money · Within 14 days of signing lease
Pay Singapore rental stamp duty (within 14 days of signing)
0.4% of total lease rent. Due 14 days after signing. Late penalty: up to 4x the original amount. Pay online via IRAS e-Stamping.
Source: IRAS · verified 2026-04-06
Why this matters
Rental stamp duty is a legal requirement for all tenancy agreements in Singapore. Failure to stamp makes the lease inadmissible in court.
Under the Stamp Duties Act, every tenancy agreement must be stamped within 14 days of signing (30 days if signed overseas). The duty is 0.4% of total rent for leases up to 4 years. Typically the tenant pays, though this is negotiable.
If you skip it: Late penalty: up to SGD 25 or 4x the duty amount. Unstamped lease is not admissible as evidence in court — you lose legal protection as a tenant.
When to do it
Earliest
Immediately after signing the tenancy agreement.
Optimal
Same day as lease signing — takes 10 minutes online.
Deadline
14 days after signing (30 days if lease was signed overseas).
If late: Late penalty: within 3 months = SGD 10 or 1x the duty (whichever is greater). After 3 months = SGD 25 or 4x the duty (whichever is greater).
How to do it
- 1
Log in to IRAS e-Stamping portal via SingPass
Go to mytax.iras.gov.sg > Stamp Duty > e-Stamping
https://mytax.iras.gov.sg - 2
Select "Stamping of Tenancy/Lease Agreement"
- 3
Enter lease details: property address, lease period, monthly rent
Formula: 0.4% x (monthly rent x number of months). Example: SGD 3,000/month x 24 months = SGD 72,000 total rent. Duty = SGD 288.
- 4
Upload signed tenancy agreement (PDF)
- 5
Pay stamp duty online
Payment via credit/debit card, NETS, or internet banking.
- 6
Download and save the stamp certificate
Keep this document — it proves the lease is legally stamped. You may need it for disputes.
Common mistakes
- · Forgetting to stamp within 14 days — late penalty applies immediately
- · Assuming the agent or landlord will do it — tenant is typically responsible
What you need
- · singpass — Required to log in to IRAS e-Stamping portal
Cost
SGD 120 – 576
- · Stamp duty (0.4% of total rent for lease up to 4 years): SGD 120 – 576
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Related steps
home
Find and sign a lease
Singapore rentals require 1 month deposit + 1 month advance. Lease 12-24 months. Agent fee usually employer-paid. Check stamp duty deadline.
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File income tax (annual)
Annual deadline: April 18. File via myTax Portal with SingPass. SRS contributions reduce taxable income up to SGD 35,700/year — biggest saving.
This is one of 13 things you need to do when moving to Singapore.
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