Guides

Ethnic Integration Policy, and Singapore Permanent Resident quota for your block/ neighbourhood

Just use this HDB Enquiry service to check if you can sell your flat to any buyer, regardless of their ethnic group and citizenship.

Your buyer will not be able to buy your flat if the purchase causes your block/ neighbourhood’s EIP and/ or SPR quota to exceed.

There is no restriction on the sale and purchase of an HDB flat if:

• The proportion of the buyer’s ethnic group/ SPR quota is within the prescribed block/ neighbourhood limits
• The buyer and you are of the same ethnic group and/ or citizenship type

The ethnic proportions and SPR quota are updated on the 1st of every month. They are applicable for resale applications submitted to HDB for that same month.

For cases of bankruptcy, divorce, or death, additional requirements may be needed

Bankruptcy

The Official Assignee (OA)’s consent is not required if you would like to sell your flat, as long as 1 of the flat owners is a Singapore Citizen. Otherwise, you will need a letter of consent from the OA before you grant your prospective buyer an Option To Purchase.

Divorce

If you go through a divorce after meeting the MOP, you can sell the flat if all eligibility conditions are met.

You need to produce the following documents:

• Writ for Judicial Separation (previously known as Deed of Separation); or
• Interim Judgment (previously known as Decree Nisi) and Certificate of Making Interim Judgment Final (previously known as Certificate of Making the Decree Nisi Absolute); or
• Divorce Certificate (for Muslims); and
• Order of Court (if any).

Demise of sole owner

If the flat’s sole owner passes away, his interest in the flat will be distributed according to his will, or to the provisions of the Intestate Succession Act if there is no will. A court order is required to obtain legal authority to administer the deceased’s estate.

Seller’s Stamp Duty

If HDB granted you special approval to sell your HDB within the 5 years MOP, there might be Seller’s Stamp Duty payable if you sell your flat within 4 years of purchase.

Please call HDB Customer Support 1800 866 3066 or IRAS Stamp Duties 1800 460 4923 if you need any clarifications

Rental period

Minimum rental period is 6 months. Maximum rental period is 3 years for Singaporeans or Malaysians, and 2 years for non-Malaysian non-citizen.

Tenancy and property ownership status of your subtenants

Subtenants must not be tenants or owners of other HDB flats unless they are:

• Divorced/ legally separated. In this case, only 1 party can be a subtenant
• Owners who are eligible to sublet their whole flat. However, they must sublet their own flat within a month after they have rented an HDB flat from another flat owner

Subtenants must not be owners of Executive Condominium units where the 5-year MOP has not been met.

Please call HDB Branch Office 1800 225 5432 if you need any clarifications

Public Scheme

Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme

Single Singapore Citizen Scheme

Joint Singles Scheme

Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme

Non-Citizen Family Scheme

Orphans Scheme

Conversion Scheme

Ethnic Integration Policy, and Singapore Permanent Resident quota for the block/ neighbourhood

You are considered as having fulfilled the EIP proportion or SPR quota under these circumstances:

• You are within the block/ neighbourhood’s limits in terms of your ethnic group and the SPR quota,
• You and the seller are of the same ethnic group and household citizenship type

You can use HDB e-Service to check if you are eligible to buy an HDB resale flat in a particular block or neighbourhood under the EIP and SPR quota.

The ethnic proportions and SPR quota are updated on the 1st of every month, and will apply to all completed resale applications received during that month.

You and the sellers must meet the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) and the Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) quota requirement on the date of resale application.

Financing (preferably to get this done once you have intention to buy)

If you are getting a housing loan from HDB, please ensure that you meet the loan eligibility conditions and have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) Letter when exercising the Option To Purchase and when submitting the resale application.

If you are getting a bank loan, please ensure that you get an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the bank and a bank’s Letter of Offer when exercising the Option To Purchase. You must have accepted the Letter of Offer when submitting the resale application.

Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) household

If you are a SPR household (i.e. a SPR household with no Singapore Citizen (SC) owner), Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty of 5% is applicable.

SPR households must wait 3 years from the date of obtaining SPR status, before they can buy a resale HDB flat.

Note: After the purchase of HDB flat by SPR household:
(1) Disallowed from renting out their whole flat even after meeting the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of 5 years. However, renting out of rooms is still allowed.
(2) Must sell their HDB flat within 6 months if SPR household buys a private residential property in Singapore.

Please call HDB Customer Support 1800 866 3066 or IRAS Stamp Duties 1800 460 4923 if you need any clarifications