The Ministry of Finance has extended the Stamp Duty Voluntary Disclosure Programme (“SVDP”) for by six months, giving taxpayers until 31 December 2026 to regularise eligible unstamped or late-stamped instruments without incurring late stamping penalties.
The extension does not change the scope of the programme. Instruments executed between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025 remain eligible, provided they are submitted for stamping and the applicable stamp duty is paid by 31 December 2026.
A Valuable Opportunity to Review Historical Documents
The extension provides businesses with additional time to identify historical agreements that may not have been stamped. These may include intercompany agreements, commercial contracts and other chargeable instruments.
In addition to the full waiver of late stamping penalties, instruments regularised under the SVDP will generally not be selected for stamp duty audit. The programme, however, does not apply to cases involving fraud or deliberate attempts to evade stamp duty.
Penalty Position
Taxpayers who qualify under the SVDP will enjoy a full waiver of late stamping penalties, regardless of whether the instrument is submitted before or during the SVDP period, provided the applicable stamp duty is paid by 31 December 2026.
| Date of submission for stamping | Stamp duty payment | Penalty |
| Before 1 January 2026 | Stamp duty and penalty already paid | No remission available under the SVDP |
| Before 1 January 2026 | Stamp duty not yet paid | Full penalty waiver if stamp duty is paid by 31 December 2026 |
| Between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026 | Stamp duty paid by 31 December 2026 | Full penalty waiver |
After the SVDP expires, the normal late stamping penalties under the Stamp Act 1949 will apply:
| Late stamping | Late stamping penalty |
| Up to three months | RM50 or 10% of the stamp duty, whichever is higher |
| More than three months | RM100 or 20% of the stamp duty, whichever is higher |
What Businesses Should Do
With the additional six-month window, businesses should take the opportunity to:
- Review historical agreements executed between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025;
- Identify any instruments that have not been stamped or were stamped late;
- Determine the applicable stamp duty; and
- Complete stamping and payment before 31 December 2026 to secure the penalty waiver.
As the Inland Revenue Board continues to strengthen its focus on stamp duty compliance under the Stamp Duty Self-Assessment System, businesses should use this extension to address historical exposures before the programme closes.
