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ABSD in Singapore: the full rate table, who pays what, and the remissions worth knowing
ABSD rates have not moved since 27 April 2023. A citizen pays nothing on a first property, 20% on a second and 30% on a third. Permanent residents pay 5% / 30% / 35%. Foreigners pay 60% on any residential purchase, unless a free trade agreement applies.
Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty sits on top of Buyer’s Stamp Duty and is charged on the higher of the purchase price or the market valuation. It is the single largest transaction cost in Singapore residential property, and it is where the most expensive planning mistakes are made.
The current rates
| Buyer profile | First property | Second property | Third and subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen | Not applicable | 20% | 30% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident | 5% | 30% | 35% |
| Foreigner | 60% | 60% | 60% |
| Entity | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| Trustee of a living trust | 65% | 65% | 65% |
Housing developers
Licensed housing developers pay 35% remittable ABSD, subject to completing and selling all units within prescribed timelines, plus a 5% non-remittable component — 40% in aggregate. Two changes have relaxed the timelines for large sites: a framework introduced on 6 March 2025 for complex projects, and revisions on 29 July 2026 giving en bloc sites of 700 to 1,399 units six years and sites of 1,400 units or more seven years, the latter with a condition to sell at least half the units by the end of year six.
The free trade agreement remission
Under Singapore’s free trade agreements, certain foreign buyers are accorded the same stamp duty treatment as Singapore Citizens:
- Nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland — the four EFTA states.
- Nationals of the United States of America. US permanent residents who are not US nationals do not qualify.
The married-couple refund
A married couple including at least one Singapore Citizen who buy a second property before selling their first can claim the ABSD back. The conditions are strict and the timeline is not negotiable:
- The second property is bought in both names only.
- Neither spouse owned an interest in more than one residential property each at the date of purchase of the second property.
- ABSD was paid on the second property.
- The first property is sold within six months of the purchase date of the second — or within six months of the TOP or CSC date if the second was uncompleted at purchase, whichever is earlier.
- The couple remains married, there has been no change of ownership in the second property, and no further residential property has been bought since.
- The refund is applied for within six months of the sale of the first property.
Where neither spouse owns any residential property at all, and at least one is a Singapore Citizen, full upfront remission applies — no ABSD is payable in the first place. Since 16 February 2024 a parallel concession lets single Singapore Citizens aged 55 and above claim an ABSD refund on a second residential property, subject to conditions.
What ABSD costs in practice
| Buyer | ABSD rate | ABSD payable | Plus BSD | Total duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen, first property | 0% | $0 | $59,600 | $59,600 |
| Singapore Citizen, second property | 20% | $360,000 | $59,600 | $419,600 |
| Permanent Resident, first property | 5% | $90,000 | $59,600 | $149,600 |
| Foreigner | 60% | $1,080,000 | $59,600 | $1,139,600 |
Primary sources
Every figure in this article was checked against these on 1 August 2026. If you find one out of date, tell me and I will correct it.
Frequently asked
Every question on stamp duties & taxes- What ABSD do foreigners pay on Singapore residential property?
- Foreign buyers pay 60% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty on any Singapore residential property, a rate unchanged since 27 April 2023. Nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and nationals of the United States, receive Singapore-Citizen treatment under free trade agreements — meaning 0% on a first property, 20% on a second and 30% on a third, not a blanket exemption.
- How much ABSD does a Singapore Citizen pay on a second property?
- A Singapore Citizen pays 20% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty on a second residential property and 30% on a third or subsequent property. A married couple including at least one Singapore Citizen may claim a refund of the 20% if they sell their first property within six months of buying the second and meet all the other conditions.
- Can I get my ABSD refunded?
- A married couple including at least one Singapore Citizen can claim a refund of ABSD paid on a second property, provided the second property was bought in both names only, the first property is sold within six months of the purchase, and the refund is applied for within six months of that sale. IRAS does not grant extensions to these timelines.