HDB Resale Timeline: What Buyers and Sellers Do at Each Stage

An HDB resale timeline contains two waiting periods that buyers often combine. HDB may take up to 28 working days to accept a complete resale application, then schedules completion about 8 weeks after acceptance. The eight-week clock does not start when the buyer exercises the Option to Purchase (OTP).

Miss the valuation, application or endorsement deadline and HDB may delay or cancel the transaction.

The HDB resale timeline at a glance

Stage	Official period	Buyer’s main task	Seller’s main task
Before OTP	Seller waits at least 7 days after registering Intent to Sell	Hold a valid HFE letter and settle the financing plan	Register Intent to Sell and check eligibility
OTP period	21 calendar days, expiring at 4pm on day 21	Request value, confirm financing and exercise on time	Give valuation access and hold the flat for the buyer
Resale application	Second party submits within 7 calendar days of the first	Submit buyer’s portion and documents	Submit seller’s portion and documents
HDB review	Acceptance within 28 working days if the application is in order	Respond to requests and finalise funding	Attend the HDB inspection and resolve irregular works
Processing after acceptance	About 8 weeks to completion	Endorse documents, pay fees and prepare final funds	Endorse documents, clear charges and prepare to move
Completion	Date stated by HDB	Inspect the flat, complete payment and collect keys	Give vacant possession and hand over all keys

The search and negotiation period sits outside this table. Using each full period can put close to four months between OTP grant and keys.

Our step-by-step HDB resale process guide covers eligibility, viewing and budgeting before the timeline starts.

Before the OTP: prepare both sides of the transaction

The seller must register an Intent to Sell through the HDB Flat Portal and wait at least seven days before granting an OTP. The intent must remain valid when the parties submit their resale application.

The buyer needs a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter when the seller grants the OTP. It records the household’s eligibility, grants and HDB loan position. A bank-loan buyer should secure an In-Principle Approval.

Before accepting the option fee, both parties should agree on:

• the resale price and option fee
• the exercise fee, with both fees capped at $5,000 in total
• the timeframe in Clause 12 of the OTP for submitting the resale application
• whether the seller needs a Temporary Extension of Stay after completion
• fixtures or fittings that will remain in the flat

HDB can withhold approval until the seller removes or regularises unauthorised work, so check old renovation records now.

Days 0–21: use the option period for valuation and financing

The seller grants the OTP after receiving an option fee of up to $1,000. The option period lasts 21 calendar days, including weekends and public holidays, and expires at 4pm on the twenty-first day.

Buyer’s checklist

Submit the Request for Value by the next working day after the option date if you plan to use CPF or a housing loan, unless the bank advises otherwise. HDB charges $120 for the request. If HDB appoints a valuer, coordinate access with the seller.

Use the value to recalculate the purchase:

If the agreed price is…	Funding effect
At or below HDB’s value	Loan and CPF limits still apply to the lower relevant amount
Above HDB’s value	Buyer pays the difference in cash as Cash Over Valuation

Confirm the loan before exercising and obtain the required bank Letter of Offer. Check the CPF available, downpayment and Buyer’s Stamp Duty.

Exercise the OTP before it expires by signing the acceptance section, returning it to the seller and paying the agreed exercise fee. The exercised OTP creates a binding sale contract.

Seller’s checklist

Keep the flat available for a valuation inspection. If HDB appoints a valuer, the resale terms require access within three working days after the buyer’s Request for Value.

Gather the loan statement, CPF usage figures and renovation permits. Avoid booking a non-refundable mover until HDB accepts the application.

After exercise: submit both applications in the agreed order

Either party may submit first. The second party must submit within seven calendar days after the first, and both must follow the timeframe recorded in Clause 12 of the OTP. If the second submission misses the seven-day window, the application lapses and HDB does not refund the application fees.

Each party pays:

Flat type	Buyer’s fee	Seller’s fee
1- or 2-room	$40	$40
3-room or bigger	$80	$80

Check the names, intended ownership and declared price against the HFE letter, OTP and Request for Value. Conflicts can cancel the application.

Both parties must declare a requested Temporary Extension of Stay in their respective application portions. HDB will not add it through a verbal arrangement after completion. Sellers must have committed to a completed replacement property and meet the other HDB conditions.

