Intent to Sell on the HDB Flat Portal: the 7-day wait and RFL
Register Intent to Sell before you grant an Option. The wait is at least 7 days, validity is 12 months, and HDB charges no fee to register.
8 min read · Figures checked 26 September 2026 · By Michelle Lee Ling Ching, CEA R009798I
What Intent to Sell is, and why it comes first
To start selling on HDB's current portal path, you register an Intent to Sell by logging in to My Flat Dashboard with Singpass. HDB uses Intent to surface eligibility information and to tell you the earliest date you may grant an Option to Purchase. You must wait at least 7 days after registration before granting an OTP. There is no HDB fee to register Intent to Sell. The results you see are an indication, not a final approval of a specific buyer or a specific price.
How to register
- Go to HDB's Flat Portal path for sellers, via My Flat Dashboard.
- Sign in with Singpass.
- Register Intent to Sell and read the on-screen eligibility and timing outputs.
- Note the date from which you may grant an OTP, after the 7-day wait.
- Download the HDB-prescribed OTP when prompted. You will need it later.
We do not publish click-by-click Singpass screenshots. They go stale. Follow the live HDB screens and HDB's Intent to Sell page.
What HDB surfaces after you register
- An eligibility indication to sell, including the Minimum Occupation Period and related checks as HDB presents them.
- Ethnic Integration Policy and Singapore Permanent Resident quota context for your block, where HDB shows it.
- Nearby transaction references to guide pricing.
- Net-proceeds style estimates where HDB provides a calculator or a summary.
Treat every figure as a planning aid. Your actual net cash still depends on loan discharge, CPF refund rules, fees, and the final resale price. The seller-costs guide walks proceeds from the Fairnest side.
The 7-day wait before an OTP
- Register Intent.
- Wait at least 7 days.
- Only then may you grant an OTP to buyers.
- Intent must still be valid when you grant the OTP and when you submit the resale application.
HDB frames the cooling-off period as time to consider your next housing, if you have not already planned it. Use it that way if you are upgrading or buying private next. The sell-and-buy guide covers sequencing.
How long Intent stays valid
Per HDB's published Intent guidance, Intent to Sell is valid for 12 months. It must be valid at OTP grant and at the resale application. If your Intent is close to expiry, renew or register again on the portal before you grant. Do not invent a workaround. Re-check the live HDB page when you act. Validity rules can be updated.
What to do that week with Fairnest
The 7-day wait is not dead air. With Fairnest it becomes listing kickoff. We work on pricing, photos, and portal ads while you keep Intent valid and prepare the flat.
Swipe to see all columns. Keyboard: focus this table and use the arrow keys.
| Focus | What Fairnest does | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Block-aware comparisons and an asking guide | Share your target timing and the net cash you need |
| Listing | Photos and listing copy | Tidy for the shoot and confirm the facts |
| Portals | Ads on PropertyGuru, 99.co, and SRX | Approve the listing facts |
| HDB Resale Flat Listing, optional | Help appoint a salesperson on the Flat Portal if you want HDB's own listing | Keep Intent valid and stay responsible for listing accuracy |
| Viewings | Screen enquiries and help set windows | Host the viewings |
| OTP readiness | Prepare the prescribed OTP path | Do not grant an OTP before day 7 clears |
The seller package is S$2,178.91 incl. GST, payable on successful completion. The agreement governs.
Resale Flat Listing, and who is responsible
With a valid Intent, you can list on HDB's Resale Flat Listing service on the Flat Portal. HDB highlights photo and description upload, nearby transaction cues while you set the list price, and viewing-appointment tools. Only prospective buyers with a valid HFE letter can obtain contact details or schedule through that listing, per HDB's description.
If you engage a salesperson, you may appoint them on the Flat Portal to manage the Resale Flat Listing. You remain responsible for accuracy. HDB can act on inaccurate listings, including removal and restrictions. The Resale Flat Listing is one channel. Fairnest still markets on the major consumer portals as part of the package. That listing does not replace PropertyGuru, 99.co, and SRX, and those portals do not replace your Intent obligations.
Common questions
After the 7-day cooling-off period from registration, and only while Intent remains valid.
HDB surfaces eligibility indications and planning information, including quota and nearby price cues where it provides them. It is an indication, not a promise that a specific buyer can take your flat.
12 months, per HDB's published guidance. It must be valid at OTP grant and at the resale application. Confirm on HDB's Intent page when you act.
Plan the next home if you need to, lock pricing, shoot photos, prepare portal listings, and set viewing windows. Do not grant an OTP early.
Sources
- HDB: Intent to Sell
- HDB: process for selling a flat
- HDB: Option to Purchase when selling a flat
- HDB: application for an HFE letter
Written by
Michelle Lee Ling Ching
Michelle Lee Ling Ching · CEA Registration Number: R009798I · ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd · CEA Licence Number: L3002382K · Tel: +65 9680 1106
We are a fixed-fee HDB agent, non-exclusive and paid on completion. See our HDB seller fee and what it covers.
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