ABSD in Singapore: how Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty is calculated
Singapore's Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty explained: current rates for citizens, PRs, foreigners and entities, how the duty is computed, and worked examples. All rates from IRAS, checked 4 November 2026.
What ABSD is
Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) is a duty payable on purchases of residential property in Singapore, on top of the ordinary Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD). Both duties are computed on the purchase price stated in the dutiable document or the market value of the property, whichever is higher.
ABSD liability depends on the buyer's profile on the date of purchase: whether the buyer is an individual or an entity, the buyer's residency status, and how many residential properties the buyer already owns.
Current ABSD rates
These are the rates for purchases on or after 27 April 2023, as published by IRAS and checked on 4 November 2026.
| Buyer profile | ABSD rate |
|---|---|
| Singapore Citizen, first residential property | Not applicable |
| Singapore Citizen, second residential property | 20% |
| Singapore Citizen, third and subsequent | 30% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident, first residential property | 5% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident, second residential property | 30% |
| Singapore Permanent Resident, third and subsequent | 35% |
| Foreigner, any residential property | 60% |
| Entities, any residential property | 65% |
| Housing developers | 35% (remission may be applied for, subject to conditions) plus 5% non-remittable |
| Trustee buying any residential property | 65% |
Property counts include properties owned wholly, partially or jointly with others. ABSD is rounded down to the nearest dollar, subject to a minimum duty of $1.
How the calculation works
ABSD is a single percentage applied to the higher of the purchase price or market value.
Example 1. A foreigner buys a condominium unit with a market value of S$2,000,000. The applicable rate is 60%, so ABSD is S$1,200,000. This is payable in addition to BSD.
Example 2. A Singapore Permanent Resident who already owns one residential property buys a second at S$1,500,000. The applicable rate is 30%, so ABSD is S$450,000, again on top of BSD.
Rules that change the outcome
Joint purchases. Where two or more buyers of different profiles purchase together, the highest applicable ABSD rate applies to the entire value of the property, not just that buyer's share.
Free Trade Agreement nationals. Under Singapore's free trade agreements, nationals and permanent residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and nationals of the United States of America, are accorded the same stamp duty treatment as Singapore Citizens. The remission is obtained when stamping via the myTax Portal.
Partial ownership counts in full. IRAS applies a full count for partial and joint ownership when determining how many residential properties a buyer owns.
Overseas property is excluded. Residential properties located outside Singapore are excluded from the property count.
Living trusts. Transfers of residential property into a living trust attract the trustee rate of 65%, paid upfront. A remission by refund may be available where the trust has identifiable individual beneficiaries, based on the profile of the beneficial owner with the highest applicable rate.
For your own stamp duty position, speak to a qualified Singapore tax adviser.
Run your own numbers in Stresst
Stresst's Singapore module works out BSD, ABSD, Seller's Stamp Duty, TDSR and MSR from the figures you enter, so you can see the full duty position of a purchase before you commit. See the Singapore calculators.
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Sources
- IRAS, Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD), rates and computation, checked 4 November 2026.
- IRAS, Foreigners eligible for ABSD remission under Free Trade Agreements, checked 4 November 2026.
This article is general information only and is not financial, tax or legal advice.