What is the HDB Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)?

The MOP is the period — typically five years — you must physically live in your flat before you can sell it, rent out the whole flat, or buy private property. It starts when you collect keys and occupy the flat, and excludes any time the whole flat was rented out.

Can I rent out my HDB flat during the MOP?

You can rent out spare rooms while you live in the flat, but you cannot sublet the entire flat until the MOP is fulfilled. Renting out the whole flat before then is not allowed and time not occupied does not count toward the MOP.

Buying guide

HDB Minimum Occupation Period (MOP): What It Means for You

What the HDB Minimum Occupation Period is, how long it lasts, what it restricts, and how it affects selling, renting out and buying a second property.

SG Block Index · updated 2026-07-08 · data.gov.sg & OneMap

The Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) is one of the most important HDB rules to understand before you buy, because it locks in your commitment for years. If you might need flexibility, know exactly what the MOP does before you sign.

What the MOP restricts

Selling. You cannot sell the flat on the open market until the MOP is met.
Renting out the whole flat. You may rent out spare rooms while living there, but not sublet the entire flat until MOP is complete.
Buying private property. You generally cannot own private residential property until you have fulfilled the MOP.

When it starts and how it’s counted

The clock starts when you take possession and actually live in the flat. Time when the whole flat is rented out, or when you are not occupying it, does not count — so subletting can push your MOP completion date back. Plan around occupation, not just the calendar.

Why it matters when you buy

The MOP is why BTO buyers commit to a location for the long haul, and why life-stage fit matters: you’ll live here through the MOP regardless of how plans change. Choose a flat you’ll be happy in for at least five years — screen it properly with the block framework and, if a specific school matters, mind the 1km rule.

Figures on this page are computed from the current snapshot and update each rebuild. Contains information from data.gov.sg (Singapore Open Data Licence) and OneMap, Singapore Land Authority. This is general information for research, not financial or professional advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HDB Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)?: The MOP is the period — typically five years — you must physically live in your flat before you can sell it, rent out the whole flat, or buy private property. It starts when you collect keys and occupy the flat, and excludes any time the whole flat was rented out.
Can I rent out my HDB flat during the MOP?: You can rent out spare rooms while you live in the flat, but you cannot sublet the entire flat until the MOP is fulfilled. Renting out the whole flat before then is not allowed and time not occupied does not count toward the MOP.