Month/Year Sales Launch Town Number of Flats

Jun 2010 BTO Punggol (first public housing 2,400

parcel along the Punggol
waterway) and Sengkang.

Flats from HDB are subsidised and meant for Singapore Citizens who meet the following:

Eligibility Conditions

• Citizenship

• Age

• Family Nucleus

• Income Ceiling

• Ownership/Interest in Property in Singapore or Overseas other than HDB flats

• Owners/Ex-owners of HDB flats/DBSS flats/EC units

Household Status

• First-timer Applicants

• Second-timer Applicants

Time Bar

• Existing Owner or Ex-Owner of an HDB Flat

• Ex-Owner of an EC

• Essential Occupier of an Existing HDB Flat

• Divorcees

Conditions After Purchase

• More information on the conditions after purchase

Special Requirements

• Buying Of New Flat by Private Property Owners

• Buying of New Flat by Buyer who is unable to attend the appointments personally

• Buying Of New Flat by Buyer Who Is Bankrupt

Eligibility Conditions

Citizenship

• You must be a Singapore Citizen

• Your family nucleus must comprise at least another Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent

Resident.

Read more about Promoting Citizenship in HDB Households

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Ownership/Interest in Property in Singapore or Overseas other than HDB flats

You, your spouse, any occupiers listed in the Application Form or their spouses must not own or

dispose or have an estate or interest in any other flat, house, building or land*

• Within 30 months before the date of application, and

• Between the application date and the date of taking possession of the flat

* includes but not limited to:

• HUDC flats (Privatised and Non-Privatised)

• Properties acquired by gift

• Properties inherited as beneficiaries under a will or as a result of the Intestate Succession Act

• Private properties

• Properties owned/acquired/disposed through nominees regardless of properties location

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Owners/Ex-owners of HDB flats / DBSS flats / EC units

Each eligible Singaporean household can buy the following housing unit only twice:

• a flat from the HDB;

• a resale flat with the CPF Housing Grant;

• a DBSS flat from developer;

• an EC unit from developer.

If you have already bought two housing units, you will not be eligible to apply or be listed as an

essential occupier in an application.

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Household Status

First-timer Applicants

You and the essential family members listed in the application for purchase of the flat must not:

• Be the owners of a flat bought direct from HDB, a DBSS flat or an Executive Condominium

bought from the developer

• Have sold a flat bought direct from HDB, a DBSS flat or an Executive Condominium bought

from the developer

• Have received the CPF Housing Grant for the purchase of an HDB resale flat

• Have enjoyed other forms of housing subsidy (for example, enjoyed benefits under the

Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, privatisation of HUDC estate etc)

Read more on the treatment for first-timer applicant.

 Back to top

Second-timer Applicants

You or the essential family members listed in your application have owned/sold or are currently

owners of

• Any HDB flat that was bought from HDB

• Any resale flat that was bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

• Any apartment under Design, Build and Sell Scheme or Executive Condominum from the

developer

• Have enjoyed other forms of housing subsidy (for example, enjoyed benefits under the

Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, privatisation of HUDC estate etc.)

If you have bought an HDB flat and enjoyed a housing subsidy, you will have to pay a resale levy. If

you previously own an EC which is bought with the CPF Housing Grant, you will have to pay a resale

levy of $55,000.

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Time Bar

Existing Owner or Ex-Owner of a Flat

You can apply for a flat if you, your spouse or any of the essential occupiers listed in the application is

an existing owner or ex-owner of a:

• Flat bought directly from HDB; or

• DBSS flat from the developers; or

• Resale flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

This is on condition that a 5-year period (excluding any period of subletting of the whole flat) has

lapsed from the *date of taking possession of the flat to the date of application for a flat.

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Ex-Owner of an EC

Are you, your spouse or any of the essential occupiers listed in the application an ex-owner of an

Executive Condominium bought directly from the developer? If yes, you would need to meet a 5-year

period from the date of taking possession of the earlier Executive Condominium.

