What remains chargeable
A declaration of trust that leaves beneficial ownership unchanged remains subject to S$10 duty. If beneficial ownership passes, ad valorem duty applies instead. The distinction depends on the legal effect, not simply the document’s title. A partition giving an owner excess value can also attract duty on the higher of the excess benefit or consideration.
Examples of removed fixed duties
The source lists unchanged-beneficiary trustee replacements, certain inheritance assents, unstated-consideration lease surrenders, duplicates and follow-on instruments implementing an already stamped agreement. A landlord paying a tenant to surrender a lease can still create an ad valorem assignment charge. Verify the consideration and ownership effect before treating an instrument as duty-free.
Official source
A concise, independent Apex Gateway guide based on the official English source, not a reproduction of the complete document. Consult the original for full conditions, exceptions and subsequent updates.
Read the official source ↗
