Tax Refunds

This is the fastest and most convenient way to receive your GST, Corporate Tax, Individual Income Tax and Property Tax Refund.

If you are already paying for your taxes through GIRO using your own bank account, no action is required from you. You will receive your tax refund to the bank account used for your GIRO arrangement with IRAS, within 7 days from the date the tax credit arises.

If you do not have a GIRO arrangement with IRAS and would like to receive your GST, Corporate Tax, Individual Income Tax or Property Tax credit via direct credit into your Singapore bank account, please complete the authorisation form available below. 

• Singpass Login
• Corppass Login
• No Singpass/Corppass

You may sign up for PayNow Corporate by linking your UEN (for registered entities) or NRIC/FIN (for GST-registered individuals) to your bank account via internet banking to enjoy the benefits of receiving Corporate Tax and GST refunds earlier. For assistance in signing up for PayNow Corporate, please approach your bank.

After the bank account has been linked to your UEN/NRIC/FIN, any Corporate Tax/GST refund that is due to you will be credited to your bank account within 7 days from the date the credit arises. If you have signed up for both Corporate Tax/GST GIRO and PayNow Corporate, the tax refund will be credited to the GIRO bank account.

Tax refunds via cheque may take up to 30 days from the date the credit arises. We encourage you to sign up for PayNow or GIRO to receive your refunds earlier. If you do not have a GIRO arrangement or PayNow, you will receive your tax refunds by cheque issued in your name.

For Property Tax refund, where the property is owned by more than two persons, the tax refund will be issued to the first named owner in the Notice of Transfer.

Tax refund cheques from IRAS should be deposited into your bank account within 3 months from the date of issuance of the cheque. Bank charges such as commissions and bank fees may apply if you deposit the cheque in a bank overseas.   

If you do not have a Singapore bank account, you may request for tax refunds via Telegraphic Transfer or Bank Draft by submitting the Telegraphic Transfer/Bank Draft request form available below.

• Singpass Login
• Corppass Login
• No Singpass/Corppass

If the currency requested is not available, the amount transferred to you will be in US dollars. You shall bear the bank charges and any loss due to exchange rate differences.

1. Outstanding Taxes/Penalties

Your tax credit will be used to offset any outstanding taxes or penalties that you may have. 

2. Advance Payment of Tax Assessment

When you have made an advance payment in anticipation of a tax assessment.

3. Credit Due to GIRO Deductions

When your tax credit is a result of GIRO deductions for your provisional instalment plan and your tax assessment has not been finalized for that Year of Assessment.

4. GST Returns Not Filed

When you have one or more outstanding GST returns not filed.

5. Under Audit or Investigation

When you are under audit or investigation by the Comptroller.

6. Prior Unsuccessful Tax Refunds

When prior attempts to refund the tax credit to you had been unsuccessful.

7. Failure to Furnish Details for Tax Refund

When you have failed to provide IRAS with the necessary information to effect the tax refund.

8. No Reply to Assessment Enquiries

When you have not replied to any outstanding assessment enquiries that may have an impact on the tax position.

9. Company Dissolved

When your company has dissolved, IRAS will hand over any tax credit in your company's account to the Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office (IPTO).

If you are the shareholder of the defunct company, you can approach IPTO to claim the tax credit. Charges will be imposed by IPTO for processing of the claim.

10. Bankruptcy

After you filed for bankruptcy, IRAS will hand over any tax credit you have to the Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office (IPTO). You may approach the Official Assignee for more information.

11. Overpayment of Withholding Tax

When there is overpayment of Withholding Tax under Section 45 of Income Tax Act remitted to the Comptroller of Income Tax.

Tax refund claims need to be filed by the local payer who remitted the tax or by the non-resident whose income was liable to tax. Tax credit will be refunded within 30 days upon IRAS's agreement and notification to Local Payer/Non-Resident of the refundable amount. 

12. Claims Approved After Sale of Property

If you are the ex-owner of a property, the tax refund will not be made automatically to you if the tax credits arise from claims approved after the sale of a property. You will have to submit a request via myTax Portal within the time period stipulated in the letter sent by IRAS for us to process your tax refund. 

13. Other Circumstances

When there are any other circumstances that may not permit the tax credit to be refunded by IRAS.

If you would like us to refund your tax credit, please email or write in to us. Your request will be processed within 30 days. When you email or write, please state:

• You are requesting for a refund;
• Your Full Name/ Company's Name/ Property Address;
• Tax Reference number (e.g. NRIC/ FIN/ ROC/ Property Tax reference);
• Amount of credit balance due;
• Contact number; and
• Email address (if any).

If you wish to retain your tax credit* to offset future taxes, please write to us with the following information:

a. Your Full name/ Company's name/ Property address;

b. Tax reference number (e.g. NRIC/ FIN/ ROC/ Property tax reference);

c. Confirm your intention to retain the credit to offset future taxes; and

d. Return the refund cheque (if available)

* Not applicable to Withholding Tax

The tax assessment was finalised on 15 Jul and you have a tax credit of $5,000 to be refunded. IRAS is considered to be late if the tax refund is not made by 14 Aug.

If the tax credit is refunded on 30 Aug, interest will be paid on the principal sum of $5,000 for the period 15 - 30 Aug (16 days) as follows:

$5,000 x 5.5% x 16/365 = $12.05

IRAS will refund $5,000 together with the late tax refund interest of $12.05.

IRAS receives the GST return for the month of June on 15 Jul and you have a tax credit of $5,000 to be refunded. IRAS is considered to be late if the tax refund is not made by 15 Aug.

If the tax credit is refunded on 30 Aug, interest will be paid on the principal sum of $5,000 for the period 16 - 30 Aug (15 days) as follows:

$5,000 x 5.5% x 15/365 = $11.30

IRAS will refund $5,000 together with the late tax refund interest of $11.30.

IRAS receives the GST return for the period Apr - Jun on 31 Jul with a GST refund claim of $80,000. IRAS is considered to be late if the tax refund is not made by 31 Oct.

If the tax credit is refunded on 3 Nov, interest will be paid on the principal sum of $80,000 for the period 1 - 3 Nov (three days) as follows:

$80,000 x 5.5% x 3/365 = $36.16

IRAS will refund $80,000 together with the late tax refund interest of $36.16.

The following example applies only for tax refund claims submitted on or after 1 Jan 2012.

IRAS receives the GST return for the period Jan - Mar on 30 Apr with a GST refund claim of $40,000. IRAS requests information during an audit on your tax refund claim. You reply to us with the full information on 1 Jun.

IRAS is considered to be late if the tax refund is not made by 1 Sep. If IRAS refunds the $40,000 on 4 Sep, interest will be paid on the principal sum of $40,000 for the period 2 - 4 Sep (three days) as follows:

$40,000 x 5.5% x 3/365 = $18.08

IRAS will refund $40,000 together with the late tax refund interest of $18.08.

IRAS receives the GST return for the period Jan - Mar on 30 Apr with a GST refund claim of $65,000. You reply to us with full information on 1 Jun.

Normally, IRAS is considered to be late if the tax refund is not made by 1 Sep, since you have complied with IRAS’ request for information.

However, as IRAS reasonably suspects that the underlying purchase for which you are claiming input tax was a part of a Missing Trader Fraud arrangement, no late interest is payable even if the tax refund is not made by 1 Sep. A notification letter will be issued to inform you of the retention of GST refunds by the Comptroller of GST.