CPF Usage Limit for Property in 2026: How Much CPF Can You Use?

Short answer: You can use CPF Ordinary Account (OA) savings up to the Valuation Limit, which is the lower of the purchase price or the valuation. The remaining lease must also last the youngest buyer to age 95. With a bank loan, you can go up to 120% of that limit if you set aside the Basic Retirement Sum (S$110,200 in 2026).

Updated 27 September 2026. All rules checked against CPF Board, MND, MAS and MOF sources on this date.

How much CPF can you use for a property?

It depends on the property type and the loan. CPF Board sets out three cases:

All three cases assume the remaining lease covers the youngest buyer using CPF to age 95. If it does not, a lower, pro-rated cap applies (see below).

CPF Board's housing usage calculator gives the exact figure once you have the owners' dates of birth, the valuation and the lease details.

What is the Valuation Limit?

The Valuation Limit (VL) is the lower of the purchase price and the valuation at the time of purchase. It caps the CPF that all owners together can use, unless one of the "beyond the VL" routes in the table applies.

For example, if you pay S$600,000 for a resale HDB flat valued at S$580,000, the VL is S$580,000. The S$20,000 above valuation is outside the VL. It is also outside an HDB loan, which is capped at 75% of the lower of the resale price or valuation. Plan to pay that amount in cash.

What is the Withdrawal Limit, and when does it apply?

The Withdrawal Limit (WL) is 120% of the VL. It only matters if you take a bank loan, for either an HDB flat or a private property. Once the CPF used by all owners reaches the VL, you can keep using OA savings for the loan up to the WL, but only if each owner has set aside the prevailing BRS in their CPF accounts.

Here is an example with a S$1.5 million private condo, valued at S$1.5 million and bought with a bank loan:

CPF used for the downpayment and the monthly instalments counts towards the VL. After the owners together have used S$1.5 million, extra CPF for the loan (up to S$1.8 million in total) needs each owner to have their BRS set aside.

How does the age-95 remaining lease rule work?

The remaining lease of a leasehold property should cover the youngest buyer using CPF until age 95. The rules, announced by MND in 2019, are:

• Lease covers the youngest buyer to 95: CPF can be used up to the VL, plus the "beyond the VL" routes above.
• Lease falls short of age 95: each owner can use CPF only up to a pro-rated percentage of the VL. Once all the owners together reach that cap, no more CPF can be used, even if you have set aside your BRS.
• Minimum lease: the remaining lease at the point of purchase must be more than 20 years to use CPF at all.
• Point of purchase: for HDB flats, this is the flat application date. For private properties and ECs, it is the date the Option to Purchase or Sale and Purchase Agreement is exercised.

Here is CPF Board's own example. Two 25-year-olds buy a S$550,000 flat with 65 years of lease left. The lease only lasts until they are 90, so they can use up to S$495,000 (90% of the price) from their CPF.

The remaining lease needed for the full VL is simply 95 minus the age of the youngest buyer using CPF:

Freehold property has no lease expiry, so the age-95 test does not reduce CPF use on it. If a co-owner later leaves the ownership, CPF Board recalculates the limit using the age of the next youngest co-owner.

What is the Basic Retirement Sum in 2026?

The BRS matters because you must set it aside before using CPF beyond the VL. These are the official figures for members turning 55 in each year:

Sources: MOF Budget 2022 Annex E-3 and CPF Board's 2026 retirement sum page.

How much cash do you need: bank loan vs HDB loan?

Sources: CPF Board on HDB and bank loans (12 June 2026), and MAS rules on loan tenure and LTV limits. For how these limits affect the size of your loan, see our LTV limits guide.

What can CPF OA savings pay for?

According to CPF Board, OA savings can pay for:

• The downpayment and the housing loan
• Stamp duty and legal fees (see our Buyer's Stamp Duty calculator)
• A loan to build a house, and the purchase of vacant land (private properties only)
• Home Protection Scheme premiums (HDB flats only)

CPF Board also lets you retain up to S$20,000 in your OA at the point of purchase, as a buffer for your monthly instalments.

What do you refund to CPF when you sell?

When you sell, you must return the CPF principal you used plus accrued interest. Accrued interest is the interest the money would have earned if it had stayed in your CPF account. The OA rate is currently 2.5% a year, which is its legislated minimum. The refund goes back into your own CPF accounts; it is not a fee paid to anyone.

• Below 55: the refund goes to your OA, and you can use it for your next home.
• 55 and above: the refund first tops up your Retirement Account to meet your required retirement sum. Any balance stays in your OA.
• Selling at a loss: if you sell at market value and the price does not cover both the loan and the refund, you only refund the price minus the outstanding loan. You do not need to top up the shortfall in cash.
• Reducing the bill: voluntary housing refunds lower the amount on which interest accrues.

Our estimate (illustration only): the table below assumes a single lump-sum withdrawal earning 2.5% a year, compounded annually. Real withdrawals happen month by month, so your actual figure will be different. Your CPF Home ownership dashboard shows the exact amount.

FAQ

Can I use CPF beyond the Valuation Limit?

Yes, but only if the lease covers the youngest buyer to age 95 and each owner has set aside the prevailing BRS. With a bank loan the ceiling is 120% of the VL. For a resale HDB flat with an HDB loan, you can keep using CPF for the rest of the loan.

Can I use CPF for a flat whose lease will not last until I am 95?

Yes, if more than 20 years of lease remain at purchase. The amount is pro-rated. In CPF Board's example, 25-year-old buyers of a flat with 65 years left can use 90% of the price.

Does the 5% cash downpayment apply to HDB loans?

No. With an HDB loan, the 25% downpayment can be paid entirely from CPF OA. The 5% minimum cash only applies to bank loans at the 75% LTV tier.

What happens if my sale price does not cover the CPF refund?

If you sold at market value, you only refund the sale price minus the outstanding loan. CPF Board does not require a cash top-up for the shortfall.

Is accrued interest money I lose?

No. It goes back into your own CPF account. However, it does reduce the cash you receive from a sale, so upgraders should include it in their plans.

Sources

• CPF Board: How much CPF savings you can use for your home purchase
• CPF Board: Using your CPF to buy a property under the Housing Scheme
• CPF Board: CPF usage when the lease does not cover the youngest buyer to age 95
• MND: Annex A, Updated Rules on CPF Usage and HDB Housing Loan (2019)
• CPF Board: What is the CPF retirement sum?
• MOF: Annex E-3, Basic Retirement Sums for members reaching 55 from 2023 to 2027
• CPF Board: HDB loan or bank loan? 3 differences you should know
• MAS: Loan tenure and loan-to-value limits
• CPF Board: CPF refund when selling or transferring property
• CPF Board: Make a voluntary housing refund
• CPF Board: CPF interest rates
• CPF Board: Retain S$20,000 in your OA if you are taking a housing loan

This page explains CPF rules and does not give personal financial advice. Check your own limits with CPF Board before you commit to a purchase.