What MOP is

The Minimum Occupation Period requires you to physically live in your flat for a set period (typically 5 years for most flat types, both BTO and resale) before you're allowed to sell it on the open market, rent out the whole flat, or buy a private property or EC.

When the clock starts

MOP generally starts from the date you collect your keys (for BTO) or complete the resale purchase, not from your application or booking date. Check your specific key collection or completion date, not the date you applied.

What you CAN'T do during MOP

  • Sell the flat on the open market.
  • Rent out the entire flat (subletting individual rooms is allowed under separate rules — see our Subletting Rules guide).
  • Buy or hold a private residential property or EC, whether in Singapore or overseas, in most cases.
Tip

MOP applies per flat, and re-starts if you buy a new flat — there's no way to "bank" occupation time from a previous flat towards a new one's MOP.

Exceptions

Certain compassionate or hardship circumstances (e.g. divorce, financial hardship, medical grounds) may allow an earlier sale with HDB's approval — these are assessed case by case and are not automatic.