Stamp duty on a new launch in 2026: BSD, ABSD and the SSD clock

The price on a new-launch list is not the whole cost of buying. Every buyer pays buyer’s stamp duty (BSD). Many also pay additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD), depending on residency and the homes they already own. And if there is any chance you will sell within four years, seller’s stamp duty (SSD) belongs in the plan from the start.

On an illustrative S$2 million purchase, BSD comes to S$69,600. ABSD ranges from nothing for a Singapore citizen buying a first home to S$400,000 for a citizen buying a second. For homes bought on or after 4 July 2025, SSD applies to sales within four years, at rates from 16% down to 4%.

These figures follow the rates IRAS publishes. Confirm them for your own purchase with IRAS and your lawyer: duty depends on your circumstances and the final documents, and this guide is general information, not tax or legal advice.

How is buyer’s stamp duty worked out?

IRAS charges buyer’s stamp duty in tiers, on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher. The residential rates are:

• 1% on the first S$180,000
• 2% on the next S$180,000
• 3% on the next S$640,000
• 4% on the next S$500,000
• 5% on the next S$1.5 million
• 6% on the amount above S$3 million

For an illustrative S$2 million home, that is S$1,800 + S$3,600 + S$19,200 + S$20,000 + S$25,000, or S$69,600. The same calculation for a S$1.5 million home gives S$44,600.

Who pays ABSD, and at what rate?

ABSD depends on who is buying and how many residential properties in Singapore they already own, including HDB flats. The rates are:

• Singapore citizens: 0% on a first home, 20% on a second, 30% on a third and subsequent.
• Singapore permanent residents: 5% on a first home, 30% on a second, 35% on a third and subsequent.
• Foreigners: 60% on any residential purchase.
• Entities: 65%, with separate rules for housing developers.

When people buy together, IRAS applies the highest rate among the buyers to the whole price. A citizen buying a first home jointly with a sibling who already owns a flat could therefore face the second-home rate of 20% on the entire purchase. Check every name on the purchase before booking. IRAS also sets out different treatment for some married couples and for nationals of certain countries under free trade agreements.

Can ABSD be refunded when a couple upgrades?

Many buyers still own their current home when they book. For a married couple buying jointly, where at least one spouse is a Singapore citizen, IRAS allows a refund of the ABSD paid on the second home if the first is sold within a set period. For a home still under construction, IRAS ties that period to completion: six months after the Temporary Occupation Permit or Certificate of Statutory Completion, whichever is earlier.

Two practical points follow. The ABSD is paid upfront and reclaimed later, so on the illustrative S$2 million home a couple would need to find S$400,000 at purchase. And because the deadline follows the new project’s completion, an earlier or later completion moves your selling window. Ask your lawyer to confirm eligibility before you book, not after.

Why the SSD clock matters for a new launch

Seller’s stamp duty applies when you sell a residential property within its holding period. For homes bought on or after 4 July 2025, the period is four years:

• 16% if sold within the first year
• 12% in the second year
• 8% in the third year
• 4% in the fourth year

The clock starts when you buy, not when the building is finished. Suppose, for illustration, you book in October 2026 and the project is completed three and a half years later. Selling soon after collecting the keys would still fall within the fourth year, and SSD at 4% on a S$2 million sale would be S$80,000—charged on the sale price or market value, whichever is higher.

That matters little if you intend to live in the home for years. It matters a great deal if your plans include a possible early sale because of work, family or finances.

When is stamp duty paid?

IRAS generally expects stamp duty to be paid within 14 days of a document being signed in Singapore, or within 30 days of its receipt if signed overseas. For a new launch, your lawyer will tell you which document and date apply. Put that deadline in the same cash-flow plan as the booking fee and the first 15% instalment described in our payment schedule guide.

Ask your lawyer and bank early whether CPF savings can be used for any part of the duty in your circumstances, and keep enough cash available until you have that answer in writing.

What to confirm before you book

• The residency status of every buyer.
• How many residential properties each buyer owns in Singapore, including HDB flats and homes still under construction.
• Whether a refund or remission applies, and the deadline it would set.
• The date from which your SSD holding period runs.
• How the duty will be paid, and from which account.

For the wider research sequence, start with our household brief guide. To test these calculations against dated launch prices, see the figures in our Lucerne Grand preview.

Common questions