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Your Complete Guide to Registering Your HDB Intent to Sell in 2026

Published 28 April 2025

Your Complete Guide to Registering Your HDB Intent to Sell in 2026

If you’re planning to sell your HDB flat, the first thing you need to do is register your Intent to Sell on the HDB Flat Portal. Just log in with your SingPass, fill in your flat details, and you’ll get your eligibility results on the spot.

But where do you actually start? We’ll take you through the entire process of registering your HDB Intent to Sell, step by step, so you know what to do, what to expect, and how to get your flat in front of the right buyers sooner.

TL;DR / Summary:

– To sell your HDB flat, you must first register your Intent to Sell on the HDB Flat Portal using your SingPass. It is free and takes just a few minutes.
– After registering, there is a mandatory 7-day cooling-off period before you can issue an Option to Purchase to any buyer.
– Your Intent to Sell is valid for 12 months. Submit your resale application within that window or you will need to register again.
– Registration instantly shows your EIP/SPR quota, outstanding estate improvement billing, and recent nearby transaction prices, all of which affect who you can sell to and at what price.

Table of Contents:

What is the HDB Intent to Sell?

The HDB Intent to Sell is a mandatory online registration that all flat sellers must complete before putting their home on the market. It was introduced on 1 January 2018 to replace the old Resale Checklist, and it has two core purposes: it confirms whether you are eligible to sell your flat, and it gives you the information you need to plan your sale properly.

When you register, HDB instantly pulls up critical details about your flat, including:

  • Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) and SPR Quota: Whether your flat can be sold to your shortlisted buyer based on HDB’s ethnic quotas and permanent resident quotas in your block and neighbourhood.
  • Estate Improvement Status and Billing: Whether your block has gone through any HDB improvement works and whether there are outstanding costs you need to settle before your sale.
  • Recent Transaction Prices: Resale prices of comparable flats nearby, so you can set a realistic and competitive asking price from day one.

This information isn’t just background reading. It directly affects who you can sell to, how much you should expect, and whether there are any outstanding costs to factor in before your sale goes through.

Who Needs to Register the Intent to Sell?

Any HDB flat owner who wants to sell on the open resale market needs to register an Intent to Sell, and only one owner in the household needs to do it. Do note, however, that it has to be done personally since your salesperson or agent is not permitted to complete this step on your behalf.

If you have not previously completed the old Resale Checklist, or if you are simply starting fresh after a previous registration has lapsed, you will need to register again before you can move forward.

Where to Register: The HDB Flat Portal

Since May 2023, the Intent to Sell is registered through the HDB Flat Portal (homes.hdb.gov.sg) via “My Flat Dashboard”, not the older HDB Resale Portal. If you’ve seen older guides referencing the Resale Portal, that process has since been consolidated into the newer, more integrated Flat Portal.

The Flat Portal gives you a single dashboard to manage your entire selling journey, from registration to listing to resale application. You can also use it to appoint a managing salesperson, create viewing appointment slots, and track your transaction status.

Step-by-Step: How to Register Your Intent to Sell

Here is exactly what to do:

  1. Log in to My Flat Dashboard: Go to homes.hdb.gov.sg and log in with your SingPass. Click on “Start Your Flat Selling Journey” to access the “My Flat Dashboard”, then select “I am a Seller” to get started.
  2. Complete the Registration Form: Fill in all required details accurately. Any mismatched information, particularly flat owner details or identification, can result in your resale application being rejected further down the line.
  3. Receive Your Eligibility Results Instantly: Once submitted, the system will immediately display a preliminary assessment of your eligibility to sell. Note that this is indicative, not final. Formal approval only happens when you submit your resale application.
  4. Review Your Flat Information: You will see your EIP/SPR quota, any outstanding billing from past estate improvement works, and recent nearby transaction prices. Take time to go through all of this as it shapes your pricing strategy and tells you exactly who your eligible buyers are.
  5. Download the Option to Purchase (OTP) form: After registration, you will be prompted to download the HDB-prescribed OTP form. This is the legally binding contract you will eventually issue to your buyer. Do not use any other version. The prescribed OTP is mandatory, and no amendments are allowed.

The 7-Day Cooling-Off Period: What It Means

After registering your Intent to Sell, there is a mandatory 7-day cooling-off period before you can grant an OTP to any buyer. This waiting period is not just administrative. It is designed to give you time to seriously consider your next housing plan before you commit to a sale.

