Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD)

1. Date of execution of the Acceptance to the Option to Purchase or
2. Date of Sale & Purchase Agreement or
3. Date of instrument which places the residential property on trust or
4. Date of transfer to a beneficiary where the residential property was originally held on trust for non-identifiable beneficial owner(s) or
5. Date of Transfer where (1), (2), (3) and (4) are not available nor applicable.

If a Contract or an Agreement to purchase the property has been signed, that property is to be included in the count of properties owned by a buyer (A) from the date of acceptance of the agreement, even if it has not been legally transferred to him as he already has an equitable interest in the property.

This also includes the purchase of an uncompleted unit from the developer if the Sale & Purchase Agreement has been signed.

Similarly, the property is to be excluded from the count of properties owned by a buyer (A) if there is already a Contract or an Agreement to sell his property and the new buyer (B) has executed his option to buy the property.

Although many properties may be bought under a single contract, each property will be counted as a separate property. Where applicable, the buyer may choose any one of the multiple properties to be subject to ABSD. For example, if a Singapore Citizen who does not own any residential property decides to purchase two residential properties in one contract, he may choose any one of the units to be subject to ABSD.

If multiple properties are jointly purchased by buyers of different profiles, each property will be counted as a separate property and the profile with the highest ABSD rate will apply on each property as if the buyers are acquiring the properties jointly under separate instruments. For example, a Singapore Citizen who owns one residential property decides to purchase three residential properties ("Property A, B and C") together with a Singapore Permanent Resident who does not own any residential property, in a single contract. The ABSD rates applicable on the purchase of Property A, B and C are 20%^, 30%* and 35%^# respectively. 

^20% because Property A is the Singapore Citizen's second residential property, whose profile is higher than his co-purchaser's (Singapore Permanent Resident's first residential property).

*30% because Property B is the Singapore Citizen's third residential property and the Singapore Permanent Resident's second residential property. Both profiles attract a 30% ABSD rate.

^#35% because Property C is the Singapore Permanent Resident's third residential property, whose profile is higher than his co-purchaser's (Singapore Citizen's third and subsequent property).

The residential property transferred into the trust will be added to property count of any identifiable beneficial owner of that property, regardless of whether there is a remission of ABSD (Trust).

If you have contracted to sell your only apartment before you execute the Acceptance to the Option to Purchase for the terrace house, you do not need to pay ABSD.

But if you have not contracted to sell your apartment, your purchase of the terrace house will be your second property on which you need to pay ABSD at 20%.

As you are a Singapore citizen who only owns one residential property and are acquiring additional interest in the same property from the co-owner, no ABSD is payable on the acquisition.

However, please note that BSD is still payable on the acquisition of your mother’s 80% share of the property.

Your subsequent purchase of the private flat would be your second property which would attract the ABSD rate of 20%.

As you are a Singapore citizen owning two properties (albeit partial interest in each property), the acquisition of your husband’s half share would be counted as your third property and subject to 30% ABSD.

However, as you are a Singapore citizen who owns two properties and are acquiring additional interest in one of the two properties which you already have a partial interest in, there is a remission available which would reduce the ABSD to 20%. 

Please note that BSD is still payable on the acquisition of your husband’s half share. You can e-Stamp at the e-Stamping Portal to obtain the remission certificate.  

As you are a Singapore citizen owning three properties, the acquisition of your husband’s half share would be counted as your fourth property and subject to 30% ABSD.

Please note that BSD is still payable on the acquisition of your husband’s half share.

ABSD liability is determined based on the buyer’s profile at the point of purchasing a property and does not change notwithstanding subsequent changes to the buyer’s profile.

The point of purchase refers to the date you signed your:

a) Date of Acceptance of the Option to Purchase* or

b) Date of Sale and Purchase Agreement or

c) Date of Agreement for Lease (for new HDB flat) or

d) Date of Transfer where the above a), b) and c) are not applicable. 

*Excludes an Option to Purchase that is subject to the execution/ signing of the Sale and Purchase Agreement

If you received the in-principle approval for your application for SC/ SPR by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) before purchasing the property, please submit an e-appeal through the e-Stamping portal. Notwithstanding your appeal request, you will need to pay the ABSD within 14 days of purchasing the property. Your appeal will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and if successful, the ABSD will be refunded to you after all the remission conditions have been met.

If you only received ICA’s in-principle approval after purchasing the property, your appeal will not be successful.

Where the terms of the document do not state who is liable to pay stamp duty, the party to pay stamp duty will follow that as specified in the Third Schedule of the Stamp Duties Act. For ABSD, this is generally the purchaser (buyer) or transferee. Please refer to Who Should Pay Stamp Duty for more details.

Using CPF funds to pay stamp duty is subject to the terms and conditions under the Private Properties and Public Housing Schemes. You may wish to check with CPF Board for more details.