Regulatory Explainer

ABSD Rates 2026 Singapore: A Property Agent’s Complete Guide

If you’re advising a client on a property purchase, getting ABSD wrong has real consequences — wrong numbers damage trust and can expose you to complaints under CEA guidelines. Here are the current rates and the rules that trip agents up most often.

ABSD rates have not changed since April 2023. The following rates apply as of Q2 2026, verified against the IRAS ABSD schedule.

Current ABSD Rates at a Glance

Buyer Profile1st Property2nd Property3rd+ Property
Singapore Citizen (SC)0%20%30%
Singapore PR5%30%35%
Foreigner60%60%60%
Entity / Trust65%65%65%

Rates verified as of Q2 2026. Source: IRAS.

The Joint Purchase Trap

The rule most agents get wrong: joint purchases use the highest applicable rate across all buyers on the full purchase price.

Example: An SC purchasing a second property with their SPR spouse. The SPR’s ABSD rate for a second property is 30%. That rate applies to the full purchase price — not just the SPR’s ownership share. A $1.5M property means $450,000 in ABSD — more than double what many clients expect.

Always clarify the citizenship status and existing property count for every buyer on the title before presenting numbers to your client.

When ABSD Does Not Apply — FTA Remissions

Nationals of the following countries are treated as Singapore Citizens for ABSD purposes:

  • USA (USSFTA)
  • Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland (ESFTA)

These buyers pay 0% ABSD on their first residential property and the same rates as SCs for subsequent purchases. Keep this in mind for clients with US or European passports — it significantly changes the transaction cost picture.

ABSD Must Be Paid in Cash — No CPF

A common client question: “Can I use CPF to pay ABSD?” No. ABSD must be paid in cash within 14 days of the signed OTP or SPA. The same 14-day deadline applies to Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD).

When to Count a Property

ABSD is based on the number of residential properties owned at the time the OTP is granted — not at completion. Clients who are selling their current home while buying a new one need careful timing advice.

Get ABSD right before the client meeting. LEVR calculates ABSD instantly for any buyer profile — SC, SPR, foreigner, or entity — across all property ordinals. Rates are verified against the Q2 2026 IRAS schedule.

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