Disclaimer (Block 1): This article is for educational purposes only and is intended to assist CEA-registered property agents in understanding regulatory frameworks. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. LEVR's calculations are indicative only. Always verify rates and eligibility with your bank, HDB, CPF Board, or a licensed financial advisor before advising clients.
SPR ABSD Rates for 2026
As at Q2 2026, Singapore Permanent Residents pay ABSD on every residential property purchase. There is no ABSD-free first purchase for SPRs — the 5% rate applies from the first property.
| Property Count | SPR ABSD Rate | SC ABSD Rate (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st residential property | 5% | 0% (no ABSD) |
| 2nd residential property | 30% | 20% |
| 3rd and subsequent | 35% | 30% |
Rates verified against IRAS ABSD schedule as at Q2 2026. Subject to change. Always verify current rates on the IRAS website before advising clients.
The practical consequence for PR clients: a PR buying their first private property at SGD 1.5 million pays SGD 75,000 in ABSD on top of BSD. A second property at the same price attracts SGD 450,000 in ABSD — a cost that materially affects whether the second purchase stacks up financially.
Agent note: PR clients who have owned overseas property are sometimes confused about whether foreign property ownership counts toward their Singapore ABSD property count. It does not. ABSD property count is based on Singapore residential properties only. A PR who owns a flat in Malaysia and is buying their first Singapore property pays 5% ABSD, not 30%.
What Counts as a Property for ABSD Purposes
ABSD is computed based on the number of Singapore residential properties the buyer owns, had previously owned, or has an interest in at the time of purchase. The count includes:
- HDB flats: Ownership of an HDB flat counts as one residential property. A PR who owns a resale HDB flat and is buying a private condo is purchasing their second residential property and pays 30% ABSD.
- Private residential property: Includes condominiums, landed property, apartments, and ECs after privatisation. An interest in private property through inheritance also counts.
- Partial interests: A partial interest (e.g., 10% ownership) in a residential property counts as owning that property for ABSD purposes.
- Overseas property: Does not count. ABSD property count is Singapore-specific.
IRAS determines the property count at the date the sale and purchase agreement (S&P) or OTP is exercised — not at the date of completion. If a PR is selling their existing property concurrently but it has not yet been transferred, IRAS counts it as still owned at the time of the new purchase.
Mixed SC-SPR Households
When a Singapore Citizen and an SPR purchase property jointly, ABSD is determined by the profile of the buyer with the lower ABSD liability — in practice, the SC profile is used. This means a married SC-SPR couple buying jointly is treated as SC buyers for ABSD purposes:
| Buyer Composition | ABSD Applicable |
|---|---|
| SC + SPR (joint purchase) | SC ABSD rates apply (0% first property, 20% second) |
| SPR + SPR (joint purchase) | SPR ABSD rates apply (5% first, 30% second) |
| SPR purchasing alone | SPR ABSD rates apply (5% first, 30% second) |
| SC + Foreigner (joint purchase) | Foreigner ABSD rates apply (60% on all properties) |
ABSD is determined by the buyer profile with the highest applicable rate in the transaction, except where the lowest-rate profile rule applies to SC-SPR joint purchases. Always verify with IRAS for complex multi-profile transactions.
Agent note: A common misconception is that an SC-SPR married couple automatically pays SC rates in all situations. The SC rates only apply when the SC is a co-purchaser on the same transaction. If the SPR buys the property in their name alone (even if married to an SC), SPR rates apply. This distinction matters for decoupling scenarios where the couple is considering putting a second property in only the SPR’s name — the SPR-only purchase attracts 30% ABSD, not 20%.
SPR Buying an HDB Resale Flat
SPRs can purchase HDB resale flats under specific eligibility schemes (see the resale HDB eligibility guide), but ABSD applies to every HDB resale purchase by an SPR:
- An SPR buying their first HDB resale flat pays 5% ABSD on the purchase price or valuation, whichever is higher.
- An SPR who already owns a private property and is buying an HDB resale flat pays 30% ABSD (second property rate).
- SPRs must wait 30 months from obtaining SPR status before purchasing an HDB resale flat. This is a separate HDB rule — not an ABSD rule — but it affects the timing of any PR client’s first Singapore residential property purchase.
For a resale flat priced at SGD 600,000, the 5% ABSD on the SPR’s first property adds SGD 30,000 to the upfront cost. This is in addition to BSD, which for a SGD 600,000 property amounts to SGD 13,600. Total stamp duty for an SPR buying a first HDB resale flat at SGD 600,000 would be approximately SGD 43,600.
SPR Buying First Private Property
The most common scenario for SPR clients is the first private property purchase — typically a condominium unit. The 5% ABSD applies on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher.
For a SGD 1.2 million condominium:
- BSD: SGD 29,600 (standard BSD rate for SGD 1.2M)
- ABSD (5% on SGD 1.2M): SGD 60,000
- Total stamp duty: SGD 89,600
This represents a materially higher upfront cost than the same transaction for an SC buyer (who pays only BSD). Agents advising SPR first-time buyers should factor ABSD into the cash requirement discussion early — ABSD is not financeable into the mortgage and must be paid in cash or CPF within 14 days of exercising the OTP.
No ABSD Remission for SPR Couples
The ABSD remission for married couples upgrading from HDB to private property is only available to married Singapore Citizen couples. Married SC-SPR couples do not qualify for the full remission under the married couple upgrader scheme — though they benefit from SC rates on joint purchases.
SPR clients who own an HDB flat and wish to upgrade to private property face a different calculation:
- If they sell the HDB flat before or simultaneously with the private property purchase, they are buying their first Singapore residential property (post-disposal) — 5% ABSD applies.
- If they buy the private property before selling the HDB flat, they are buying their second residential property — 30% ABSD applies. No remission is available to an SPR-only household in this scenario.
The sequencing of the sale and purchase is therefore especially important for SPR upgrader clients. The difference between scenario 1 (5%) and scenario 2 (30%) on a SGD 1.5 million private property is SGD 375,000. Agents must walk SPR upgrader clients through the timing implications carefully.
Using LEVR for the ABSD Calculation
LEVR’s ABSD Calculator handles SPR, SC, foreigner, and entity profiles and applies the correct rate based on the number of properties the buyer currently holds. For the PR client scenario:
- Select “SPR” as the buyer profile in the ABSD Calculator.
- Enter the number of Singapore residential properties currently owned (0 for a first purchase, 1 for a second).
- Enter the purchase price. LEVR applies the correct ABSD rate and shows the full stamp duty breakdown (BSD + ABSD).
For joint SC-SPR purchases, select “SC” as the buyer profile — LEVR applies SC ABSD rates for mixed SC-SPR transactions. Always confirm the buyer profile composition before running the calculation.
Disclaimer (Block 3): LEVR's calculator outputs are estimates based on inputs provided and current regulatory parameters as known at time of publication. They are not a guarantee of borrowing capacity, stamp duty liability, or CPF eligibility. Regulatory thresholds and rates may change. Always verify with IRAS, your bank, or a licensed financial advisor before making financial decisions.