A common question is, can Permanent Residents (PRs) buy HDB flats? The short answer is: yes. However, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) has set some eligibility criteria for Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) to purchase HDB flats, for example:
- PRs can only buy resale HDB flats.
- Like all HDB flats, it comes with its own set of eligibility conditions. As a PR, you must qualify under the HDB Public Scheme or the HDB Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme.
- PRs cannot buy new subsidised flats sold by the government, such as Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF), unless they are applying with a Singapore Citizen (SC).
The following details the eligibility criteria and steps for purchasing a resale HDB flat.
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Eligibility Criteria and Requirements for PRs to Buy Resale HDB Flats
First of all, a single PR cannot buy an HDB flat, not even a resale one. According to HDB regulations, a PR can only purchase a resale flat jointly with another PR or an SC under two schemes. One is the HDB Public Scheme, for purchasing with family members (i.e., spouse, children, siblings, parents); the other is the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme, for purchasing with a fiancé or fiancée.
In addition, PRs must also meet other eligibility criteria for resale HDB flats:
- Must be at least 21 years old.
- Must have been a PR for at least three years.
- If you are unmarried and buying with family, at least one of them must be an SC or PR.
- If buying as a PR household, all PR occupiers (family members or co-owners) must have had PR status for at least three years.
- Cannot sell or rent out the unit within the five-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).
- When submitting the resale application, you must also meet the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) or PR quota for the block or neighborhood.
- All buyers in the resale flat application cannot own any private property in Singapore or overseas. If you own any private property, you need to sell it before or within six months of purchasing the resale flat.
Two Schemes for PRs to Buy Resale HDB Flats—Public Scheme and Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme
Resale HDB Flat Purchase Eligibility: HDB Public Scheme
| Status | At least one listed occupier must be an SC or PR. If there are no SCs in the household, all owners and essential occupiers must have been PRs for at least three years. |
| Family Nucleus | A PR buyer needs to form a family nucleus with one of the following groups:
• Spouse and children, parents (if a single PR is buying with parents, at least one of them must be an SC or PR) • Children under legal custody, care, and control (for widowed or divorced individuals) • Orphaned siblings (for single individuals) |
Under the HDB Public Scheme, a PR must form a family nucleus with their spouse and children (if any) or their parents. If widowed or divorced, you must have legal custody of at least one child.
For divorced individuals, if the child is under 21 years old and the ex-partner shares custody, you will need her written permission before listing the child as an occupier in the resale flat application.
Two PR siblings can also purchase an HDB flat. For permanent residents buying a resale flat with orphaned siblings, they need to ensure that all siblings listed in the same application are not separately applying for, owning, or renting an HDB flat. Additionally, one of the deceased parents must have been an SC or PR.
Resale HDB Flat Purchase Eligibility: Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme
| Resale HDB Flat Purchase Eligibility Criteria | Details |
| Status | Both the fiancé and fiancée must be PRs or a Singaporean-PR couple. If there is no SC in the household, all owners and essential occupiers must have been PRs for at least three years. |
| Family Nucleus | The fiancé or fiancée must be listed in the application as a co-applicant (if 21 years or older) or an occupier. |
Under this scheme, the couple will form a family nucleus. Therefore, both parties need to be officially married in Singapore within three months of completing the purchase of the resale flat.
If married overseas, you need to submit a copy of the marriage certificate to HDB. There are other special conditions:
Special Conditions
- If your fiancé or fiancée is between 18 and 21 years old, his or her parents must consent to the purchase of the resale flat. If under 18, you will need to obtain a special marriage license from the Ministry of Social and Family Development and present it to the HDB.
- Divorcees need to present the Decree Nisi, Court Order, and Decree Nisi Absolute.
Therefore, while a single PR cannot buy a resale flat alone, they can buy one jointly with their parents. A divorced PR with children can also buy a resale flat, as can an engaged couple consisting of a PR and an SC, or two PRs.
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How Do the EIP and PR Quotas Work?
If you pass the general requirements and are eligible for the HDB Public Scheme or the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme, there are still two hurdles to overcome before buying a resale flat – the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) quota and the PR quota.
If at least one of the buyers of the resale flat is an SC or a Malaysian PR, you only need to meet the EIP. However, if there are non-Malaysian PRs, you must meet both the EIP and PR quotas.