30-Month Period

In addition, you need to wait out a 30-month period from the effective date of disposal (i.e., date of

legal completion of the sale of their Executive Condominium, evidenced by the Notice of Transfer or

such other documentary evidence as HDB may require) of the Executive Condominium before you can

apply to buy an HDB flat.

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Essential Occupier of an Existing HDB Flat

Any person applying to buy an HDB flat or be listed as an occupier must not be currently listed as an

essential occupier of:

• An existing HDB flat bought directly from HDB,

 • A DBSS flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme, or,

• A resale flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

However, this is possible only if he has stayed in the existing flat for 5 years from the *date of taking

possession of the existing flat to the date of application for a new flat.

* The date of taking possession refers to:

• The date of key collection, for flats that are bought directly from HDB

• The date of resale completion, for purchase of resale flats from the open market

bought with the CPF Housing Grant

• The date of transfer at market value of the flat bought with CPF Housing Grant

• The date of key collection for Executive Condominium/DBSS flats bought from the

developer, whichever is applicable.

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Divorcees

A divorcee may apply to buy an HDB flat or be listed as an occupier after 5 years from the date the

divorce is made absolute to the date of application for a new flat if his matrimonial flat was:

• Bought directly from HDB,

• A DBSS flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme, or

• A resale flat bought from open market under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

However, the 5 years period will not apply if:

• The matrimonial flat was bought from the open market without any CPF Housing Grant

• He is applying for the flat with his parents or new spouse

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Last Updated on 23 Apr 2010

Enjoying of Housing Subsidy

You and your spouse will be considered as having enjoyed a housing subsidy for the purchase of a flat

from HDB.

Citizen Top-Up

If you are from an SC/SPR household, you can enjoy the full housing subsidy by applying for the

Citizen Top-Up when your SPR family member takes up Singapore Citizenship or when you have a SC

child.

Read more on the Citizen Top-up

Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)

You have to occupy the flat for 5 years before you can sell it in the open market.

You can submit an application to buy another flat direct from HDB or a new DBSS flat after 5 years

from the date you bought your new flat or DBSS flat.

Renting out your flat

Renting out the whole flat

You can rent out your whole flat after the 5-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP). You must obtain

prior approval from HDB before renting out your whole flat.
Renting out rooms

No prior approval from HDB is required if you rent out your bedroom(s) in the flat within the MOP.

However, with effect from 1 Feb 2010, you must register the subletting of bedrooms with HDB within

7 days* of doing so. You are also required to notify HDB when you renew or terminate the subletting

of bedrooms, and when there are changes to your subtenants’ particulars.

For subletting tenancies commenced before 1 Feb 2010, flat owners are given six months from 1 Feb

2010 to register the subletting of bedrooms with HDB.

Guidelines on renting out rooms

Resale Levy

The resale levy is meant to reduce the housing subsidy that can be enjoyed by flat buyers in the

purchase of their second subsidised flat from HDB. It also ensures a fairer allocation of housing

subsidies among flat buyers.

You are liable to pay a resale levy when you sell the subsidised flat after complying with the minimum

occupation period, and buy a second subsidised flat from HDB or take over ownership of a subsidised

HDB flat.

If you do not intend to buy a second subsidised flat from HDB, for instance, if you are buying a resale

flat, a new DBSS flat, an EC unit from the developer or a private residential property, you need not

pay the resale levy.

Resale Levy before 03 March 2006

The graded resale levy rates are given below:

FLAT-TYPE GRADED RESALE

 (Based on Declared Resale Price, or 90% of Market Valuation,
whichever is higher.)

2-room 10%*/15%
3-room 20%
4-room 22.5%
5-room & Executive 25%

*Applicable for 2-room flat owners who upgrade to a bigger flat.

You can opt to pay the resale levy immediately at the point of resale or defer the payment until you

buy another flat from HDB. If you opt to defer the payment, interest at the prevailing rate of 5% per

annum will be charged.

HDB’s mortgage financing is not extended to the payment of deferred levy.

