What Is Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD)? Singapore Explained
Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD) is a tax the seller pays when they dispose of residentialproperty within a set holding period. It exists to discourage short-term speculation — "flipping" a property for a quick gain — and it is one of the most reliably tested items in RES Paper 2. Because the rates changed on 4 July 2025, examiners love SSD questions that check whether you know which regime applies and how the holding-period bands work. This guide walks through who pays, the exact rates under both regimes, the 2025 change, and the traps candidates fall for.
Rules changed on 4 Jul 2025
Who pays SSD, and on what?
Unlike Buyer's Stamp Duty and Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty — which the buyer pays — SSD is a seller-side duty. If you sell (or otherwise dispose of) residential property or residential land within the holding period, you owe SSD. Three points that examiners test repeatedly:
- It is payable even if you sell at a loss. SSD is not a tax on profit — it is triggered purely by selling too soon.
- It is charged on the higher of the selling price or the market value of the property, not simply the agreed price.
- It must be paid within 14 days of signing the contract or agreement (or of the document being received in Singapore, for documents signed overseas).
Compare this with the buyer-side duties in our BSD guide and ABSD guide — knowing which party pays which duty is a classic one-mark giveaway.
Current SSD rates (bought on/after 4 Jul 2025)
This is the regime that now applies to any residential purchase from 4 July 2025 onward. Note the 4-year window and the four-point-higher rates.
| Holding period before sale | SSD rate |
|---|---|
| Sold within 1 year (up to 1 year) | 16% |
| More than 1 and up to 2 years | 12% |
| More than 2 and up to 3 years | 8% |
| More than 3 and up to 4 years | 4% |
| More than 4 years | 0% (no SSD) |
The previous regime (bought 11 Mar 2017 – 3 Jul 2025)
This 3-year regime still applies to property bought between 11 Mar 2017 and 3 Jul 2025 — so it will remain examinable and relevant for years.
| Holding period before sale | SSD rate |
|---|---|
| Sold within 1 year (up to 1 year) | 12% |
| More than 1 and up to 2 years | 8% |
| More than 2 and up to 3 years | 4% |
| More than 3 years | 0% (no SSD) |
A worked example
The bands are defined by completed periods, and the boundaries are where candidates slip. Read the next example carefully — it is exactly the kind of subtlety Section B likes to probe.
Worked example — condo bought 1 Aug 2025, sold 13 months later
A buyer purchases a condo on 1 Aug 2025 (so the current 4-year regime applies) and sells it 13 months later, around Sep 2026.
Because 13 months is more than 1 year but within 2 years, the sale falls in the "more than 1 and up to 2 years" band. SSD is 12% of the higher of price or value — not 0%.
The trap: candidates assume that because they held it "over a year," no SSD is due. In fact SSD only reaches 0% after 4 full years under the current regime.
Practise the arithmetic against real numbers using our SSD calculator, then drill timed questions with a free mock exam.
Industrial and commercial property
SSD is not only a residential concept — but the treatment differs by property type, and that difference is itself a favourite exam point.
Industrial property has its own SSD
Industrial property carries a separate 3-year SSD regime (in place since 2013): 15% if sold within 1 year, 10% if within 2 years, and 5% if within 3 years — nil after 3 years.
Commercial property has no SSD
Commercial property attracts no SSD at all.So if a question describes a seller flipping a shop unit or office within a year, the SSD is zero — the only stamp duty in play is the buyer's BSD.
HDB flats are effectively unaffected
Why the exam tests SSD so heavily
Stamp duties appear on essentially every sitting, and SSD is a favourite because it packs several testable ideas into one topic: who pays, which property types, the holding-period bands, and the "higher of price or value" basis. The rates are also stable between changes, so once you lock them they are guaranteed marks. Study SSD alongside financing limits in our TDSR and MSR guide — together they form the numbers-heavy core of Paper 2.
Common exam traps
- Putting SSD on the buyer — it is the seller's duty.
- Applying SSD to commercial property — there is none there.
- Using the old 3-year table for a post-4-Jul-2025 purchase — the window is now 4 years and rates are 4 points higher.
- Assuming "held over a year" means 0% — you only reach 0% after the full window (3 or 4 years).
Lock it in
Memorise both SSD tables from our one-page RES cheat sheet (which also covers BSD/ABSD and the financing limits), then drill SSD alongside the other stamp duties in the taxes and stamp duty topics. Create a free account to start — the first 15 questions in every topic are free.
Figures current as at 2026 and aligned to the public CEA syllabus — not financial or legal advice. Confirm the latest on the IRAS website.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays Seller's Stamp Duty?
The seller. SSD is payable when residential property is sold within the holding period, and it applies regardless of whether the seller made a profit.
How long must I hold a property to avoid SSD?
SSD applies to sales made within the holding period after purchase; selling after the full holding period means no SSD. Check IRAS for the current rates and holding period.
Put it into practice
Free account, 2,000+ exam-style questions, instant explanations and timed mock exams.
Get each day's lesson free — one RES topic + the trap, every day on Telegram.
Join @resprepsg →