Planning permission and stamp duty
Two regulators sit behind most questions that stall a commercial transaction late. The Urban Redevelopment Authority governs what a property may lawfully be used for, and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore governs what is payable on acquiring it.
Use is the one that catches people out. A unit’s approved use is a planning matter, not a matter of what the previous occupier happened to do there, and changing it may require permission or may qualify for the simpler lodgment route depending on the change proposed. An approval is also not an opening — planning permission granted for a use does not mean a business has commenced, or will.
On the tax side, buyer’s stamp duty applies to acquisitions of property generally, with additional duties depending on the buyer’s profile and the property type. The IRAS references here are the authoritative statements of both; rates change, so the link is to the live page rather than a figure reproduced on this site.
4 documents in this category
- External Official ResourceURA — Changing the Use of Your PropertyOfficial URA guidance on applying to change the approved use of a commercial or industrial property, including assessment criteria and required documents.
- External Official ResourceURA — Change of Use LodgmentOfficial URA guidance on the faster Change of Use Lodgment scheme for pre-identified uses in selected commercial buildings and first-storey shophouses.
- External Official ResourceIRAS — Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD)Official IRAS rates and worked examples for Buyer's Stamp Duty. Non-residential property has a top marginal rate of 5% from 15 February 2023.
- External Official ResourceIRAS — Stamp Duty for PropertyOfficial IRAS hub for property stamp duty: BSD, ABSD, SSD, rates, deadlines and where to e-stamp a document. Duty is payable within 14 days of a signed agreement executed in Singapore.