You can sell an HDB flat on the open market only after its Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), which for most flats is 5 or 10 years depending on the flat class and how you bought it.
Reviewed by the Swee Homes data desk on 7 Oct 2026. Sources: HDB, SSO. Next check due 5 Jan 2027.
What the MOP is and when the clock starts
The MOP is the time period that you must physically reside in your flat.
The MOP starts from the day your flat purchase is legally completed and excludes any period when you do not physically reside in the flat, e.g. when the whole flat is rented out with HDB's prior approval or when there has been an infringement of the flat lease.
All core members must remain in the flat application, and physically reside in the flat during the minimum occupation period (MOP) after the flat purchase. Their names cannot be removed. They cannot apply or be listed in an HFE letter to buy an HDB flat or apply to buy an Executive Condominium unit from a property developer during the MOP.
You can log in to MyHDB Page to check if you have met the MOP to sell your flat, under My Flat > Purchased Flat > Flat Details and Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).
MOP for a flat bought from HDB (BTO, SBF and similar)
The length depends on the flat class and on the sales exercise.
From October 2024 onwards, new BTO projects launched are classified as Standard, Plus or Prime. The new classification will not apply to existing HDB flats and flats launched before the October 2024 sales exercise.
Flat bought from HDB: Unclassified/Standard flats: 5 years. Unclassified flats refer to flats sold before the October 2024 sales exercise and not classified as Standard, Plus or Prime.
Flat bought from HDB: Plus and Prime flats: 10 years. Prime flats include Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) flats sold before the October 2024 sales exercise.
MOP for a resale flat
HDB's selling page sets the MOP of a resale flat by flat class. It does not set a different MOP for flats bought with or without a CPF housing grant.
Resale flat bought on the open market: Unclassified/Standard flats: 5 years.
Resale flat bought on the open market: Plus and Prime flats: 10 years. For new and resale Plus and Prime flats, the MOP is 10 years.
MOP for other purchase routes
Flat bought under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) from a property developer: 5 years.
Flat bought under the Fresh Start Housing Scheme: 20 years.
Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), sites announced on or after 7 April 2022: you may sell the replacement flat only after 5 years from the date of collecting the keys. For sites announced before 7 April 2022, a flat bought at the designated replacement site may be sold after the earlier of 7 years from the date of selection of the replacement flat or 5 years from the date of collecting the keys; a flat bought elsewhere with portable rehousing benefits may be sold only after 5 years from the date of collecting the keys.
MOP for an Executive Condominium (EC) bought from a developer
An EC has its own MOP. It depends on when the land sales tender closed.
HDB's page states that Executive Condominium (EC) units in projects where the land sales tender closed on or after 8 May 2026 can only be sold on the open market after a 10-year MOP, computed from the date of the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP).
The Executive Condominium Housing Scheme Act 1996, in the version Singapore Statutes Online shows as current, defines the minimum occupation period as a period of 5 years starting from the date of issue of the Temporary Occupation Permit.
For these ECs, HDB applies the 10-year period. The Act as published still says 5 years; it has not yet been amended to match.
For EC units in other projects, the MOP is 5 years.
All core occupier(s) must remain in the EC application, and physically reside in the EC unit during the MOP after the EC unit purchase. They cannot apply or be listed in an HFE letter to buy an HDB flat or EC unit from a property developer during the MOP.
What you cannot do during the MOP
All persons listed in an unclassified/Standard flat must physically reside in the flat for a minimum period of 5 years before they may do the following, subject to the respective prevailing eligibility conditions: apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter; sell the flat on the open market; rent out the whole flat; acquire interest in private property, both local and overseas.
You may rent out your whole flat after the minimum occupation period (MOP) and after you have obtained an approval from HDB. Owners of Plus and Prime flats are not allowed to rent out the whole flat.
If you own a 3-room or larger flat, you may rent out spare bedroom(s) after you have obtained an approval from HDB. If you own a 3Gen flat, you cannot rent out any bedrooms within the MOP.
For households with at least one Singapore Citizen flat owner: all owners and occupiers listed in the flat may invest in private residential property only after the minimum occupation period. However, you must continue living in the flat after the purchase of the private residential property unless you have obtained HDB's prior approval to rent it out.
For households where all flat owners are Singapore Permanent Residents: the flat owners must notify HDB of their intention, or that of their spouse or any persons listed in their flat, to acquire a private residential property. They must sell the flat within 6 months of acquiring a completed or uncompleted local private residential property.
Stated exceptions and special cases
Divorce: if you go through a divorce after meeting the MOP, you can sell the flat if all eligibility conditions are met. If the MOP has not been met, write to HDB with your divorce documents; HDB will assess your situation and contact you.
Proximity Housing Grant (resale flat): if you took the PHG to live with your parents/child, they must continue to live with you in your flat during the MOP; if you took it to live near, they must continue to live within 4 km of your flat during the MOP.
3Gen flats can only be sold on the open market to eligible multi-generation families.
For ECs, the rules during the MOP differ from HDB flats.
