Selling Your HDB Flat: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Selling your HDB flat is one of the biggest financial moves most families make. The process is well organised, but it has fixed steps and waiting periods. Here is how it works in 2026, from checking you can sell to handing over the keys.

1. Check that you can sell

Most HDB flats can only be sold after the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), which is 5 years for most flats. Some newer flat types have a longer MOP. You can check your flat's MOP date on My HDBPage with Singpass.

2. Register your Intent to Sell

Register your Intent to Sell on the HDB Flat Portal. It is free and valid for 12 months. HDB confirms your eligibility and shows details such as any Ethnic Integration Policy or SPR quota that may affect who can buy your flat. You must wait 7 days after registering before you can grant an Option to Purchase.

3. Price, prepare and market your flat

Start with recent transactions in your block and town (see Recent HDB Resale Prices). A realistic asking price, good photos and a tidy, well-lit home usually lead to more serious viewings and a faster sale.

4. Grant the Option to Purchase (OTP)

Once you agree on a price, you grant the buyer an Option to Purchase on HDB's official form. The option fee is S$1 to S$1,000, and the option fee and exercise fee together cannot exceed S$5,000. The buyer then has 21 calendar days to exercise the OTP. Before this stage the buyer should already have a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter.

5. Submit the resale application

After the OTP is exercised, the buyer and seller each submit their part of the resale application on the HDB Flat Portal, within 7 calendar days of each other. This is also when you request a Temporary Extension of Stay, if you and your buyer have agreed on one (see below).

6. Approval and completion

HDB checks the application, both parties endorse the documents and pay the fees online, and HDB then grants approval. Completion is usually about 8 weeks after HDB accepts the application, and it is the only appointment at HDB. Before completion, move out and rectify any unauthorised renovation works.

Selling and buying? Ask for a Temporary Extension of Stay

If you are selling and buying at the same time, a Temporary Extension of Stay (TES) lets you stay on in the flat you sold for up to 3 months after completion. This gives you time to renovate and move into your next home without renting or moving twice.

Key points to know: you must already have committed to buy your next home (an exercised OTP or signed sale agreement), and that home must be completed and ready to move into, not still under construction. Your buyer must agree, so raise it early while negotiating the price. The request is made together with the resale application, and the buyer pays HDB a S$20 admin fee. Only you and the occupiers listed in HDB's records may stay, and there is no further extension after 3 months.

How long does it take?

Plan for roughly 3 to 6 months in total: some time to prepare and find the right buyer, then about 2 to 3 months from OTP to completion.

Selling and buying at the same time?

Most sellers are also buying their next home. Getting the timing right, so you are not caught without a home or paying for two, is where an experienced agent makes the biggest difference. Terence has helped families in Punggol, Sengkang and across Singapore plan sale-and-purchase timing since 2007.

Thinking of selling? Get a free valuation and a clear plan: WhatsApp Terence or see how Terence helps sellers.

General information only, not financial or legal advice. HDB rules can change, so check the latest details with HDB. Last updated November 2026.

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