What is a plot ratio?

Gross plot ratio is the maximum gross floor area permitted on a site, expressed as a multiple of the site area. A 10,000 sqm site at plot ratio 3.0 permits 30,000 sqm of gross floor area. It is the single strongest determinant of what a developer can pay for land, and therefore of what they must charge.

How often does the Master Plan change?

It is reviewed roughly every five years, with amendments in between. The review is where zoning and intensity changes are formalised, and it is public.

Does a nearby MRT station guarantee price growth?

No. An announced station changes accessibility, and accessibility is priced in progressively from announcement through to opening. Buying after the announcement means buying after much of the repricing. The Master Plan matters because it shows intensification and land use change, which move more slowly than station news.

Can I apply for the ABSD (Trust) remission before paying the 65%?

No. IRAS is explicit that payment of the ABSD chargeable is a condition of the remission under the Stamp Duties (Trusts for Identifiable Individual Beneficiary) (Remission of ABSD) Rules 2022. You stamp, you pay 65%, then you apply. Any adviser who tells you the 65% can be waived upfront has misread the rule.

Does ABSD (Trust) apply to a trust created in my will?

No. ABSD (Trust) applies to transfers into a living trust — one created by the settlor during their lifetime — on or after 9 May 2022. A testamentary trust, created by will and taking effect on death, is outside the charge.

My trust says my child inherits at 21. Does that qualify for remission?

No, and this is the clause that most often destroys the remission. IRAS assesses vested beneficial ownership at the time the property goes into the trust. Deferred vesting at a future age is not a vested interest, so the remission is refused and the full 65% stands.

FAQ

45 questions, answered and dated

Every answer below is checked against IRAS, MAS, HDB, CPF Board or URA directly, and carries the date it was last verified. That date is the point of the page. An ABSD answer written in 2024 reads exactly like one written this week, and one of them will cost you money.

Answered by Renee Sim, Associate Group Director at PropNex Realty Pte. Ltd., CEA R042407F. If your question is not here, ask it directly — the answer usually comes back the same day, and if it is a good question it ends up on this page.

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Most recently re-checked

These are the answers touched most recently — usually because the underlying rule moved.

What is a plot ratio?: Gross plot ratio is the maximum gross floor area permitted on a site, expressed as a multiple of the site area. A 10,000 sqm site at plot ratio 3.0 permits 30,000 sqm of gross floor area. It is the single strongest determinant of what a developer can pay for land, and therefore of what they must charge.
How often does the Master Plan change?: It is reviewed roughly every five years, with amendments in between. The review is where zoning and intensity changes are formalised, and it is public.
Does a nearby MRT station guarantee price growth?: No. An announced station changes accessibility, and accessibility is priced in progressively from announcement through to opening. Buying after the announcement means buying after much of the repricing. The Master Plan matters because it shows intensification and land use change, which move more slowly than station news.
Can I apply for the ABSD (Trust) remission before paying the 65%?: No. IRAS is explicit that payment of the ABSD chargeable is a condition of the remission under the Stamp Duties (Trusts for Identifiable Individual Beneficiary) (Remission of ABSD) Rules 2022. You stamp, you pay 65%, then you apply. Any adviser who tells you the 65% can be waived upfront has misread the rule.
Does ABSD (Trust) apply to a trust created in my will?: No. ABSD (Trust) applies to transfers into a living trust — one created by the settlor during their lifetime — on or after 9 May 2022. A testamentary trust, created by will and taking effect on death, is outside the charge.
My trust says my child inherits at 21. Does that qualify for remission?: No, and this is the clause that most often destroys the remission. IRAS assesses vested beneficial ownership at the time the property goes into the trust. Deferred vesting at a future age is not a vested interest, so the remission is refused and the full 65% stands.

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