Published 7 November 2026. By Cheng Xu, BTO Radar.
A BTO (Build-To-Order) flat is a new HDB flat you apply for before it is built. Below are the steps in order, with dates and fees from HDB's November 2026 BTO administrative details. Dates and ceilings can change between exercises, so check the notice for the exercise you are applying in.
The steps at a glance
| Step | What happens | November 2026 exercise |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Get an HFE letter | HDB confirms what you qualify for | Needed before you apply |
| 2. Apply | Choose a town and flat type; $10 fee | 4 to 11 November 2026 |
| 3. Get a queue position | A computer ballot sets the order | January 2027 |
| 4. Book a flat | Choose your unit; pay the option fee | From March 2027 (tentative) |
| 5. Sign the Agreement for Lease | Pay your first downpayment | Within 9 months of booking |
| 6. Collect your keys | Pay the balance when the flat is ready | Years later; see the wait on each project page |
Step 1: Check you can buy, and get an HFE letter
You need a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter before you submit an application. It tells you which flats, grants and loans you qualify for, so it is the real answer to "am I eligible?". You apply on the HDB Flat Portal with Singpass, and a letter is valid for 9 months from its issue date. Apply well before the launch you want; HDB publishes a recommended date for each exercise.
HDB's eligibility pages group buyers like this:
- Couples and families: married couples, engaged couples, parents with children, multi-generation families and orphaned siblings.
- Singles: a Singapore Citizen who is unmarried or divorced can apply for an HFE letter from age 35. Up to four singles can also buy together.
- Seniors: from the November 2026 exercise, Community Care Apartments are open from age 55. See the Community Care Apartments guide.
Income ceilings
Your average gross monthly household income must be within the ceiling for the flat you want. For the November 2026 exercise:
| Flat | Income ceiling per month |
|---|---|
| 2-room Flexi, 99-year lease | $8,000 |
| 2-room Flexi, short lease (seniors) | $16,000 |
| Community Care Apartment | $16,000 |
| 3-room, 4-room, 5-room | $16,000 |
| 3Gen | $24,000 |
Extended families have a $24,000 ceiling, and each family nucleus cannot exceed $16,000. Not every project offers every flat type.
Step 2: Choose a town and flat type, then apply
- You apply for a town and flat type, not one project. If a town has two or more projects in the exercise, HDB considers you for all of them, subject to eligibility.
- Each household can make one application per exercise.
- Applying on the first day gives no advantage. HDB uses a computer ballot, not first come, first served.
- The fee is $10 per application.
To compare your options, use the BTO matcher or the current launch page. You can also check the money first.
Step 3: Get your queue position
A computer ballot decides your queue position. First-timer families usually get more ballot chances than second-timers; the priority schemes tool shows your likely number. For the November 2026 exercise, HDB will shortlist applicants beyond 100% and potentially up to 200% of the flat supply, and tell them their queue positions in January 2027. If you are not shortlisted, HDB tells you that you were unsuccessful.
A queue position is not a flat. Whether a flat is left at your turn depends on who books before you. Queue numbers and drop-offs explains this.
Step 4: Book a flat
When your turn comes, check which flats are still available on the HDB Flat Portal, then book at the HDB Sales Office. Booking for the November 2026 exercise tentatively starts in March 2027. The option fee forms part of your downpayment:
| Flat | Option fee |
|---|---|
| 2-room Flexi or Community Care Apartment | $500 |
| 3-room | $1,000 |
| 4-room, 5-room or 3Gen | $2,000 |
Think before you skip your turn. First-timer families who do not book when flats are available move to the second-timer category for one year. Other applicants cannot apply for any flat in sales exercises for one year. HDB waives this when 10 or fewer BTO flats remain for you to choose from.
Step 5: Sign the Agreement for Lease
HDB invites you to sign within nine months of booking. The downpayment is 10% of the flat price with an HDB loan or 20% with a bank loan, payable by CPF and/or cash. Some buyers can pay less at this stage: eligible young couples with deferred income assessment pay 2.5%. The downpayment calculator works out your split.
Step 6: Collect your keys
You pay the balance when the flat is ready. The wait differs by project; in the November 2026 exercise, HDB estimates 34 months at Sembawang Anchor and 44 months at Bayshore Sails. This estimate is not a confirmed key date. If you already own a flat, you have up to six months after collecting your keys to sell it.
What the terms mean
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BTO (Build-To-Order) | A new HDB flat you apply for before it is built. |
| HFE (HDB Flat Eligibility letter) | The letter that tells you which flats, grants and loans you qualify for. You need a valid one before you apply. |
| EHG (Enhanced CPF Housing Grant) | A housing grant for first-timers. It is larger for lower incomes and is paid into your CPF. |
| MSR (Mortgage Servicing Ratio) | The cap on your monthly home loan repayment: 30% of your gross monthly income. |
| LTV (Loan-to-Value limit) | The largest share of the flat price you can borrow, currently 75%. |
| OA (CPF Ordinary Account) | The part of your CPF savings you can use for housing. |
| BSD (Buyer's Stamp Duty) | A tax on buying property, paid around the time you sign. |
| MOP (Minimum Occupation Period) | How long you must live in the flat before you can sell it: 5 years for Standard flats, 10 years for Plus and Prime. |
| Agreement for Lease | The purchase contract you sign with HDB after booking a flat. Your first downpayment is due at signing. |
| First-timer | Broadly, someone buying a subsidised flat from HDB for the first time. Your HFE letter confirms your status. |
| FT(PMC) (First-Timer (Parents and Married Couples)) | First-timer families with a child aged 18 or below or expecting one, and couples aged 40 or below, who get an extra ballot chance when HDB confirms they qualify. |
| FPPS (Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme) | A share of flats set aside for eligible parents and married couples. |
| Application rate | Applicants per flat. A rate of 2 means two applicants for each flat. |
| Clawback (Subsidy recovery) | The percentage of the resale price you repay to HDB when you sell a Plus or Prime flat. |
Sources: HDB November 2026 administrative details, HDB eligibility, HDB process for buying a new flat. This guide is general information; your HFE letter and HDB decide what applies to you.
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