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Learning the basics

  • Stamp Duty is a tax on dutiable documents relating to any immovable property ("property") in Singapore and any stock or shares.
  • Check the terms of the document (e.g. tenancy agreement) to determine who is contractually required to pay the Stamp Duty. When the terms do not state who is liable, the party to pay Stamp Duty will follow that as specified in the Third Schedule of the Stamp Duties Act.
  • e-Stamping gives users the convenience of stamping documents at home, in office or at Service Bureaus.

  • Stamp Certificate will be issued once the payment for Stamp Duty is successful. To check the authenticity of a Stamp Certificate, log in to the e-Stamping Portal.

  • The Minister for Finance, in Budget 2011, announced the removal of most fixed and nominal duties (i.e. $2 or $10) for documents executed on or after 19 Feb 2011 to reduce the compliance costs of taxpayers.

  • Variable Capital Company or VCC is a new corporate structure which may be set up as a single fund structure (“non-umbrella VCC”) or an umbrella fund (“umbrella VCC”) that consists of, or is to consist of, two or more sub-funds.

    A VCC is treated as a company for tax purposes. For an umbrella VCC, the sub-funds are treated as separate persons for stamp duty purposes such that stamp duty is levied at the sub-fund level. This is in line with the principle that sub-funds have segregated assets and liabilities.

    When dutiable instruments are executed by any person including a VCC, stamp duties are payable within 14 days after the date of execution in Singapore or, if the instrument is executed overseas, within 30 days after the date of receipt of the instrument in Singapore.