Buyer eligibility schemes
HDB resale buyers must qualify under one of the following schemes:
| Scheme | Eligible composition |
|---|---|
| Public Scheme | Married couple (SC + SC, SC + SPR), or other family nucleus formed by spouse and children |
| Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme | Engaged couple — must marry within 3 months of key collection |
| Family Scheme | Family nucleus involving parents, siblings, children (with at least one SC) |
| Single Singapore Citizen Scheme | SC singles aged 35+ — flat size restrictions apply |
| Joint Singles Scheme | Up to 4 SC singles aged 35+ buying jointly |
| Orphan Scheme | Unmarried SC orphan with siblings, all eligible |
| Non-Citizen Family Scheme | SC with non-resident family member (e.g. foreign spouse with LTVP) |
Citizenship rules
- At least one buyer must be a Singapore Citizen, OR
- The household must include an SC parent or sibling under the Family Scheme.
- An all-SPR household cannot buy resale HDB. An SPR + SPR couple, even if married, does not qualify.
- For Prime BTO flats sold on resale, an SPR buyer must have held PR status for at least 30 months before applying.
Income ceiling — for grants, not for the purchase
There is no income ceiling to buy a resale HDB flat. The ceilings apply to the various CPF Housing Grants. As of 2026:
- Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) — household income ≤ $9,000/mo (full grant); grant tapered above.
- Family Grant — household income ≤ $14,000/mo (couples); SC + SPR have a separate ceiling.
- Singles Grant — single applicant income ≤ $7,000/mo.
- Proximity Housing Grant — no income ceiling.
See HDB grants 2026 guide for the full grant matrix.
The HFE letter — required first step
Since May 2023, HDB has consolidated all eligibility checks into a single HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter. The HFE letter:
- Confirms scheme eligibility (Public / Family / Single, etc.)
- Lists the CPF Housing Grants you qualify for
- States your indicative HDB Concessionary Loan amount
- Is valid for 6 months — renew if you need more time
Apply through the HDB Flat Portal with Singpass. The HFE letter must be obtained before you accept an Option to Purchase on any resale flat. Without a valid HFE letter, your resale application will be rejected.
Existing property rules
If you currently own residential property (HDB, private, or overseas), you must dispose of it within 6 months of taking ownership of the new HDB resale flat. You cannot own two HDB flats concurrently. You also cannot own private property and an HDB flat unless the HDB flat was bought first and has fulfilled MOP (and even then, only after MOP can you legally buy private while keeping the HDB).