Buyer's Guide

Stamp Duty on Renting a Property in Singapore

A tenancy agreement is a stampable document too — separate from the Buyer's, Additional Buyer's, and Seller's Stamp Duty that apply when a property changes hands. Here's how Lease Duty on a rental agreement is calculated, current as of August 2026.

Renting a Property

Lease Duty: Stamp Duty on Tenancy Agreements

Lease Duty is computed on the Average Annual Rent (AAR) — the higher of the average annual contractual rent or the average annual market rent, including any other consideration under the agreement (e.g. a non-refundable payment to the landlord) — not simply the headline monthly rent. It's separate from Buyer's, Additional Buyer's, and Seller's Stamp Duty, covered in our Types of Stamp Duties in Singapore guide, which only apply when a property changes hands.

Lease Term of 4 Years or Less

0.4% of Total Rent

Formula
Lease Duty	0.4% × Total Rent

"Total Rent" here means the full rent (and other consideration) payable over the entire lease period — e.g. monthly rent × number of months.

Lease Term Over 4 Years, or Indefinite

0.4% of 4 × AAR

Formula
Lease Duty	0.4% × (4 × AAR)

Duty is effectively capped at 4 years' worth of rent no matter how much longer the actual lease term runs — a long lease is never charged more Lease Duty than a 4-year one at the same rent.

Good to Know A tenancy with an AAR of $1,000 or less is exempt from Lease Duty entirely. By long-standing market convention (and often written into the tenancy agreement itself), the tenant bears this cost, though it's technically negotiable between the parties. Like the other duties on this page, it must be stamped within 14 days of signing if the agreement is executed in Singapore (30 days if signed overseas) — an unstamped tenancy agreement can't be used as evidence in court if a dispute arises. A renewal of the lease is treated as its own separate document and is separately dutiable when it's executed, even if the rent doesn't change.

Worked Example

Same Rent, Two Different Lease Lengths

Take a unit rented at $5,000/month, and compare a 2-year lease against a 5-year lease at the same rent — the second falls under the "over 4 years" rate, capped at 4 years' worth of AAR.

2-Year Lease (≤ 4 Years)

0.4% of Total Rent

Monthly rent	$5,000
Total rent (24 months)	$120,000
Lease Duty (0.4% × $120,000)	$480

5-Year Lease (> 4 Years)

0.4% of 4 × AAR

Average Annual Rent (AAR)	$60,000
4 × AAR	$240,000
Lease Duty (0.4% × $240,000)	$960

The 4-Year Cap in Action

At the same $5,000/month rent, the 5-year lease pays $960 in Lease Duty — not $1,200, which is what 0.4% of the full 5 years' rent ($300,000) would otherwise come to. The "4 × AAR" rule means Lease Duty never charges for more than 4 years of rent, regardless of how long the actual lease term is.

Lease Duty rates (0.4%, with the 4-year AAR cap for longer or indefinite leases) have been unchanged since 22 Feb 2014 and remain current as of August 2026. Source: IRAS — Renting a Property and IRAS's published Lease Duty rate schedule. This is general information, not tax or legal advice — confirm the exact figure with IRAS's e-Stamping portal or your agent before signing.