSD that a citizen first-timer pays.
This is why the planning advice in Singapore is so blunt: never sign a second residential property while you still own the first, unless you are prepared to carry the ABSD as an unrecoverable cost.
How to plan around ABSD in 2026
Know your property count before you sign
ABSD is determined at the date of signing, not at the date of completion or registration. If you own zero residential properties at that moment, you are a first-time buyer for ABSD purposes, whatever you sold years ago. If you own one, you are a second buyer. If you own two, you are a third buyer. Run your property count on paper before you issue an OTP.
Sell first if you can
The cleanest way to avoid the second-property rate is to sell your existing home before you sign for the replacement. A Singapore Citizen who sells first and then buys a home as their only residential property pays 0% ABSD. A buyer who signs first and sells later is assessed as a second-property buyer, at 20% or 30%, and must come up with the cash upfront. That cash flow shock has derailed many a well-intentioned upgrade.
Use the regional price gap to shrink the tax base
If you cannot avoid ABSD, you can still reduce the absolute amount. Because ABSD is a percentage of price, every S$100,000 you trim from the purchase price saves you S$20,000 at the citizen second-property rate and S$30,000 at the citizen third-property rate. Caveat data shows suburban homes averaged S$1,551 psf against S$2,444 psf in the core. The same rate, applied to a cheaper suburban base, is a smaller cheque to IRAS.
Treat new launches as a separate product
The roughly 44% premium between new launches and resale is not a quality margin you can simply ignore. You pay ABSD on the total price, including that premium. A new launch can still be the right choice — for configuration, freshness, or progressive payment terms — but know what it is costing you in stamp duty before you book a unit.
Hold long enough to clear SSD
With the four-year SSD schedule for properties bought from 4 July 2025, the tax system punishes quick exits. After ABSD and BSD, you need price appreciation just to break even in the first few years. The rational play is to buy with a holding period that clears the SSD window entirely, then let the property work as a long-term asset.
Do not assume the developer timeline trims prices
The extension of the ABSD remission deadline for large en bloc sites to seven years may encourage more collective sales and more future supply. But it does not lower the developer's 5% non-remittable ABSD. That cost is still baked into the land bid and, eventually, into the price you pay at launch.
The tax is the floor, not the ceiling
ABSD is not the only stamp duty in the transaction. BSD applies to everyone. SSD can apply when you sell. Rental stamp duty can apply if you lease out the unit later. Taken together, these taxes form a floor of costs that any buyer should calculate before bidding, not after.
The data backs this up. Caveat data shows private prices are still 33.3% above the trough even after a 6.8% pullback from the peak. HDB resale prices are sitting at their peak, 57.5% above their trough. Prices have not fallen enough to make a punitively taxed buyer whole on a short exit.
Plan around the rates, not the headlines. The ABSD schedule in 2026 is unchanged, but the consequences of getting it wrong are bigger, because the prices you are taxed on remain near record levels.
FAQ
Is ABSD payable on top of Buyer's Stamp Duty?
Yes. BSD applies to every residential purchase, and ABSD is an additional tax on the same property value for specific buyer profiles. On a S$2 million home, BSD is S$69,600, and total stamp duty can range from S$69,600 for a citizen first-timer to S$1,369,600 for an entity.
Statutory Source: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) — Stamp Duty Rates & Payment Guidelines
Do foreigners pay ABSD on every residential purchase?
Yes, on every residential purchase in Singapore. A foreigner pays 60% ABSD whether it is a first property or a fifth, with no step-down for higher-value homes. The only way to avoid it is to have the property bought in a profile that is exempt, which effectively means a Singapore Citizen first-time buyer.
