How to Waive DBS Annual Fee: Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

DBS automatically waived annual fees for most cardholders until August 2026, but now they must request a waiver. This guide explains the available channels, eligibility rules, and what to do if your request is denied.

First year annual fee: Strictly non-waivable ·
Minimum spend for automatic waiver (subsequent years): S$60,000 ·
Automatic waiver policy change: Ended August 2026 for most cards ·
Waiver request channel availability: 24/7 via DBS Digibot ·
DBS annual fee waiver hotline: Available 24 hours

Six key facts about DBS annual fee waivers, one pattern: the policy has shifted from automatic to request-only, and the first year is always excluded.

How to waive DBS card annual fees?

Using DBS Digibot for waiver

1. Open the DBS website or app and click the chat icon at the bottom right (DBS Singapore (waiver support page)).
2. Type Fee Waiver into the chat to begin the process.
3. Tap Fee Waiver and then Authenticate me when prompted (DBS Singapore (digital assistance)).
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the card and confirm the waiver request.

Calling the DBS annual fee waiver hotline

1. Dial 1800 111 1111 from Singapore or +65 6327 2265 from overseas (MoneySmart Singapore (personal finance comparison)).
2. Enter your NRIC or card number, complete OTP verification, and select the fee waiver option.
3. Be prepared to wait; the hotline is available 24 hours but may have peak-hour queues.

Submitting a waiver request via the DBS app

1. Open the DBS app and navigate to the Help section.
2. Select Fee Waiver from the list of services (DBS Singapore (digital assistance)).
3. Authenticate and follow the prompts. The app routes you to the same Digibot flow.

Can I request to waive my annual fee?

Eligibility for fee waiver

• Waiver requests are typically considered for customers with card spending in the previous year (DBS Singapore (official fee page)).
• First-year fees are never waived—this is a hard rule across all DBS credit cards.
• For subsequent years, meeting the S$60,000 minimum spend triggers an automatic waiver; otherwise, you must request it.

What to do if waiver request is denied

• DBS may deny requests if your card has seen little or no recent usage (Reddit (r/askSingapore user discussion)).
• Consider using DBS Points to redeem a full waiver—but you must redeem one month before the fee is due (DBS Private Bank (FAQs)).
• If denied, call the hotline to negotiate; some customers secure a goodwill waiver after speaking with a representative.

The pattern: DBS now requires active card usage to approve a waiver. Without consistent spending, the chance of a reversal is low.

Is it dumb to pay an annual fee on a credit card?

When paying the annual fee makes sense

• High-annual-fee cards often offer benefits that outweigh the cost—air miles, lounge access, or cashback rates above 4%.
• Many cards waive the fee with a minimum spend (e.g., S$60,000 for DBS), so if you hit that threshold, the fee is effectively zero.

When you should avoid paying

• If you rarely use the card, paying the fee is wasteful—you’re funding perks you don’t use.
• Consider switching to a no-annual-fee card like DBS Live Fresh or DBS Woman’s World Card (DBS Singapore (official fee page)).

Which credit card is best with no annual fee?

DBS cards with no annual fee

• DBS Live Fresh Card: No annual fee, up to 5% cashback on online and contactless spend (DBS Singapore (official fee page)).
• DBS Woman’s World Card: No annual fee, 10X rewards on online shopping.
• POSB Everyday Card: No annual fee, up to 10% cashback on groceries and utilities.

Comparison of popular no-annual-fee cards in Singapore

Three DBS cards with no annual fee, one pattern: cashback or rewards without the burden of fee chasing.

What is the 7 year rule on credit cards?

Explanation of the 7 year rule

• The 7-year rule refers to how long negative information (late payments, defaults) stays on your credit report in Singapore (Credit Bureau Singapore (official credit bureau)).
• It has no direct impact on annual fee waivers, but a poor credit history could affect your ability to negotiate or get a new card.

How it relates to credit card fees and credit history

• If you cancel a card to avoid an annual fee, the closed account remains on your credit report for 7 years.
• A long credit history can help your credit score, so cancelling an old card may hurt your score if it’s your oldest account.
• DBS does not publicly link fee waiver decisions to credit records, but carrying a balance and paying on time may strengthen your case.

The implication: Cancelling a card to avoid a fee may have long-term credit score effects, so weigh the short-term saving against the potential impact.

Timeline of DBS Annual Fee Policy Changes

• Prior to August 2026: DBS offered automatic annual fee waivers for most credit cards based on spending history (Singsaver (Singapore personal finance guide)).
• August 2026: DBS updated card policies, ending automatic waivers for most cards; all waivers now require an explicit request (Singsaver (Singapore personal finance guide)).
• January 2025 (ongoing): DBS promotes digital waiver via Digibot; first-year fees remain non-waivable (DBS Singapore (waiver support page)).

What’s Confirmed and What’s Unclear

The pattern: DBS official sources confirm the policy shift, but the actual success rate remains unclear from public data.

Perspectives from Cardholders and Experts

“While the Annual Fee is strictly non-waivable for the first year, you will enjoy a waiver in the subsequent years if a minimum of S$60,000 worth of retail spend is met.”

— DBS official support page (DBS Singapore)

“I’ve never had any issue waiving my dbs credit card annual fees in the past decade, but this month I got charged annual fees and have been refused the waiver.”

— Reddit user, r/askSingapore (Reddit community discussion)

“DBS has updated its card policies, ending automatic annual fee waivers for most credit cards starting August 2026.”

— Singsaver, 2026 article (Singsaver (Singapore personal finance guide))

For Singapore cardholders, the choice is clear: use Digibot first, have a backup phone call ready, and if denied, consider switching to a no-annual-fee card. The automatic waiver era is over—active management is now the only way to avoid paying.

Frequently asked questions