Revised Resale Levy

The resale levy has been revised with effect from 03 March 2006. The revised resale levy is a fixed

amount that is pegged to the flat type of the first subsidised flat as given below:

Flat Type of the First Revised Resale Levy

Subsidised flat

2-room $15,000
3-room $30,000
4-room $40,000
5-room $45,000
Executive $50,000

This fixed amount gives flat owners certainty about the resale levy they need to pay. It helps owners

of smaller flats to plan ahead if they wish to upgrade to a bigger flat when they are financially ready.

It also helps an owner of a bigger flat to buy a smaller flat during in the event of financial crisis.

The revised resale levy will apply to second-time flat buyers who book their second subsidised flat and

submit their application to sell or transfer their first subsidised flat, on or after 03 March 2006.
You will need to pay the resale levy:

If you sell your existing flat AFTER taking possession • The resale levy will be deducted from the sale
of the second subsidised flat. proceeds at the point of selling your existing
flat in the open market. Any shortfall will have
to be adjusted with cash.

If you sell your existing flat BEFORE taking • The resale levy has to be paid in cash at the
possession of the second subsidised flat. point of taking possession of your second
subsidised flat.

Ownership / Interest in Property

You cannot invest in private residential property during the 5-year occupation period.

Undertaking by Parents/Married Child who bought a new flat under MCPS

Your parents/married child are/is to remain in the existing town or within 2 km of the new flat during

the 5-year occupation period.

Disposal of Existing Flat

You have to dispose of your flat within six months of the date of taking possession of the new flat.
Last Updated on 08 Mar 2010

Age

You must be at least 21 years old at the time of application

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Family Nucleus

You must form a family nucleus under one of the following schemes:

Scheme Family Nucleus

Public You, the applicant and;

- your spouse, and children (if any)
- your parents, and siblings (if any)
- your children under your legal custody (for widowed/ divorced)

Fiance/Fiancee You, the applicant and your fiance/fiancee

Additional Information

Orphan You, the applicant and your unmarried siblings

Additional Information

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Income Ceiling

Type of Flat Gross Monthly Household Income

Buying a 3-room (mature towns/estates), 3-room (Premium),
4-room or bigger flat
• Your gross monthly household income must not exceed
$8,000
• If you are buying a flat with your extended family, your
gross monthly household income must not exceed
$12,000

Illustration on computation of $12,000 income ceiling

Buying a 3-room (non-mature towns/estates) Your gross monthly household income must not exceed $3,000.

Buying a 2-room Your gross monthly household income must not exceed $2,000.

More information on the income guidelines

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Ownership/Interest in Property in Singapore or Overseas other than HDB flats

You, your spouse, any occupiers listed in the Application Form or their spouses must not own or

dispose or have an estate or interest in any other flat, house, building or land*

• Within 30 months before the date of application, and

• Between the application date and the date of taking possession of the flat

* includes but not limited to:

• HUDC flats (Privatised and Non-Privatised)

• Properties acquired by gift

• Properties inherited as beneficiaries under a will or as a result of the Intestate Succession Act

• Private properties

• Properties owned/acquired/disposed through nominees regardless of properties location

Back to top

Owners/Ex-owners of HDB flats / DBSS flats / EC units

Each eligible Singaporean household can buy the following housing unit only twice:

• a flat from the HDB;

• a resale flat with the CPF Housing Grant;

• a DBSS flat from developer;

• an EC unit from developer.

If you have already bought two housing units, you will not be eligible to apply or be listed as an

essential occupier in an application.

Back to top
Household Status

First-timer Applicants

You and the essential family members listed in the application for purchase of the flat must not:

• Be the owners of a flat bought direct from HDB, a DBSS flat or an Executive Condominium

bought from the developer

• Have sold a flat bought direct from HDB, a DBSS flat or an Executive Condominium bought

from the developer

• Have received the CPF Housing Grant for the purchase of an HDB resale flat

• Have enjoyed other forms of housing subsidy (for example, enjoyed benefits under the

Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, privatisation of HUDC estate etc)

Read more on the treatment for first-timer applicant.