Furthermore, to comply with the EIP quota, the buyer must belong to the same race or ethnic group as the seller of the resale flat, and there must still be space for that ethnic group in the HDB block or neighborhood you intend to buy in. The quota is updated on the first day of each month. To check the EIP quota for the place you want to buy a resale flat, visit HDB’s e-Service page.
The EIP applies to all HDB flats, and its purpose is to help maintain a good ethnic mix in HDB communities to promote racial integration and harmony. As for the PR quota, its purpose is to facilitate the integration of PRs into the local community. Malaysians are excluded from this quota because they share close cultural and historical similarities with Singaporeans.
According to the PR quota requirements, non-Malaysian PR households cannot exceed 5% of the households in a neighborhood and 8% in a block.
| What it means for PRs buying HDB flats | Do you need to comply with this quota? | |
| EIP | Limits the total percentage of any ethnic group in a block/neighborhood, details available on the HDB website. | Yes, applies to all PRs. |
| PR | Total proportion of non-Malaysian PR households: Block – 5% Neighborhood – 8% |
Yes – If the household does not have any non-Malaysian PRs or SCs. No – If there is at least one SC or non-Malaysian PR. |
Can PRs Get CPF Housing Grants to Buy a Resale HDB Flat?
To be eligible for grants, the household must include at least one SC. If this condition is met and all family members are first-time applicants, you can receive grants of up to S$190,000.
| HDB Grant | Grant Amount |
| Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) | Up to S$9,000 |
| Family Grant | Up to S$50,000 |
| Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) | Up to S$30,000 |
How to Buy a Resale HDB Flat
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Register Intent to Buy
After checking your eligibility, the EIP quota, and the PR quota, you can use your SingPass account to register your intent to buy a resale flat on the HDB Resale Portal. You will also need to fill in the details of all occupiers, such as your spouse or family members. After registering your intent to buy, you can then receive an Option to Purchase (OTP) from a potential seller. Please note that the Intent to Buy is valid for 12 months.
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Apply for Housing Grants
After registering your Intent to Buy, you can also apply for housing grants on the HDB website. As mentioned above, the three main grants available are the EHG, Family Grant, and PHG. You can find the eligibility criteria for each type of grant on the HDB website.
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Apply for HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) or a Bank Loan
If you plan to take an HDB loan, you will need to obtain an HLE letter. However, you can also consider applying for a bank loan, as current interest rates are at historic lows. However, each bank has different eligibility requirements, so you will need to consult your preferred bank.
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Negotiate the Price and Sign the OTP
After sorting out your finances and finding your ideal home, you need to negotiate the price with the seller. To avoid overpaying or paying Cash Over Valuation (COV), you need to estimate the price of the resale unit. It is recommended to get an estimate through the HDB Resale Portal or by finding similar flats on this website.
Once the price is negotiated, you can sign and obtain the OTP and pay the option fee. For HDB flats, the OTP fee ranges from S$1 to S$1,000.
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Get a Valuation Report from HDB
If you are using your CPF to finance the flat or taking a loan from HDB or a bank, you will need to apply for a valuation report from HDB. This report will provide the value of the flat and the basis for the use of your CPF and loan. If the price negotiated between the buyer and seller is higher than the valuation, you will need to pay the COV in cash.
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Exercise the OTP and Submit the Resale Application
Next, you need to pay the option exercise fee (not exceeding S$5,000) within 5 days of signing the OTP document. Then, you and the seller must submit the resale application together on the HDB Resale Portal. If HDB accepts the application, you will need to submit supporting documents, including the HLE letter or the bank’s letter of offer, and pay the relevant fees, such as the administrative fee, HDB resale fee, and stamp duty.
The down payment percentage for buying an HDB flat is the same as for an SC, which is 20% for an HDB loan and 25% for a bank loan. This is good news for PRs buying an HDB flat. However, if the co-buyer is not an SC, a PR buying an HDB flat needs to pay a 5% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) for their first property purchase.
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Attend the Resale Completion Appointment and Collect the Keys
If the resale application is successful, HDB will issue a notice for a Resale Completion Appointment, which both the buyer and seller must attend to complete the transfer of ownership. Once completed, the buyer can collect the keys to their new home.
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