**Can a Permanent Resident
Statutory Source: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) — Stamp Duty Rates & Payment Guidelines
By the numbers
``` Private PSF momentum by district — QoQ %
D11 +28.6% ██████████████████████ D26 +12.0% █████████ D25 +8.8% ███████ D12 +6.6% █████ D08 +5.4% ████ D20 +4.0% ███ D28 +3.9% ███ D02 +0.2% █ D14 -0.5% ░ D22 -0.6% ░ ```
| District | Median PSF | QoQ | YoY | Txns (3mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D11 | $2,858 | ▲ 28.6% | ▲ 28.7% | 336 |
| D26 | $2,288 | ▲ 12.0% | ▲ 6.6% | 260 |
| D25 | $1,363 | ▲ 8.8% | ▲ 7.5% | 65 |
| D12 | $1,963 | ▲ 6.6% | ▲ 6.0% | 98 |
| D08 | $2,014 | ▲ 5.4% | ▲ 17.3% | 41 |
| D20 | $2,057 | ▲ 4.0% | ▲ 4.9% | 136 |
| D28 | $1,709 | ▲ 3.9% | ▲ 10.0% | 112 |
| D02 | $2,465 | ▲ 0.2% | ▲ 20.5% | 35 |
| D14 | $1,780 | ▼ 0.5% | ▼ 1.7% | 146 |
| D22 | $1,650 | ▼ 0.6% | ▲ 2.6% | 104 |
_Data: PropAce Institutional Advisory analysis of URA/HDB transaction data — rolling 3-month average PSF, private residential, 2026-06..2026-08. Directional; confirm before acting._
Sources
- URA caveat data, compiled by PropAce Institutional Advisory— 2026-Q2.
- URA caveat data, compiled by PropAce Institutional Advisory.
References
- 99.co (2026) 'Singapore Property and Real Estate for Sale & for Rent'. Available at: https://www.99.co/singapore/new-launches (Accessed: 27 August 2026).
- Stacked Homes (2026) 'This New Change Could Boost En Bloc Chances For Older Condos — But Buyers Still Need To Be Careful'. Available at: https://stackedhomes.com/new-change-boost-en-bloc-chances-for-older-condos-buyers-still-need-to-be-careful/ (Accessed: 27 August 2026).
- Stacked Homes (2026) 'Why Rental Prices In Singapore Are Still Climbing Despite More Homes Coming This Year'. Available at: https://stackedhomes.com/why-rental-prices-in-singapore-are-still-climbing-despite-more-homes-coming-this-year/ (Accessed: 27 August 2026).
- The Business Times (2026) 'Apac Realty H1 net profit falls 16.8% to S$9.4 million; special divided of S$0.036 a share proposed'. Available at: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/apac-realty-h1-net-profit-falls-16-8-s9-4-million-special-divided-s0-036-share-proposed (Accessed: 27 August 2026).
- The Business Times (2026) 'Apac Realty H1 net profit falls 16.8% to S$9.4 million; special dividend of S$0.036 a share proposed'. Available at: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/apac-realty-h1-net-profit-falls-16-8-s9-4-million-special-dividend-s0-036-share-proposed (Accessed: 27 August 2026).
- The Straits Times (2026) 'Community care apartments costs reduced following low demand'. Available at: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/costs-of-public-community-care-apartments-reduced-basic-services-cut-following-lacklustre-demand (Accessed: 27 August 2026).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is ABSD payable on top of Buyer's Stamp Duty?
Yes. BSD applies to every residential purchase, and ABSD is an additional tax on the same property value for specific buyer profiles. On a S$2 million home, BSD is S$69,600, and total stamp duty can range from S$69,600 for a citizen first-timer to S$1,369,600 for an entity. Statutory Source:** Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) — Stamp Duty Rates & Payment Guidelines
Do foreigners pay ABSD on every residential purchase?
Yes, on every residential purchase in Singapore. A foreigner pays 60% ABSD whether it is a first property or a fifth, with no step-down for higher-value homes. The only way to avoid it is to have the property bought in a profile that is exempt, which effectively means a Singapore Citizen first-time buyer. Can a Permanent Resident Statutory Source:** [Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) — Stamp Duty Rates & Payment Guidelines](https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/stamp-duty/for-property/buying-
Statutory References & Citations
- Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) (2026). Stamp Duties Act 1929. Singapore: Government of Singapore.
- Housing & Development Board (HDB) (2026). Housing and Development Act (Cap. 129). Singapore: Ministry of National Development.
Statutory Disclaimer: This guide is published for strategic, educational, and institutional planning purposes only and does not constitute formal legal, taxation, or financial advice. All property transactions, stamp duty remissions, and financing structures should be formally verified with qualified Singapore legal counsel and certified tax advisors.