What is the ABSD rate for foreigners buying property in Singapore?

Foreign nationals and non-permanent residents typically pay 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher. This applies on top of progressive Buyer's Stamp Duty.

Do US citizens pay 60% ABSD in Singapore?

Eligible US nationals may pay 0% ABSD on their first residential property under the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, provided they meet nationality and prior ownership conditions confirmed at stamp duty filing.

Do Swiss citizens get ABSD relief in Singapore?

Eligible Swiss nationals may pay 0% ABSD on their first residential property under the EFTA-Singapore FTA, subject to the same documentation and eligibility verification as other FTA claims.

Can ABSD be refunded if I sell quickly?

ABSD is not refunded on a standard resale. Certain remission schemes apply to specific profiles such as Singapore PR converting from foreign status within stated timelines, not to typical foreign investors.

ABSD Singapore 2026: Rates by Nationality, 60% and 0%

Q: When is ABSD payable?

ABSD is payable within 14 days of exercising the Option to Purchase, or of the Sale and Purchase Agreement where no OTP was granted. It is an ordered rule rather than an earliest-of test, and granting the option does not start the clock. Where the document is executed outside Singapore the window is 30 days, counted from the day it is received in Singapore. Late payment attracts IRAS penalties.

Q: How does ABSD affect rental yield?

ABSD increases your true cost basis. Amortising 60% ABSD over a short hold destroys effective yield even when median rent is S$5.13 psf. Long hold periods and FTA relief materially change the math.

Quick answer: Singapore ABSD for foreign buyers is 60% of purchase price or market value, plus progressive BSD. US and Swiss nationals under FTAs may pay 0% ABSD on a first property if eligible. ABSD is due within 14 days of OTP exercise.

What ABSD costs by nationality in 2026

Invest Singapore treats ABSD as the primary gate on foreign demand, not a footnote. The 60% rate applied since the 2023 cooling round is why foreigners remain near 1.2% of 26,492 private sales despite deep liquidity elsewhere in the market. Our FTA workflow requires passport evidence, prior-ownership declarations, and lawyer sign-off before OTP because IRAS does not refund misclassified payments. The spread between 60% and 0% on a S$2.4 million CCR unit exceeds S$1.4 million, larger than most regional markets’ entire purchase price. If you cannot document FTA eligibility with certainty, underwrite at 60% even when nationality suggests relief might apply.

Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) is the line item that separates Singapore from every other Asian property market foreign investors compare it to. While URA recorded 26,492 private residential sales in 2025, foreigners accounted for 1.2%, not because condos are unavailable, but because 60% ABSD reshapes who can still underwrite a deal.

This guide explains ABSD rates, FTA exceptions at 0%, how ABSD stacks with BSD, payment timing, and links to Can Foreigners Buy Property and legal fees / e-Stamping.

Unsure if you qualify for 0% ABSD under US or Swiss FTA rules? Share nationality docs before OTP. misclassification is not refunded by IRAS.

Get ABSD estimate

Singapore Property Purchase Cost Calculator

Calculate your all-in acquisition costs: BSD + ABSD + legal fees. Estimates only. Verify with IRAS and your conveyancing lawyer.

Purchase Price (SGD)

Buyer Profile

ABSD Rates Relevant to Foreign Buyers

Buyer profile	ABSD rate ( residential )	Typical use case
Foreign national	60%	Default foreign investor or end-user
US national (FTA, first property)	0%	Executives, family offices with US passport
Swiss national (FTA, first property)	0%	Swiss passport, first Singapore residential
Singapore permanent resident (1st property)	5%	Comparison, PR path differs from foreign
Singapore citizen (2nd property)	20%	Domestic investor cooling measure

Foreign 60% ABSD was last increased in the 2023 cooling round alongside tighter LTV and TDSR measures. Treat current rates as stable until Budget or MAS announcements say otherwise, but always verify on IRAS.gov.sg before OTP.

FTA Relief: US and Swiss at 0% ABSD

The United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the EFTA-Singapore FTA (covering Switzerland) allow eligible nationals to pay 0% ABSD on their first residential property in Singapore, a material savings worth S$1,200,000 on a S$2,000,000 purchase compared to the default 60% foreign rate. First property means first residential acquisition in Singapore under FTA rules; prior ownership, even if sold, can disqualify relief depending on transaction timing and remission conditions. Nationality must be documented via passport; permanent residents of the US or Switzerland without citizenship do not automatically qualify. Always confirm eligibility with a licensed conveyancing lawyer before executing the Option to Purchase.

