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Using CPF to Buy a Home in Singapore: How Much OA You Can Use, the Age-95 Lease Rule and Refunds

Reviewed by the Talreon Editorial Team

Last verified: 30 October 2026. Short answer: your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) can pay the downpayment, monthly loan instalments, stamp and legal fees for an HDB flat or private home [CPF]. If the remaining lease covers the youngest buyer to age 95, you can use OA up to the lower of the price and the valuation (the Valuation Limit) [CPF]. If it does not, usage is pro-rated, and the lease must be more than 20 years [CPF]. When you sell, you refund what you used plus accrued interest to your CPF [CPF].

Talreon is not an official government site. We are an independent publisher and are not affiliated with the CPF Board (Central Provident Fund Board) or HDB. This page explains the process in our own words; the agency's own website and notices are the final word. Educational information only; not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.

What OA savings can pay for

CPF Board says OA savings can be used to buy an HDB flat, or buy or build private residential property in Singapore [CPF]. That covers:

The downpayment and the housing loan (HDB or bank)
Stamp duty and legal fees
A loan for building a house, and vacant land (private property only)
Home Protection Scheme premiums (HDB flats only)

It cannot pay for renovation, furniture or agent commission. Those need cash.

Step 1: check the age-95 lease rule

The amount you can use depends on whether the remaining lease covers the youngest buyer using CPF to age 95 [CPF].

Situation	How much OA all buyers can use
Remaining lease covers youngest buyer to 95	Up to the Valuation Limit: the lower of the purchase price and the valuation at purchase [CPF]
Lease does not reach 95, but is more than 20 years	A pro-rated share of the Valuation Limit; once reached, no more CPF can be used, even with the Basic Retirement Sum set aside [CPF] [CPF]
Remaining lease of 20 years or less	CPF cannot be used [HDB]

CPF's own example: two 25-year-olds buy a S$550,000 flat with 65 years of lease left. The lease only reaches age 90, so they can use up to S$495,000 (90% of the price) of CPF [CPF]. If the youngest co-owner later gives up ownership, the limit is recalculated using the next youngest owner's age [CPF].

Step 2: see if you can go beyond the Valuation Limit

Property and loan	Beyond the Valuation Limit?
New HDB flat with an HDB loan	Not needed: OA can be used for the full purchase price and loan
Resale HDB flat with an HDB loan	For the remaining loan, if each owner has set aside the Basic Retirement Sum
HDB flat or private property with a bank loan	Up to 120% of the Valuation Limit (the Withdrawal Limit), if each owner has set aside the Basic Retirement Sum

These rules apply when the lease covers the youngest buyer to 95 [CPF]. The current Basic Retirement Sum is in our CPF retirement sums 2026 guide.

Step 3: work out the cash you still need

The part of the price above the valuation (cash over valuation) is outside the Valuation Limit and outside any loan, so it must be paid in cash. With a bank loan at 75% loan-to-value, at least 5% of the price must be cash [MoneySense]. HDB loans have no minimum cash downpayment, but before taking an HDB loan you must use your OA savings for the purchase, keeping up to S$20,000 per buyer if you choose [HDB].

Step 4: apply

Run the CPF housing usage calculator with every owner's date of birth, the price, valuation and lease details [CPF].
For an HDB flat, apply for the HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter; CPF use is set up through HDB during the purchase [HDB].
For a private property, your conveyancing lawyer submits the CPF withdrawal application, and you approve it with Singpass on the CPF website.
Check your OA statement after completion to see the amounts deducted.
For bank-loan instalments, apply on the CPF website to use OA for monthly payments; for HDB loans, submit requests through HDB [CPF].

Step 5: plan for the refund when you sell

When you sell, you must refund to your CPF the OA you used plus the interest it would have earned (accrued interest) [CPF]. If you pledged the property for your retirement sum, the pledged amount must be refunded too. Making a voluntary refund earlier means you earn CPF interest sooner and owe less later [CPF].

Keep a buffer

CPF Board suggests keeping about S$20,000 in OA at the point of purchase to cover instalments in hard times, and mixing cash with OA so more savings keep earning interest [CPF]. The OA earns 2.5% a year, and the HDB concessionary loan rate is 2.6%, pegged 0.1% above it [MyMoneySense]. Compare monthly payments in the HDB loan calculator before deciding how much OA to commit.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use CPF to pay for renovation?

No. OA can pay for the purchase, housing loan, stamp and legal fees, and HDB Home Protection Scheme premiums, but not renovation or furniture.

What is the CPF Valuation Limit?

The lower of the purchase price and the valuation at the time of purchase. It caps the CPF all owners together can use, unless one of the beyond-the-limit routes applies.

What if the lease does not cover me to age 95?

You can still use a pro-rated amount of CPF if the remaining lease is more than 20 years. Once the pro-rated cap is used up, the rest must be paid in cash.

Do I have to refund CPF when I sell?

Yes. You refund the OA used plus accrued interest to your own CPF account, and any pledged amount.

Can I keep some OA savings when taking an HDB loan?

Yes. Each buyer may keep up to S$20,000 in OA; the rest must go to the purchase before the HDB loan is granted.

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Official sources

Figures and steps on this page were checked against the linked official pages on 30 October 2026. Read our editorial and review process and figures update log. Spotted something out of date? Email support@talreon.com with the page address.

Educational information only; not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.