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Responsibility for Payment

Property tax is payable by the person who receives rent from a property, whether on his own account or as agent or trustee for another person; or who would receive the same if the property were let to a tenant and includes the person whose name is entered in the Valuation List.
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Properties Being Sold or Transferred

Upon sale or transfer of a property, the buyer may need to reimburse the seller a portion of the property tax already fully paid for the year by the seller. The apportionment of property tax is a private arrangement between the seller and buyer. Normally the conveyancing lawyers acting for the parties would make the tax adjustments. IRAS does not apportion the tax liabilities for the parties.

Upon completion of the sale or transfer of the property, property owners need not write in to notify IRAS of the successful sale/transfer. Usually the conveyancing lawyer would notify IRAS of the new owner/(s) within one month of the sale or transfer by filing a Notice of Transfer. Once the transfer of ownership has been updated, the new owner may access their property details via myTax Portal.

Once the sale or transfer is complete, all property tax related correspondence including property tax bills will be sent to the new owner.  As the new property owner, you will be liable for property tax on the property. 

 

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Properties with Multiple Owners

For properties owned by more than one owner, all owners are collectively responsible for paying property tax.

The payment arrangement on the property tax payable is a private matter among the property owners. In the event of outstanding tax, enforcement action can be taken against any owner of the property to recover the tax.

Single Correspondent with IRAS

For correspondence, IRAS communicates with the owner who is listed first in the Notice of Transfer filed by the seller's lawyer. Please inform the seller's lawyer who should be listed first in the Notice of Transfer. For HDB flats, IRAS communicates with the owner who is the main applicant listed in the purchase of the flat.

IRAS will correspond with that person on all property tax matters, including payment/ refund of property tax.

If there is a preference among owners on who IRAS should correspond with, you can write in to us together with the written consent of all the owners of the property.

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Properties with Deceased Owners


What I need to do as a legal representative

Upon demise of the owner, property tax notices will be addressed to the Legal Personal Representative (LPR) of the Estate of the Deceased and the LPR is responsible for the payment of property tax.

The LPR is also required to engage a lawyer (for private properties) or contact HDB (for HDB flats) to have the property legally transferred to the beneficiaries. The lawyer or HDB would then notify IRAS of the new owner/(s) within one month of the transfer.

Once IRAS has been notified of the new owner, IRAS will correspond with that person on all property tax matters, including payment of property tax.

 

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  • Are new property owners responsible for paying all outstanding property tax on the property?

    Once IRAS is notified of the property transfer, all property tax related correspondence including property tax bills will be sent to you as the new owner.  

    As the property owner, you will be liable for all property tax on the property. Hence it is important that you, through your lawyer, enquire if there are any outstanding or future property tax liabilities, and make provisions for the seller to reimburse you for the property tax amount that is to be borne by him.

     

  • Do I need to pay property tax from Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) date even before the property was transferred to me?

    If you are buying a property that is under construction or newly completed and hence not assessed for property tax yet, you will be billed for the property tax starting from the TOP date.

    This is usually within one year of TOP date for residential properties. Your lawyer would usually make provisions to seek reimbursement of property tax from the seller/ developer if the property is transferred to you after the TOP date. IRAS does not apportion the tax liabilities for the parties.

  • My co-owner and I own 50% of the shares of the property respectively. Can IRAS split the property tax amount and send separate bills to each of us?

    The property tax bill will be issued to the owner who is listed first in the Notice of Transfer filed by the seller's lawyer. The payment arrangement on the property tax payable is a private matter to be settled among the property owners. We are unable to issue separate bills.