ABSD Singapore 2026: How Much Will You Pay?

ABSD Singapore is the extra stamp duty you pay on your next home. Citizens pay 20% on a second property. A PR pays 30%. On a S$2 million condo, that's S$400,000 in cash, due within 14 days.

Many HDB owners only learn about this bill after they've picked a condo. And by then, the clock is already ticking. So let's walk through the rates, five worked examples and the refund rules. First, a quick question: are you buying before you sell?

ABSD Singapore Rates in 2026

These are the IRAS rates for homes bought on or after 27 April 2023.

Housing developers follow separate rules.

The math is simple. Multiply the price by your rate. A S$1.5 million condo at 20% means S$300,000.

Not everyone pays. A citizen buying a first home pays 0%. But upgraders often pay, because they still own their HDB flat when they sign for the condo.

Find your rate in three questions:

1. What's your status on the day you buy? Citizen, PR or foreigner.
2. How many Singapore homes do you own, or already have a deal on?
3. Are you buying alone or with someone else?

IRAS sets your rate on the purchase date. If you become a citizen later, the rate you paid doesn't change.

Which Properties Count Toward ABSD?

Your rate depends on how many homes you own. So the count matters. Here's how IRAS counts.

Your HDB flat counts

An HDB flat is a home. That's why an upgrader who signs for a condo before selling pays the second-home rate.

A small share counts as a whole home

Own 20% of a flat with a sibling? IRAS counts that as one full home. A flat you co-own with your spouse counts too.

The count starts when you sign

A home joins your count when you accept the option or sign the sale agreement. You don't wait for the keys. And a home leaves your count once you have a sale agreement and the buyer has exercised the option.

Overseas homes don't count

IRAS leaves out homes outside Singapore. A flat in Johor or London doesn't raise your rate here. Some websites get this wrong. Go with IRAS.

ABSD on Inherited Property Singapore

No ABSD applies when you inherit a home under a will or intestacy law. But the inherited home counts toward your total. So your next purchase may land at a higher rate.

Say you own an HDB flat and inherit a second property. Then you buy a condo. That condo is your third home, and a citizen pays 30%. Gifts count toward your total too.

ABSD Second Property Singapore: Five Examples

Here are five made-up buyers. The numbers use IRAS rates. They aren't tax advice for your own case.

1. The upgrader couple

Say a couple owns a 4-room flat in Tampines. Both are citizens. They sign for a S$2 million condo before they sell. The condo is their second home, so ABSD is 20%. That's S$400,000 in cash within 14 days. They may get it back. More on that below.

2. The first-home couple

Two citizens with no property buy a S$1.8 million condo together. ABSD is 0%. They still pay BSD.

3. The single buyer under 55

A single citizen owns a condo and buys a second one near Bishan for S$1.5 million. ABSD is 20%, or S$300,000. There's no refund route for this buyer, even if they sell the first condo later.

4. The single senior

A single citizen aged 55 owns a S$2 million condo and buys a S$1.2 million flat to downsize. ABSD is 20%, or S$240,000, paid upfront. A refund is possible if every condition is met. I list them in the refund section.

5. The PR couple

Two PRs with no property in Singapore buy a S$1.2 million condo. ABSD is 5%, or S$60,000.

ABSD for PRs and Foreigners

ABSD PR Singapore: 5%, 30%, 35%

PRs pay 5% on a first home. It jumps to 30% on a second and 35% on the third.

What if a citizen and a PR buy together? IRAS uses the highest rate on the full price. Say a citizen who owns one home buys a second with a PR who owns none. The citizen's rate is 20%. The PR's rate is 5%. So 20% applies to the full price.

ABSD for foreigners in Singapore

Foreigners pay 60% on any home. Nationals of a few free trade agreement countries get citizen rates under set rules. These are the US, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The rules are strict, so read IRAS's list before you count on it.

ABSD Remission Singapore: How Upgraders Get Money Back

IRAS calls the refund "remission." It's a big deal for upgraders. But the rules are tight.

Married couples buying a first home

A married couple with at least one citizen can get full remission on their first home. They must buy it together, in both names only.

Married couples buying a second home

This is the upgrader route. You pay the ABSD first. Then you claim it back if you meet every condition:

• At least one spouse is a citizen.
• You buy the second home jointly, in both names only.
• You sell your first home within six months of buying a completed second home. For a home still under construction, the six months run from its TOP or CSC date.
• You apply for the refund within six months after the sale.

You apply through the IRAS e-Stamping Portal. Miss the window and the refund is gone.

Single citizens aged 55 and above

This concession covers second homes bought on or after 16 February 2024. The rules are narrower than the couple route:

• You're a single citizen aged 55 or above.
• The new home is worth less than the one you sell.
• You sell the first home within six months.
• Every buyer is a single citizen senior.

IRAS lists all the conditions on its senior concession page. Read it before you rely on this.

Who doesn't qualify

• Singles under 55.
• A couple who buys the second home in one spouse's name only, even if the first flat was joint.
• Couples who sell after the deadline.

Sell First or Buy First?

This is the big decision for upgraders. The government itself tells buyers to think about selling first.

Some buyers use a bridging loan to cover the cash gap. But a refund only works if you sell in time. Picking the best condo selling consultant in Singapore matters here, because the sale date decides whether your refund survives.

As an expert real estate consultant in Singapore, I'd run both paths with your real numbers before you sign anything. You can see how I help as an HDB-to-condo upgrade agent in Singapore.

Can You Avoid ABSD in Singapore Legally?

Sometimes you can cut it. You can't dodge it.

• Sell first. If your old home leaves your count, the new one may count as your first.
• Use remission. If you qualify, claim it. Don't skip the paperwork.
• Skip the trust idea. A home put into a trust draws 65% upfront. You can claim some back only if the trust has identifiable beneficiaries. The refund drops the rate to that of the beneficiary with the highest rate. So it isn't a shortcut.
• Skip clever tricks. IRAS can look through arrangements it sees as avoidance. It can add a 50% surcharge on the extra duty. That's not a risk worth taking.

How to Pay ABSD and Mistakes to Avoid

Your lawyer usually handles payment through the IRAS e-Stamping Portal. The deadline is 14 days from signing. Pay ABSD in cash first. Check with CPF Board whether reimbursement is available in your circumstances.

Keep your signed ABSD declaration form for five years. IRAS may ask for it.

Mistakes I'd watch for:

• Missing the six-month selling window.
• Buying the second home in one name.
• Forgetting that a small share counts as a home.
• Not setting aside the cash.
• Using old rates from an old article.
• Trusting a summary over IRAS.
• Thinking every single buyer gets the couple refund.

Your Next Step

ABSD Singapore rules look scary on paper. But they follow a pattern. Count your homes, check your status and plan the cash. For upgraders, the order of your moves matters more than the rate.

Want me to run your numbers? Contact me through this website, and I'll walk you through your options as a professional condo specialist in Singapore.

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