Back to top

Second-timer Applicants

You or the essential family members listed in your application have owned/sold or are currently

owners of

• Any HDB flat that was bought from HDB

• Any resale flat that was bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

• Any apartment under Design, Build and Sell Scheme or Executive Condominum from the

developer

• Have enjoyed other forms of housing subsidy (for example, enjoyed benefits under the

Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, privatisation of HUDC estate etc.)

If you have bought an HDB flat and enjoyed a housing subsidy, you will have to pay a resale levy. If

you previously own an EC which is bought with the CPF Housing Grant, you will have to pay a resale

levy of $55,000.

Back to top

Time Bar

Existing Owner or Ex-Owner of a Flat

You can apply for a flat if you, your spouse or any of the essential occupiers listed in the application is

an existing owner or ex-owner of a:

• Flat bought directly from HDB; or

• DBSS flat from the developers; or

• Resale flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

This is on condition that a 5-year period (excluding any period of subletting of the whole flat) has

lapsed from the *date of taking possession of the flat to the date of application for a flat.

Back to top

Ex-Owner of an EC

Are you, your spouse or any of the essential occupiers listed in the application an ex-owner of an

Executive Condominium bought directly from the developer? If yes, you would need to meet a 5-year

period from the date of taking possession of the earlier Executive Condominium.
30-Month Period

In addition, you need to wait out a 30-month period from the effective date of disposal (i.e., date of

legal completion of the sale of their Executive Condominium, evidenced by the Notice of Transfer or

such other documentary evidence as HDB may require) of the Executive Condominium before you can

apply to buy an HDB flat.

Back to top

Essential Occupier of an Existing HDB Flat

Any person applying to buy an HDB flat or be listed as an occupier must not be currently listed as an

essential occupier of:

• An existing HDB flat bought directly from HDB,

• A DBSS flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme, or,

• A resale flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

However, this is possible only if he has stayed in the existing flat for 5 years from the *date of taking

possession of the existing flat to the date of application for a new flat.

* The date of taking possession refers to:

• The date of key collection, for flats that are bought directly from HDB

• The date of resale completion, for purchase of resale flats from the open market

bought with the CPF Housing Grant

• The date of transfer at market value of the flat bought with CPF Housing Grant

• The date of key collection for Executive Condominium/DBSS flats bought from the

developer, whichever is applicable.

Back to top
Divorcees

A divorcee may apply to buy an HDB flat or be listed as an occupier after 5 years from the date the

divorce is made absolute to the date of application for a new flat if his matrimonial flat was:

• Bought directly from HDB,

• A DBSS flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme, or

• A resale flat bought from open market under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

However, the 5 years period will not apply if:

• The matrimonial flat was bought from the open market without any CPF Housing Grant

• He is applying for the flat with his parents or new spouse

Back to top

Last Updated on 23 Apr 2010

As a private property owner, you cannot buy a flat direct from HDB. If you dispose your private
property, you must wait 30 months before you are eligible to buy a flat direct from HDB.

Exemption to Exceptional Cases

HDB may consider granting exemption to exceptional cases based on the merits of each case.
However, if you own full share in the property, you are not eligible for exemption.

Steps to Buy a Flat Directly from HDB

If you want to buy a flat direct from HDB and wish to apply for exemption, you have to take the
following steps:

Step 1 You can download a copy of the property questionnaire or obtain the questionnaire from the Reception Counter, 1st
Storey, Atrium, HDB Hub at Toa Payoh.
Step 2 Complete the questionnaire and submit it personally at HDB Hub together with the following documents:

Property Acquired Through Inheritance:

• Will
• Grant of Probate
Or
• Estate Duty Schedule
• Petition for Letters of Administration
• Grant of Letters of Administration

Property Acquired by Way of Gift:

• Deed of Gift
• Transfer Instrument or Notice of Transfer

Property Acquired by Purchase, Shophouse or Residential Land:

• Title Deeds

Property Outside Singapore:

• Title Deeds
• Valuation Report from a Licensed Valuer in that country
Step 3 You must pay a non-refundable processing fee of $50 or $150 (for cases which require a valuation report), subject to
GST. This must be paid within two weeks of our request.

Step 4 You will know the outcome of your application for exemption about two months after you submit the questionnaire.