Critical nuances:

First property means first residential acquisition in Singapore under FTA rules, prior ownership can disqualify relief
Nationality must be documented; permanent residents of the US or Switzerland do not automatically qualify without passport evidence
Entity purchases through companies generally do not access personal FTA relief
Lawyer verification before OTP is non-negotiable, incorrect ABSD payment requires amendment, interest, and delay

For a US executive buying a S$2,000,000 OCR condo near S$2,154 psf, the difference between 60% ABSD (S$1,200,000) and 0% is the entire economic case. FTA eligibility is not a footnote; it is the investment thesis.

Confirm structure with your conveyancing lawyer alongside guidance in Can Foreigners Buy Property in Singapore?.

ABSD Plus BSD: Stacked Stamp Duty

Component	Indicative amount	Notes
BSD (progressive)	~S$54,600	Tiered rates on first S$1M and above
ABSD at 60%	S$1,200,000	Foreign default
Total stamp duty	~S$1,254,600	Before legal, agent, renovation
FTA foreign (0% ABSD)	~S$54,600	BSD only if eligible

Detailed line items and OCR vs CCR examples appear in Cost of Buying Property in Singapore.

Payment Timing and Process

Exercising the Option to Purchase (OTP), or
Signing the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA),

Cash flow planning for new launches: ABSD is calculated on full purchase price even though payment may be progressive during construction. Foreign buyers on payment plans must still fund stamp duty upfront at exercise, a common liquidity trap.

ABSD and Rental Yield: True Cost Basis

ABSD does not reduce yield on paper, because gross yield is quoted against purchase price. It destroys yield on capital actually deployed. A 750 sq ft OCR unit at the S$2,154 psf median costs about S$1,615,500, but a foreign buyer commits roughly S$2,650,000 once 60% ABSD and BSD are added, and rent does not move at all.

Price: 750 × S$2,154 ≈ S$1,615,500
Rent at S$5.13 psf: ~S$3,850/month → S$46,200/year
Gross yield on price alone: ~2.86%
Add 60% ABSD (S$969,300) → all-in cost ~S$2,584,800
Gross yield on true cost: ~1.79% before maintenance, tax, vacancy

Regional yield comparison belongs in Singapore Rental Yield Guide.

ABSD vs Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD)

Holding period	SSD rate (indicative)
Up to 1 year	12%
Over 1 to 2 years	8%
Over 2 to 3 years	4%
Over 3 years	0%

Foreign investors combining 60% ABSD entry and 12% SSD exit within twelve months face catastrophic all-in costs unless capital appreciation exceeds 70%+, unlikely in a governed market with 26,492 annual transactions and moderate rent growth.

Align hold period with SSD schedule before buying. The hub Singapore Property Investment Guide covers cycle thinking.

Planning Scenarios for 2026

ABSD: S$1,080,000
Hold 10 years, rent at median S$5.13 psf
Thesis: long hold, rent escalation, modest capital gain, not flip
ABSD: S$0
BSD only: ~S$69,000
Thesis: accept lower gross yield vs OCR, prioritize liquidity and central tenancy
ABSD due in full at exercise on S$2.2M price
Fund S$1.32M ABSD cash before TOP even if build payments are staged
Review Singapore New Launch Condo Guide 2026

Common ABSD Mistakes

Assuming PR status soon: buying as foreign at 60% then hoping PR remission later is speculative; remission rules are narrow
Buying through shell company: corporate residential purchases face a 65% entity tier, priced honestly in our company-purchase guide
Ignoring BSD in “60%” headline: total stamp duty exceeds ABSD alone
Late e-Stamping: penalties and completion delay
FTA claim without lawyer sign-off: IRAS rejects improper claims

ABSD Remission and Refund Scenarios (Narrow)

Singapore PR obtaining SC and meeting remission conditions within stated window, not applicable to pure foreign holders
Developer collective schemes, rare, project-specific
Stamp duty mistakes corrected through IRAS appeals, not planning tool

Joint Purchase: Foreign + Citizen Spouse

ABSD on Additional Properties

Worked Example D: S$3.5M CCR Foreign Purchase

| Component | Amount | | | --- | | Purchase price | S$3,500,000 | | BSD (progressive) | ~S$149,600 | | ABSD 60% | S$2,100,000 | | Total stamp | S$2,229,600 | | All-in before legal | S$5,729,600+ |