Before acceptance: clear the issues that stop approval

HDB reviews eligibility and supporting documents after both sides submit. HDB gives itself up to 28 working days to accept a complete application that is in order. Check My Flat Dashboard and answer requests for documents without waiting for the deadline.

HDB Branch arranges an inspection around acceptance to check for unauthorised work that could affect HDB property or structural stability. It does not certify the flat’s condition for the buyer.

The seller must remove or regularise irregular work before completion. Keep contractor time available in case HDB requires a second inspection.

The buyer remains responsible for checking the flat. Review approved plans and engage a qualified professional if cracks, wall changes or wet-area work raise concerns. HDB prohibits renovation before completion.

During the eight weeks: endorse, pay and prepare the handover

HDB’s acceptance letter starts the eight-week processing period. HDB does not bring the completion date forward, though both parties can request a later date through MyRequest@HDB.

HDB prepares the resale documents about three to four weeks after acceptance. Each required buyer, seller and family member must endorse them in My Flat Dashboard within six calendar days. HDB may cancel the application after a missed deadline and reminder.

Buyer’s tasks

• Check the draft financial plan against the loan, CPF usage, grants, cash payment and stamp duty.
• Ask HDB to correct the plan before endorsing if the amounts or funding source are wrong.
• Complete the CPF withdrawal and Home Protection Scheme declarations where they apply.
• Pay the legal, title-search, caveat and initial-payment amounts shown in the portal.
• Keep the final cash amount liquid and do not spend the renovation budget on purchase costs.

Seller’s tasks

• Rectify unauthorised work and complete any required follow-up inspection.
• Confirm how HDB or the solicitor will redeem the loan and refund CPF principal plus accrued interest.
• Book the move and clear the flat, subject to an approved extension.
• Pay outstanding amounts linked to the flat and retain receipts.
• Complete the BCA windows declaration when HDB posts it.

HDB grants resale approval after all parties endorse the documents and make the required payments. HDB states that approval follows about two weeks after those steps.

Before completion: inspect the flat and settle the final items

Before completion, the buyer should confirm that the seller has removed personal property, left agreed fixtures and can give vacant possession. Photograph the rooms, keys and meter readings.

The HDB inspection does not replace this buyer inspection. It serves a different purpose and gives no warranty on the flat’s condition.

Buyers should also:

• buy the compulsory HDB fire insurance if taking an HDB housing loan
• prepare the final payment in the mode stated by HDB
• arrange a Power of Attorney if unable to attend, giving HDB the certified copies at least one week before the appointment
• delay renovation and contractor access until legal possession begins

Sellers must pay Service and Conservancy Charges through completion and obtain Town Council confirmation. They must also settle property tax as HDB directs, cancel GIRO arrangements for the old flat and prepare the original OTP, lease documents and every set of keys.

Our HDB selling-cost guide explains the loan, CPF refund and cash proceeds that follow the transfer.

Completion day and a Temporary Extension of Stay

At completion, the buyer pays the remaining amount and the seller hands over the keys. A solicitor or attorney may attend where HDB accepts the arrangement.

With an approved Temporary Extension of Stay, the buyer becomes the legal owner at completion while the seller remains for up to three months:

• the buyer pays the mortgage and ownership expenses
• property tax applies at the non-owner-occupied rate
• the buyer’s Minimum Occupation Period starts after the extension ends
• the buyer cannot move in or start renovation while the seller occupies the flat

The buyer pays HDB’s $20 administration fee. Both parties should sign a private agreement covering compensation, utilities, damage, access and early termination because HDB will not mediate their dispute.

Without an approved extension, the buyer receives vacant possession and keys at completion, then can start utilities and permitted renovation. The seller should check the final completion statement, cash proceeds and CPF refund.

The deadline checklist

Save these dates in one shared calendar:

1. Seller registers Intent to Sell and waits seven days.
2. Buyer requests HDB’s value by the next working day after OTP grant.
3. Buyer exercises before 4pm on day 21.
4. Second party submits the resale application within seven calendar days of the first.
5. Every required person endorses documents within six calendar days of HDB’s notice.
6. Buyer inspects and both parties settle completion items before the scheduled appointment.

HDB controls the review and completion dates. Buyers and sellers can prevent delays by preparing the documents, money and inspection access before HDB asks.

Sources: HDB, resale application process, HDB, Option to Purchase, HDB, resale procedures, HDB, resale completion for buyers, HDB, Temporary Extension of Stay.