From 4 July 2025, 12 am onwards, a Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) will have to be paid for private residential properties sold within 4 years of purchasing it, instead of 3 years prior to the new announcement. Alongside this extension in SSD, there will also be a 4%-points increase in SSD rates for each year, up to the maximum 4-year holding period.
| Holding Period | 20 Feb – 29 Aug 2010 | 30 Aug 2010 – 13 Jan 2011 | 14 Jan 2011 – 10 Mar 2017 | 11 Mar 2017 – 3 Jul 2025 | [NEW] 4 July 2025 onwards |
| Up to 1 year | Full SSD (1% for the first $180,000 of the consideration, 2% for the next $180,000, and 3% for the balance) | Full SSD (1% for the first $180,000 of the consideration, 2% for the next $180,000, and 3% for the balance) | 16% | 12% | 16% |
| More than 1 year but up to 2 years | No SSD | 2/3 SSD | 12% | 8% | 12% |
| More than 2 years but up to 3 years | No SSD | 1/3 SSD | 8% | 4% | 8% |
| More than 3 years but up to 4 years | No SSD | No SSD | 4% | No SSD | 4% |
| More than 4 years | No SSD | No SSD | No SSD | No SSD | No SSD |
As you can see it the table above, the new SSD rates have reverted to what it used to be between 14 Jan 2011 to 10 March 2017. Since the SSD scheme was introduced on 20 February 2010, it has been raised several times, with the only notable move in March 2017, when it was eased. This has now been undone with the latest increase in SSD rates.
How Much SSD Was Collected By The Governemnt?
Based on the stamp duty collected for private residential properties, a total of 741 property transactions were taxed with Seller’s Stamp Duty in 2023, a decrease from the 845 transactions in 2022. However, the amount of SSD collected increased from $26.95 million in 2022, to $27.64 million in 2023.
| Year | Seller Stamp Duty (SSD) | Number Of Property Transactions That Required SSD |
| 2011 | $23.145 million | 542 |
| 2012 | $34.232 million | 841 |
| 2013 | $48.554 million | 844 |
| 2014 | $30.497 million | 519 |
| 2015 | $26.358 million | 550 |
| 2016 | $18.235 million | 379 |
| 2017 | $63.080 million | 637 |
| 2018 | $86.163 million | 748 |
| 2019 | $22.315 million | 562 |
| 2020 | $17.778 million | 611 |
| 2021 | $27.540 million | 845 |
| 2022 | $26.945 million | 741 |
| 2023 | $27.643 million | 743 |
Sellers’s Stamp Duty (SSD) Applies When We Sell Our Property Within The First 4 Years From Purchase Or Acquisition
Introduced in February 2010, Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) is the tax payable on residential properties sold within a holding period of 4 years. The holding period for SSD starts from the date of purchase and acquisition and ends on the date of sale or disposal.
The date of purchase and acquisition could be the date of acceptance of option purchase (OTP) or the date of sale and purchase agreement. If we were to acquire a property by transfer such as inheritance or divorce, the 4-year holding period would start from the date of transfer.
Sellers’s Stamp Duty Ranges From 16%, 12%, 8% And 4%, Depending On The Year Of Sale
If we wish to sell our property within three years from the date of purchase or acquisition, we need to pay between 4% and 12% of the actual price or market value of the property, whichever is higher. The SSD percentage payable depends on the length of the holding period. The longer we hold out, the lower the percentage of SSD we will need to pay.
| Holding Period | SSD Rate (on the actual price or market value, whichever is higher) |
| Up to 1 year | 16% |
| More than 1 year and up to 2 years | 12% |
| More than 2 years and up to 3 years | 8% |
| More than 3 years and up to 4 years | 4% |
| More than 4 years | 0% |
Source: IRAS
The above rates apply for property purchase after 4th July 2025. For example, if we purchased a condominium unit on 4 July 2025, and eventually sell the property at $2 million in the future, below would be the amount we would have to pay at each holding period.
| Date Of Sale | Holding Period (From 4 July 2025) | SSD Payable |
| 3 July 2026 | Up to 1 year | $2,000,000 X 16% = $320,000 |
| 3 July 2027 | More than 1 year and up to 2 years | $2,000,000 X 12% = $240,000 |
| 3 July 2028 | More than 2 years and up to 3 years | $2,000,000 X 8% = $160,000 |
| 3 July 2029 | More than 3 years and up to 4 years | 2,000,000 X 4% = $80,000 |
| 3 July 2030 | More than 4 years | $2,000,000 X 0% = $0 |
As seen above, the stamp duty payable is considerable for the first 4 years and this has to be taken into consideration, alongside any renovation cost, the interest costs for our home loan and other property-related expenses, when determining whether it is profitable for us to sell our property. In the event we do need to pay for SSD, payment can be done through the e-Stamping Portal on IRAS.
Read Also: What Happens To Your Money After You Sell Your Flat In Singapore
Scenarios When Sellers Are Exempted From SSD
There are certain instances when sellers may be exempted from paying SSD:
- Property owners whose property is being acquired by the government under the Land Acquisitions Act
- Property owners who are declared bankrupt and are required to liquidate their property
- Companies that that own residential properties need not pay SSD when disposing them upon involuntary winding up
- Under the Residential Property Act, foreigners do not need to pay SSD
- HDB Flat owners’ whose flats are identified under SERS that sold off their flat before HDB claimed the flat
- Repossession of flat by HDB due to SERS or other reasons for re-possession
- If we inherit an HDB flat while owning one and are required by HDB to dispose of the inherited flat
- If we marry another person that owns a HDB flat while owning a HDB flat and is required by HDB to dispose of either one of the flat
The above cases are usually due to legislative powers or existing policies. In such scenarios, the government would exempt SSD for property owners that are selling their properties.