Worked Example E: S$1.5M OCR FTA First Purchase

| Component | Amount | | | --- | | Purchase price | S$1,500,000 | | BSD | ~S$44,600 | | ABSD 0% FTA | S$0 | | Total stamp | S$44,600 |

Budget Speech and Policy Risk

Exercise quickly after rate confirmation if buying
FTA documentation locked at exercise
Long hold amortises sunk duty over more years

IRAS e-Stamping Step-by-Step

Lawyer prepares stamp duty return with purchase price and buyer profile
Submit via IRAS e-Stamping portal
Pay BSD + ABSD by GIRO, PayNow, or cheque within 14 days
Receive stamp certificate: attach to completion documents
FTA buyers attach nationality proof and statutory declaration

Buy Property in Singapore as a Foreigner, OTP to completion with stamp duty milestones
Can Foreigners Buy Property in Singapore?, eligibility before duty modelling
Cost of Buying Property in Singapore, full acquisition cost stack
Singapore Property Investment Guide, market context, CCR ~S$3,200 vs OCR ~S$2,154 psf

ABSD Calculation Base: Price vs Valuation

Trusts, Nominees, and Anti-Avoidance

Comparative Stamp Duty: Second Property Scenarios

Buyer	1st property ABSD	2nd property ABSD
Foreign	60%	60%
US FTA national	0%	20% (citizen rate)
Singapore citizen	0%	20%
Singapore PR	5%	30%

Historical ABSD Escalation Context

Lawyer Checklist for ABSD Filing

Confirm buyer profile classification before OTP
Collect FTA nationality evidence if applicable
Calculate BSD tiers on full price
Submit e-Stamping within 14-day window
Retain stamp certificate for completion
File amended return if IRAS queries valuation

ABSD on Inherited Property

ABSD and Divorce Property Settlement

Numeric Sensitivity Table: ABSD Rate vs Purchase Price

| Price | ABSD 60% | ABSD 0% FTA savings | | | | --- | | S$1,000,000 | S$600,000 | S$600,000 | | S$1,615,500 | S$969,300 | S$969,300 | | S$2,000,000 | S$1,200,000 | S$1,200,000 | | S$2,400,000 | S$1,440,000 | S$1,440,000 | | S$3,200,000 | S$1,920,000 | S$1,920,000 |

ABSD and Charitable / Religious Use

Frequently Confused: BSD vs ABSD vs SSD

| Duty | When | Who typical foreign hit | | | | --- | | BSD | Purchase | All buyers progressive | | ABSD | Purchase | 60% foreign / 0% FTA | | SSD | Sale within 3 years | Sellers flipping quickly |

Spreadsheet Template Headers

Case File: Foreign Buyer ABSD Shock Prevented

Lesson: Verify nationality and ABSD line before OTP, agent arithmetic errors cost more than legal fees.

Case File: FTA Denied Due to Prior Ownership

IRAS Resources and Verification Links

ABSD Planning Worksheet (Fill Before OTP)

ABSD amount: S$________

Total stamp duty: S$________

Legal and disbursements: S$________

Total cash before renovation: S$________

Monthly rent at S$5.13 psf × sq ft: S$________

Annual gross rent: S$________

Gross yield on purchase price: _____%

Gross yield on total cash invested: _____%

If the last line fails your minimum return, do not exercise OTP hoping appreciation will rescue the spreadsheet. 60% ABSD is sunk the moment you stamp, IRAS does not refund because prices rose or fell afterward. FTA 0% buyers should still complete this worksheet; BSD and maintenance still constrain yield.

ABSD rate history: 2011 to 2026

| Date | Foreign ABSD (residential) | Policy intent | | | --- | --- | | Dec 2011 | 10% | First cooling measure on foreigners | | Jan 2013 | 15% | Incremental tightening | | Jul 2018 | 20% | Pre-pandemic demand management | | Jul 2021 | 30% | Post-COVID surge response | | Apr 2023 | 60% | Current foreign rate with SSD extension |

FTA documentation pack for 0% ABSD claims

| Document | US FTA | Swiss FTA | Notes | | | --- | --- | --- | | Valid passport | Required | Required | Nationality at exercise date | | Statutory declaration | Required | Required | Lawyer-prepared | | Prior SG residential ownership statement | Required | Required | Any past ownership can disqualify “first property” | | OTP / SPA copy | Required | Required | Price for duty calculation | | IPA letter (if financed) | Optional | Optional | Does not change ABSD rate |

Entity, trust, and corporate wrapper ABSD

Pair entity questions with Can Foreigners Buy Property in Singapore? eligibility section before any corporate OTP, and read the company-purchase economics and trust ABSD rules before accepting any wrapper recommendation.

