On 5 March 2025, the Government announced the following changes to the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) regime for licensed housing developers:
- Extension to the ABSD remission timelines for complex projects; and
- Extension to qualifying period for the ABSD remission timeline extensions for smaller projects (total gross floor area (GFA) under 30,000 sqm) submitted through CORENET X.
Complex projects
2. Category 2: Projects with complex technical or infrastructural requirements, as defined in Table 1 below;
Table 1: Types of Projects under Category 2
| Type of project | Definition |
| Sites integrated with major public transport facilities | Sites that require the housing developer to structurally integrate major public transport facilities[2] with the development, by building and/or relocating the Bus Interchange, building the development's podium or tower block on top of a Rapid Transit System (RTS) station or RTS/road tunnel; building and/or relocating RTS ancillary structures, which includes but are not limited to entrance/exit structures, fire escape staircases, cooling towers and vent shafts, with the relocated structures factored upfront in the design of the development. [2] Refers to MRT or LRT station, Bus Interchange. |
| Sites with requirements to implement major public facilities | Sites that require the housing developer to design and construct major pedestrian connectivity facilities/structures that serve the general public (namely underpasses or above-grade connections across arterial roads (i.e. category 1-3 roads) that serve pedestrians and cyclists, and/or incorporate urban landscaping that is accessible to the public), and/or major public facilities to be handed over to government agencies (namely hawker centres, police stations, community centres and polyclinics). This does not apply to public facilities needed to support the subject development, like service roads, drainage systems and sewers. |
| Sites with requirements to implement district-level infrastructure | Sites that require the housing developer to design and construct district-level infrastructure namely (i) district-level cooling systems; and/or (ii) District Pneumatic Waste Conveyance Systems; and/or (iii) common services tunnel; and/or (iv) district centralised vehicle parking facility, that serve adjacent or nearby developments within the area. |
| Sites with requirements to undertake extensive conservation works | Sites that require the housing developer to carry out restoration works to conserved buildings with the conserved GFA totalling more than or equals to 10,000 sqm GFA or at least 20% of the total development’s GFA. |
3. Category 3: Projects approved under URA’s Strategic Development Incentive (SDI) scheme; and
4. Category 4: Projects that aim to achieve higher productivity targets, through the adoption of nascent construction technologies, methodologies or progressive practices. These include (but not limited to) (i) high standardisation of building components, which could be replicated across projects, (ii) collaborative contracting and (iii) robotics and automation deployment.
Revised ABSD (HD) remission timelines for projects that qualify for at least one of the eligible categories of projects
| Timeline | Total extension | Extended timeline |
| Commencement timeline | + 6 months (+12 months if project meets two or more categories) | 2.5 years (3 years for projects that meet two or more categories) |
| Completion timeline | 5.5 years (6 years for projects that meet two or more categories) | |
| Sale timeline | 5.5 years (6 years for projects that meet two or more categories) |
Projects on CORENET X
Licensed housing developers of private residential projects submitted through CORENET X are eligible for a 6-month extension to their ABSD (HD) remission commencement, completion, and sale timelines, if all of the following criteria are met
- The project entirely undergoes the CORENET X approval process for building works (i.e. submit and secure clearance for Design and Construction Gateways);
- The first submission is made during the transition period from 18 Dec 2023 to 31 Dec 2025 (inclusive) for projects with a GFA of 30,000 sqm or more, or from 18 Dec 2023 to 31 Dec 2026 (inclusive) for projects with a GFA of less than 30,000 sqm*; and
- Projects have a minimum of 6 months left of its 2-year commencement timeline, at the point when the first submission is made under the CORENET X approval process for building works.
The ABSD remission timeline extensions granted under CORENET X cannot be combined and added to the extensions granted for complex projects.
How to apply
Complex projects
Applications will be processed upon the receipt of complete information and necessary supporting documents (details below) by IRAS. As the processing time will include the time taken for consultation with the relevant agencies, such as URA and BCA, please submit applications early to allow for sufficient lead time ahead of the extension that you are seeking.
Categories 1, 2 and 3
To apply for the extension to the ABSD (HD) remission timelines under Categories 1 to 3 for private development proposals not part of the Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme, housing developers should submit an application with the supporting documents listed below to IRAS via the e-Stamping Portal > “Request” > “Apply for Assessment / Appeal” > "Select "Appeal"".
Do indicate “ABSD HD for Complex Projects” under “Additional Information” at the “Supporting Documents” page.
The supporting documents to be submitted are:
- Documentation on URA’s conveyance granted for Outline Applications (in the form of Advice or Outline Planning Permission) or Development Application Stage (in the form of Provisional Permission or Written Permission)
No application is needed for sites announced under the GLS Programme which qualify under Category 2 – the extended timelines will be made known upfront to prospective tenderers in the tender documents.
Category 4
Projects on CORENET X
Developers seeking an extension for qualifying projects under CORENET X can approach URA’s project facilitators. The applications should be accompanied by relevant information and documentation that will show that the eligibility criteria have been met. These include, for example the acknowledgment emails bearing the date of 1st Design Gateway submission, URA’s Provisional Permission and Written Permission documents granted at Design Gateway and Construction Gateway, respectively.
FAQs
Complex projects
Will the Government consider extending the ABSD (HD) remission timelines for all projects?
Will the extension to ABSD (HD) remission timelines apply to projects that do not fall within any of the four categories, but face complexities or difficulties during construction?
Will the lower ABSD (HD) remission clawback rates announced in Budget 2024 apply to projects that are eligible for the extended ABSD (HD) remission timelines?
For projects that are eligible for the extended ABSD remission timelines, the proportion of units sold and the corresponding ABSD remission clawback rate will be assessed at the end of the extended ABSD remission sale timeline.
I have submitted an application for the ABSD (HD) remission timeline extension. When will I know whether the project qualifies for the ABSD (HD) remission timeline extension?
What if I have applied for the extension but subsequently fail to meet the criteria?
Necessary action will be taken against HDs who are provided with extensions to the ABSD remission timelines but fail to meet the criteria subsequently.
CORENET X
Why is the eligibility window not extended for larger projects ?
There is no need to extend the transition window for larger projects, which started in Dec 2023 and will run until 31 Dec 2025. Developers are strongly encouraged to also put in new projects during the ongoing voluntary submission phase, where they can continue to benefit from the ABSD remission timeline extension.