15 May 2026

SOURCE: CPF Board

If you're planning to buy an HDB flat, the first step is to get an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) Letter. Here’s what you need to know.

The HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter gives homebuyers a consolidated assessment of their housing and financing options, with the aim of making the flat-buying process easier. With a HFE application, you will know upfront if you are eligible to:

• Buy a new or resale HDB flat
• Receive CPF housing grants and the grant amount
• Get an HDB housing loan and the loan amount

Buying a new flat — Before the Build-to-Order (BTO), Sales of Balance Flat (SBF) sales launch, or open booking.

 Buying a resale flat — Before getting an Option to Purchase (OTP) from the seller, and before submitting the resale application.

There are two steps:

Login to the HDB flat portal using your Singpass. You can use Myinfo to retrieve your details and update accordingly if there are any changes. You’ll need to do the following:

• Provide the particulars of all flat applicants and/or occupiers.

• Declare any interest in local and/or overseas private property.

• State your intention in taking up a housing loan. 

Review the information you have provided. Upon submission, you will receive a preliminary assessment of your eligibility to buy an HDB flat, receive CPF housing grants and take up an HDB housing loan.

Once you have completed the preliminary check, you can proceed to apply for an HFE letter.

Login to the HDB flat portal using your Singpass.

 You must first confirm if you intend to take up a housing loan to buy the flat. If so, you will need to select your housing loan options from HDB and participating financial institutions (FIs). 
  
You can do the following:

• Check your HDB housing loan eligibility and different loan scenarios.

• Compare housing loan packages from HDB and the participating financial institutions (FIs).

You can obtain an indicative loan assessment when you apply for an HFE letter, by requesting an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the participating FIs. The FIs will then inform you of the outcome of your application(s).

You will then be asked to provide additional details and upload supporting documents, such as your particulars and CPF contribution history.

 After you have reviewed the information provided, submit the application.

HFE applications typically take about a month to process once all required documents are submitted. During peak periods such as the month before or during a sales launch, processing times may be longer, so it's worth applying early.

HDB will notify you by SMS and email when your letter is ready. Keep an eye out for updates sent from official accounts, including any requests for additional documents.

To check your application status or view your HFE letter, go to My Flat Dashboard > I am a home seeker checking my eligibility to buy a flat or submitting documents for my HFE letter application > Step 2 – Apply for HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) Letter > View Letter.

Once your HFE letter is ready, you will be notified via SMS to log in to the HDB Flat Portal. Please remember that it is only valid for nine months.

When you receive your HFE letter, it means you are ready to start your home ownership journey.

Congratulations! However, remember that planning for and buying a home is just one piece of the puzzle, as your housing decisions today can affect your future financial decisions as well. Remember to revisit your Home Purchase Planner whenever things change to make sure your assessment stays accurate and relevant to your current situation.

Information in this article is accurate as at the date of publication.