What Is BSD? Buyer's Stamp Duty Rates in Singapore

Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) is a tax everyone pays when they buy property in Singapore — citizen or foreigner, first home or tenth, residential or commercial. It is one of the first figures a salesperson has to get right for a client, and it is a regular topic in RES Paper 2. Because the rates rarely change mid-cycle, BSD is some of the most reliable marks on the whole exam — lock it cold and you bank them every time. To check a figure fast, use the free BSD calculator.

What BSD is — and who pays it

BSD is a documentary tax under the Stamp Duties Act, charged on the instrument (the Option to Purchase or the Sale & Purchase Agreement) when property is bought or acquired. The buyer pays it, and it applies regardless of residency or how many properties you own — that is exactly what separates it from ABSD. It is calculated on the higher of the purchase price or the market value, so an undervalued price on paper does not lower the duty.

This makes BSD the "base layer" of the stamp-duty stack. It comes first, and any Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) is added on top. It is separate again from Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD), which the seller pays on a quick resale.

Residential BSD rates (w.e.f. 15 Feb 2023)

BSD is progressive — each band of the price is taxed at its own marginal rate, exactly like income tax. You cannot just multiply the whole price by the top rate. The two top tiers (5% and 6%) were added on 15 Feb 2023 to target higher-value homes.

Cumulative checkpoints worth memorising

You do not need to add up every band under exam pressure. Memorise three cumulative checkpoints and you can answer most BSD questions in seconds:

• $24,600 of BSD on a $1,000,000 purchase
• $44,600 of BSD on a $1,500,000 purchase
• $119,600 of BSD on a $3,000,000 purchase

Non-residential BSD rates (w.e.f. 15 Feb 2023)

Offices, shops, industrial units and other non-residential property use the same lower tiers but top out at 5% — there is no 6% band. Crucially, non-residential property attracts no ABSD at all, which is a common exam and real-world planning point.

BSD vs ABSD vs SSD

Do not confuse them. BSD applies to everyone, on every property, and comes first. ABSD is an extra buyer's duty stacked on top, only on residential property, and only based on the buyer's profile and how many homes they already own. SSD is paid by the seller on a quick resale. Financing limits like TDSR and MSR are separate again — they cap how much a buyer can borrow, not the duty owed. The full rate tables for all three sit on our one-page RES cheat sheet.

When BSD is payable

BSD (and any ABSD) is due within 14 days of signing the document in Singapore, or within 30 days if the document is signed overseas. Late stamping attracts penalties — a detail examiners love to test.

Practise until it is automatic

Try any figure on our free BSD calculator, then drill BSD, ABSD and SSD scenarios in the taxes & stamp duty topic. When you are ready to test yourself under time pressure, sit a free timed mock — no sign-up needed — or create a free account to track your readiness across every topic.

Figures current as at 2026 and aligned to the public CEA syllabus — not financial or legal advice. Rates are a policy lever; confirm the latest on IRAS.