ABSD interaction with Seller’s Stamp Duty on exit

Scenario	Entry ABSD (S$2M price)	SSD if sold month 18	Combined stamp friction
Foreign 60%	S$1,200,000	8% (S$160,000 on sale price)	S$1.36M+ before agent
FTA 0%	S$0	8% on sale	SSD + agent only

Second and subsequent property ABSD for foreign profiles

Buyer profile	First residential	Second residential	Third+ residential
Foreign national	60%	60%	60%
US/Swiss/Nordic FTA national	0%	20%	30%
Singapore PR	5% first	30% second	35% third+

Second and subsequent purchases are where most foreign-buyer ABSD planning goes wrong, in opposite directions depending on nationality. A non-FTA foreign national pays 60% on every residential property, so the second purchase costs exactly what the first did, there is no ladder to climb and no relief for having already contributed once. A qualifying FTA national is on the Singapore Citizen ladder throughout: 0%, then 20%, then 30%. On a S$2,000,000 second home that is the difference between S$1,200,000 and S$400,000 of ABSD, before S$69,600 of BSD in either case. Permanent residents sit between the two at 5%, 30% and 35%, which means a PR taking a second property pays more than an FTA national doing the same thing. Property count is assessed on the stamp duty date and includes partial interests, so a 1% share of an inherited unit changes the tier.

ABSD and Inheritance of Policy Changes

Insider tip: MORE Group underwriting on singapore absd foreign buyer guide

Invest Singapore underwriting snapshot on singapore absd foreign buyer guide: foreign buyers at 60% ABSD on a S$2,000,000 OCR unit pay about S$1,254,600 stamp duty before legal fees, while URA median rent at S$5.13 psf supports roughly S$4,100 monthly on 800 sq ft. Net yield on all-in cost often lands near 2.5% after vacancy, explaining why foreigners were 1.2% of 26,492 private sales in 2025. US and Swiss FTA first-property buyers at 0% ABSD can underwrite the same unit near 3.8% gross on purchase price if remission is confirmed before IRAS e-Stamping day 14. MORE Group buyer desk flags missing ABSD remission proof, MCST no-arrears certificate, and TDSR headroom before exercise deposit clears.

Invest Singapore ABSD underwriting snapshot: at 60% Additional Buyer Stamp Duty on a S$2,500,000 condo, foreign cash stamp alone is S$1,500,000 before BSD near S$104,600 and legal fees, which is why 2025 URA volume showed foreign buyers at only 1.2% of 26,492 private sales. Median rent at S$5.13 psf on 900 sq ft implies about S$4,600 monthly gross, often below 2.2% net on true all-in cost. MORE Group buyer desk flags missing ABSD remission proof, MCST no-arrears certificate, and TDSR headroom before exercise deposit clears.

MORE Group citable note: ABSD is assessed on the higher of price or valuation, on the buyer profile as it stands on the stamp date, not on booking day. A profile change mid-transaction (PR grant, FTA documentation arriving late) does not retroactively reprice a stamped purchase. Verify the tier in writing with conveyancing counsel before exercise; a licensed CEA partner executes after the numbers clear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ABSD rate for foreigners?

Foreign nationals typically pay 60% ABSD on residential purchases, plus progressive Buyer's Stamp Duty.

Do US citizens pay 60% ABSD?

Eligible US nationals may pay 0% ABSD on a first residential property under the US-Singapore FTA if conditions are met.

Do Swiss citizens get ABSD relief?

Eligible Swiss nationals may pay 0% ABSD on a first property under the EFTA-Singapore FTA.

When is ABSD payable?

Generally within 14 days of exercising the OTP or signing the SPA, via IRAS e-Stamping.

How does ABSD affect rental yield?

60% ABSD raises true cost basis, compressing effective yield unless amortised over a long hold or avoided via FTA relief.

Purchase price	,
Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD)	,
Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD)	,
Legal fees (estimated)	,
Total All-In Cost	,