EC units: you do not need prior approval from HDB to rent out the bedrooms in your EC unit within the MOP. However, you must register the renting out of bedrooms with HDB within 7 days of doing so.
EC units: you may rent out the whole EC unit after the MOP.
EC units: you may invest in private residential property only after the MOP.
Other conditions before you sell
You must fulfil a set of eligibility conditions before you may sell your flat. To check your eligibility to sell your flat, register an Intent to Sell in My Flat Dashboard.
You must ensure that the sale of your flat is within the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) quota for the block and neighbourhood, and if applicable, the Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) quota as well.
After the MOP: Plus and Prime flats
Resale of flat: allowed after MOP, with tighter resale conditions for Plus and Prime flats. Plus and Prime flats come with tighter resale and rental conditions, to ensure that buyers purchase such flats primarily for owner occupation.
Upon selling or transfer of a Plus or Prime flat bought from HDB, you will be required to return a percentage of the resale price of the flat to HDB. The subsidy recovery percentage is commensurate with the extent of the additional subsidy provided. The amount will be made known when Plus or Prime projects are launched for sale.
Where HDB assesses that a flat valuation is required, the subsidy recovery will be a percentage of the valuation or the resale price of the flat (whichever is higher).
Subsidy recovery upon resale: Standard flats No; Plus flats Yes (less than Prime); Prime flats Yes.
Subsidy recovery is not applicable to 2-room Flexi flats sold on short leases, Community Care Apartments, and resale Plus or Prime flats. The subsidy recovery is in addition to any resale levy which may be payable when buying a second subsidised flat.
After the MOP: who can buy your flat
HDB states the buyer eligibility for resale flats in its eligibility tables.
Eligibility conditions for buying a new flat, resale Plus flat or resale Prime flat (couples and families table, first household section): you must be a Singapore Citizen (SC) and include at least 1 other SC or Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR). Up to a 5-room flat.
Monthly household income ceiling for buying a new flat, resale Plus flat or resale Prime flat (same table; total income of all persons listed in the HFE letter application): 2-room Flexi flat (99-year lease) $8,000; 3-room flat $16,000 or $8,000, depending on project; 4- and 5-room flat $16,000; $24,000 if buying with extended or multi-generation family (conditions apply).
Buying a resale Plus or Prime flat (or a flat from HDB, or a resale unclassified/Standard flat with CPF housing grant(s)): must not own or have an interest in any local or overseas private residential property, and must not have disposed of any private residential property within 30 months before the HFE letter application, from the legal completion date.
The eligibility criteria for resale Prime flats follow the prevailing BTO eligibility criteria.
Eligibility conditions for buying a resale unclassified/Standard flat (same table): you must be an SC or SPR, and include at least 1 occupant who is an SC or SPR. For SPR households with no SC applicant, all applicants and core occupiers must have SPR status for at least 3 years. All flat types (excluding 3Gen flats).
Monthly household income ceiling for buying a resale unclassified/Standard flat (same table): no income ceiling. The income ceiling applies to qualify for CPF housing grants (excluding Proximity Housing Grant) and HDB housing loan.
Common questions
How long is the MOP for each flat class?
Minimum occupation period (MOP): Standard 5 years, Plus 10 years, Prime 10 years.
Is a Prime Location Public Housing flat a Prime flat?
Prime flats include Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) flats sold before the October 2024 sales exercise. The MOP for Plus and Prime flats is 10 years.
How long must everyone listed in a Standard flat live in it?
All persons listed in an unclassified/Standard flat must physically reside in the flat for a minimum period of 5 years. For new and resale Plus and Prime flats, the MOP is 10 years. For flats purchased under the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, the MOP is 20 years.
Can I rent out my whole flat during the MOP?
No. Renting out of whole flat: Standard flats allowed after MOP; Plus and Prime flats not allowed.
Can I buy private property during the MOP?
Not before the MOP ends if at least one owner is a Singapore Citizen. Households where all owners are Singapore Permanent Residents follow a different rule, set out in the section on what you cannot do.
Do I pay subsidy recovery when I sell a resale Plus or Prime flat?
If you buy a resale Plus or Prime flat on the open market, the subsidy recovery does not apply when you sell the flat. However, other restrictions, such as the 10-year MOP, prohibition of whole flat rental, and eligibility of your flat buyers, will apply.
When exactly does my own MOP end?
The MOP tool on this site gives a planning date from your key collection or resale completion date and your flat's housing model. HDB confirms your own MOP.
Try the tool: the MOP end date calculator.
Where to go next
Related guides
- How does an HDB resale flat purchase run, step by step?
- What is Seller's Stamp Duty (SSD), and how long must I hold a home to avoid it?
- How much CPF can I use to buy a home, and how much goes back to CPF when I sell?
- Am I eligible for a resale flat, and which grants can I get?
- How does an HDB BTO exercise work, and what is in the November 2026 exercise?
About the data
Every figure on this page has its source and the date we checked it. We are not affiliated with any government body. General information, not financial advice.