Stamp duty is the tax you pay IRAS when you buy or sell a home in Singapore. For most buyers the big one is Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD), which applies to every residential property — HDB flat, condo, or landed. On top of BSD you may owe Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD), and sellers can owe Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD). This page shows the exact BSD tiers, walks through S$1M / S$1.5M / S$2M examples step by step, and summarises ABSD and SSD. To skip the maths, ask FindHomeLah something like "stamp duty on a 1.5m condo" and get an instant answer.
Stamp duty is a tax on property transactions, collected by IRAS when you lodge the document transferring ownership. In Singapore it has three parts that buyers and sellers should know:
- Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD): paid by the buyer on every residential property, based on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher.
- Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD): an extra layer on top of BSD, triggered by how many homes you already own and your residency status.
- Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD): paid by the seller if a private residential property is sold within the first few years of ownership.
Most first-time buyers only pay BSD. The rest of this page focuses on how to calculate BSD, then briefly covers ABSD and SSD.
BSD on residential property is marginal — each slice of the price is taxed at a different rate, then the slices are added up. The rates below have applied since 15 Feb 2023.
BSD tiers (residential):
- 1% on the first S$180,000
- 2% on the next S$180,000 (S$180,001 to S$360,000)
- 3% on the next S$640,000 (S$360,001 to S$1,000,000)
- 4% on the next S$500,000 (S$1,000,001 to S$1,500,000)
- 5% on the next S$1.5 million (S$1,500,001 to S$3,000,000)
- 6% on anything above S$4,000,000
Notice the rate only applies inside each band — jumping into a higher band does not raise the tax on the lower portions. That is why a S$1M home does not suddenly cost far more than a S$999,999 home.
Here is the method a stamp duty calculator uses under the hood. Try it on any price.
Step 1: Take the purchase price (use the higher of price or market value).
Step 2: Slice the price into the bands above.
Step 3: Multiply each slice by its rate.
Step 4: Add the slices together. That total is your BSD.
Worked example — S$1,000,000 condo:
- S$180,000 x 1% = S$1,800
- S$180,000 x 2% = S$3,600
- S$640,000 x 3% = S$19,200
- Remaining S$0 (price ends exactly at S$1M)
- Total BSD = S$24,600
Worked example — S$1,500,000 condo:
- S$180,000 x 1% = S$1,800
- S$180,000 x 2% = S$3,600
- S$640,000 x 3% = S$19,200
- S$500,000 x 4% = S$20,000
- Total BSD = S$44,600
Worked example — S$2,000,000 condo:
- S$180,000 x 1% = S$1,800
- S$180,000 x 2% = S$3,600
- S$640,000 x 3% = S$19,200
- S$500,000 x 4% = S$20,000
- Remaining S$500,000 x 5% = S$25,000
- Total BSD = S$69,600
These three examples — S$1M = S$24,600, S$1.5M = S$44,600, S$2M = S$69,600 — are handy anchors when sanity-checking any quote you receive from a banker or lawyer.
ABSD sits on top of BSD and depends on your profile (since 27 Apr 2023):
- Singapore Citizen: 0% on your first home, 20% on the second, 30% on the third and beyond.
- Singapore PR (SPR): 5% on the first home, 30% on the second, 35% on the third and beyond.
- Foreigner: 60% on any residential property.
- Entity or trust: 65%.
Good news for most locals: a Singapore Citizen buying their first home pays NO ABSD — only BSD. The bill climbs fast on a second or third property, so factor ABSD in before deciding to upgrade or invest. (We go deeper on profiles, exemptions and remission in our dedicated ABSD page.)
SSD only affects private residential property (condos and landed), and only if you sell within the first four years of ownership. Rates were raised and the window extended to 4 years on 4 Jul 2025:
- 16% if held for less than 1 year
- 12% if sold in year 1 to 2
- 8% if sold in year 2 to 3
- 4% if sold in year 3 to 4
- 0% after year 4 — no SSD at all
Example: a S$1.5M condo sold within the first year triggers S$240,000 of SSD. That is a serious cost, so check the holding period before listing.
HDB flats are effectively exempt from SSD. The 5-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) you must serve before selling an HDB flat is longer than the 4-year SSD window, so by the time you are allowed to sell, SSD no longer applies.
You do not have to do the tier maths by hand. FindHomeLah is a free Singapore property tool that computes BSD, ABSD and SSD from public data when you type a question in plain English.
Try questions like:
- "stamp duty on a 1.5m condo"
- "I'm a foreigner, how much cash for a 2m condo"
- "stamp duty on a 1M HDB flat first home"
- "how much SSD if I sell my condo in year 2"
Caveat: rates, tiers and ABSD profiles can change with each Budget round, and your exact cash outlay also depends on CPF usage, loan structure and whether remission applies. Treat every figure as an estimate, not financial advice, and confirm the final number with IRAS or your conveyancing lawyer before committing.
How much is stamp duty on a S$1 million condo in Singapore?
BSD is S$24,600. Using the residential tiers since 15 Feb 2023: 1% on the first S$180k (S$1,800), 2% on the next S$180k (S$3,600), and 3% on the next S$640k (S$19,200). Add ABSD on top only if it applies to your profile.
How is BSD calculated in Singapore?
BSD is marginal. You slice the price into bands (1% to 6%), tax each slice at its own rate, then add the slices. A S$1.5M condo gives S$44,600; a S$2M condo gives S$69,600. A stamp duty calculator like FindHomeLah does this instantly.
Do first-time HDB buyers pay stamp duty?
Yes, first-time buyers pay BSD on an HDB flat just like on a condo. But a Singapore Citizen buying their first home pays NO ABSD. HDB flats are also effectively exempt from SSD because the 5-year MOP outlasts the 4-year SSD window.
What is the SSD rate if I sell my condo within one year?
Since 4 Jul 2025, SSD is 16% if the property is held for less than one year, then 12% / 8% / 4% in years 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4, and 0% after year 4. A S$1.5M condo sold within year 1 costs S$240,000 in SSD.
How much ABSD does a foreigner pay in Singapore?
A foreigner pays 60% ABSD on any residential property, on top of BSD. Entities and trusts pay 65%. Singapore Citizens pay 0% on their first home, 20% on the second, and 30% from the third onwards.
Skip the manual maths — ask FindHomeLah "stamp duty on a 1.5m condo" (or any price and profile) and get an instant, plain-English answer at https://findhomelah.com.
Open FindHomeLah →Educational estimates from public HDB data — not financial advice. SG rules verified July 2026. All guides · Terms · Privacy