Caveat
What is a caveat?
A caveat is a legal notice lodged with the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) by a buyer to protect their interest in a property, usually soon after exercising the Option to Purchase or signing the sale and purchase agreement. It warns anyone checking the title of the buyer's claim, and URA uses caveat records to compile property price statistics.
Key facts
- Lodged with
- The Singapore Land Authority (SLA)
- Lodged by
- Usually the buyer, through their lawyer
- When
- Soon after the OTP is exercised or the S&P agreement is signed
- Effect
- Blocks other dealings with the property unless they are made subject to the buyer's claim or the buyer consents
- Compulsory?
- No. Lodging a purchaser's caveat is voluntary
- Used for statistics
- URA compiles its property price indices from caveats, supplemented with IRAS stamp duty data
As of 6 Nov 2026. Source: URA, SLA.
How a caveat works
Between the day you commit to buy and the day the purchase completes, the seller is still the registered owner. A caveat puts your claim on the public land register during that gap.
- You exercise the OTP or sign the sale and purchase agreement.
- Your lawyer lodges a caveat with SLA, stating your interest as purchaser.
- The title now shows your claim. Other dealings with the property can’t be registered unless they are made subject to your interest or you agree in writing.
- On completion, the transfer to you is registered and the caveat has done its job.
Caveats and property data
Caveats are also the backbone of Singapore’s public property data. URA uses caveats marked “option exercised” to compute its private residential price index, and its REALIS database lists caveated transactions with price, size and price per square foot.
| Data point | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Resale and sub-sale prices | Caveats lodged with SLA, supplemented by IRAS stamp duty data |
| New sale prices | Data collected from housing developers, using nett prices after discounts |
Example
You exercise an OTP to buy a resale condo on 3 March. Your lawyer lodges a caveat a few days later. When a neighbour checks the title in April, it shows your caveat, and the sale appears in URA’s records with its price and unit size. If the seller tried to sell to someone else before completion, that dealing could not be registered unless it was made subject to your claim or you agreed in writing.
Common mistakes
- Treating caveat data as complete and instant. Recent months are under-reported until caveats catch up.
- Confusing a caveat with ownership. A caveat protects a claim. You become the owner only when the transfer is registered on completion.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to lodge a caveat?
No. It is voluntary, but it is the usual way a buyer protects their interest between signing and completion. Your conveyancing lawyer normally handles it.
Why do property websites talk about 'caveats lodged'?
Because caveat records are public data on real transactions. URA's REALIS database and its price indices are compiled from caveats, so 'caveats lodged' is often used to mean recorded sales.
Do caveat records cover every sale?
Not completely. Lodging is voluntary and often happens a few months after the purchase, so caveat data can lag. URA supplements it with IRAS stamp duty data and data collected from housing developers.
Related terms
Sources
Every figure on this page was checked against the official government sources above on 6 Nov 2026. See our editorial policy.
This is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.