HDB recommends using this window to:

  • Calculate your estimated net sale proceeds
  • Research your next housing option, whether that is a resale flat, a BTO application, or a private property
  • Check if you will need to pay a resale levy (applicable if you previously bought a subsidised flat)
  • Verify whether you have any outstanding costs from past estate improvement works to settle

A lot of sellers treat this as dead time, but it really is not. Skipping the financial planning side of things is how you end up surprised by a resale levy eating into your take-home proceeds or CPF refunds you did not account for.

If you want a quick way to run through the numbers, HomerAI has a few calculators that can help, covering your estimated cash proceeds, your budget for the next home, and what your mortgage repayments might look like.

How Long is the Intent to Sell Valid?

Your Intent to Sell is valid for 12 months from the date of registration, so you will need to submit your resale application to HDB within that window. If you do not manage to do so in time, your registration lapses and you will have to start the process over again.

One thing worth noting is that your Intent to Sell needs to still be valid not just when you issue the OTP, but also at the point you submit your resale application. So if your sale ends up taking longer than expected, do keep an eye on that timeline.

What Happens After You Register?

Once your Intent to Sell is in place and the 7-day cooling-off period is over, here is what comes next:

  1. List Your Flat: You can list your flat directly on HDB’s Resale Flat Listing (RFL) service through the Flat Portal, or on property portals like Ohmyhome, social media, or through an agent.
  2. Find a Buyer and Negotiate a Price: When you have an interested buyer, agree on a resale price. Check the recent transaction data you received at registration to ensure your price is realistic for current market conditions.
  3. Issue the OTP: Grant the OTP to your buyer at the agreed price. The buyer pays you an Option Fee (between $1 and $1,000). They then have 21 days to decide whether to exercise the option.
  4. Buyer Exercises the OTP: If the buyer proceeds, they sign and return the OTP and pay the Option Exercise Fee. At this point, the deal is legally binding.
  5. Submit the Resale Application: Both you and the buyer submit your respective portions of the resale application on the HDB Flat Portal, separately and within the agreed timeframe. HDB will verify both parties’ eligibility and accept the application within 28 working days.
  6. Completion: Resale completion is typically about 8 weeks from the date HDB accepts the application. You will receive an SMS with the completion appointment details.
How to Sell Your HDB Resale Flat in Singapore? (2026 Guide)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few things that can slow down or complicate your sale:

  • Inaccurate Details On Registration: Even small errors in your registration form can cause your resale application to be rejected later. Double-check everything before submitting.
  • Not Checking the EIP/SPR Quota: If your block is at quota for a particular ethnic group or SPR buyers, your pool of eligible buyers is smaller. You need to know this before you start marketing your flat.
  • Skipping the Net Proceeds Calculation: Your take-home amount after CPF refunds, outstanding loans, resale levy (if applicable), and agent fees can differ significantly from the sale price. Calculate this before you commit to a selling price.
  • Letting Your Registration Lapse: If you have not found a buyer and submitted your resale application within 12 months, you have to register again from scratch.
  • Unauthorised Renovations: HDB inspects flats as part of the resale process. Unauthorised additions or modifications can flag your application. If in doubt, check with HDB before listing.

Get Professional Help Selling Your HDB Flat

Selling your home is not just a transaction. For most people, it is years of memories, a major financial decision, and the start of whatever comes next. You deserve to get it right.

Our Super Agents have been through this with so many sellers, and that experience shows. 73% of homeowners walked away with above-market offers, and 50% sold within 7 days.

And you could be next!

Ready to get started?

Drop us a message on WhatsApp today to kick-start your home selling journey with top 1% agents in Singapore.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does it cost to register an Intent to Sell?

Registering your Intent to Sell is completely free. There are no fees involved for this step, so you can go ahead and get it done without worrying about any charges.

2. Can my agent register the Intent to Sell on my behalf?

Unfortunately, property agents cannot register the Intent to Sell on your behalf. Only the flat owner can log in with their SingPass and complete the registration, so make sure you set aside a few minutes to do this yourself.

3. I registered my Intent to Sell but have not found a buyer yet. Is that okay?

Yes, not having a buyer lined up at the time of registration is completely fine. You do not need one to get started. Just keep in mind that your registration is valid for 12 months, so make sure you submit your resale application within that period or you will need to start the process over again.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication. As policies and circumstances may change without notice, Ohmyhome is not liable for any inaccuracies in the information as interpreted or used by readers. For the most current requirements, refer to the HDB Flat Portal at homes.hdb.gov.sg.