Legal Requirement / Driving License

 To drive a vehicle in Singapore, you must possess a valid Singapore driving license for the class of vehicle that you want to drive. This requirement applies to all citizens and permanent residents of Singapore and also foreigners who are residing in Singapore for more than twelve (12) months. Foreigners who reside here for less than twelve (12) months must possess a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by an authorized body in their country of origin e.g. the Automobile Association (AA). If an International Driving Permit is not available, an official translation of your foreign license in English is required. In the case of ASEAN nationals, you must possess a valid driving license issued by the proper authority in your country, before you are allowed to drive in Singapore. 

Bicycles are a viable alternative for students.  Readily available at low prices, bicycles are a hassle-free option for those living close to the campus. 

Parking in your housing area (flats) is also chargeable. The residential season parking charges for cars is $90 for sheltered lots per month; $65 P/M for surface lots; and $75 P/M for lots in upgraded and selected precincts.

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Transport / Private Vehicles

Owning a car in Singapore is costly and entails complex procedures.  Registration of a vehicle requires the obtaining of a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) through an electronic bidding system, which is valid for ten years from the date of registration of the vehicle.  The price of a brand new car in Singapore inclusive of COE starts from as high as S$60,000 for a 1.3cc vehicle.

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What is COE? 

The listed COE value is that of original value of the COE when first registered. 

The COE is otherwise known as the Certificate of entitlement. It is an amount that you pay the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for registering your car in Singapore for local use. 

The COE system is essentially a vehicle quota system by the Singapore government to regulate the number of vehicles on the roads. Under this system, the LTA determines the number of new vehicles allowed for registration while the market determines the price of owning a vehicle. 

If the vehicle is de-registered before its COE expires, the registered owner may be granted a rebate on the Quota Premium (QP) which he has paid. The rebate is pro-rated to the number of months and days remaining on the vehicle's COE. 

However, the COE rebate is non-refundable in cash. 

You can use the COE rebate to offset the various upfront vehicle taxes and fees when you register a new car. Any excess amount that is not used will be forfeited. You can also use a COE rebate purchased under your name to offset the Prevailing Quota Premium (PQP) when you renew your existing vehicle's COE. Another alternative would be to sell it to car dealers who would use it to register for new cars on their customers’ behalf.

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What is OMV? 

The listed OMV value is that of the first registration date of the vehicle. 

OMV stands for Open Market Value. OMV is assessed by the Singapore Customs, based on the price actually paid or payable for the goods when sold for export to the country of importation. This price includes purchase price, freight, insurance and all other charges incidental to the sale and delivery of the car to Singapore. 

If the vehicle is de-registered within 10 years from its first registration date, the registered owner is entitled to a percentage rebate of its OMV value from the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

A point to note is that the OMV rebate is non-refundable in cash. 

You can use the OMV rebate to offset the various upfront vehicle taxes and fees when you register a new car. Any excess amount that is not used will be forfeited. Another alternative would be to sell it to car dealers who would use it to register for new cars on their customers’ behalf.

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Driving in Singapore

Cars in Singapore drive on the left side of the road.  Singapore is the first country in the world to implement the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system on the expressways and roads to collect a charge to enter cretin parts of town du ring peak hours like the Orchard Road and Central Business District and is deductible from cash cards slotted into In-vehicle Units installed in all Singapore cars. 

The speed limit in residential areas is usually 50km/h and on expressways, 70 - 90km/h. 

Where signboards indicate coupon parking applies, parking coupons should be displayed prominently on the dashboard.  Rates are 50 cents per half hour outside the Central Business District and S$1 per half hour within the Central Business District.  Parking coupons can be purchased form petrol stations, post offices, shopping centers and selected newsagents and shops carrying the parking coupon sign. 

Paid parking is practiced in most shopping centers, buildings and some public car parks. Rates vary - generally parking on weekdays and in car-parks within the Central Business District is significantly more costly. Take note that for the majority of car parks, there is a double charge if your vehicle is parked across two time slots.

For Example; Cark-park ABC with charging rate of $1.50/hour from 7am to 5pm and $2.50/entry after 5pm.

Time period: 4pm - 6pm

Charges: 4pm - 5pm ($1.50 for first hour): $1.50

+ 5pm - 6pm ($2.50 per entry): $2.50

Total charges: $1.50 + $2.50 = $4.00 

The commercial season parking charges are currently lower than private car-park charges, $140 - $180 in the Restricted Zone; and $80 - $140 outside the Restricted Zone. These increases will bring the commercial parking charges closer to those of the private car-parks.

Classification of Motor Vehicles.  

Class 2B  -  Motorcycles <= 200 cc 

Class 2A  -  Motorcycles between 201 cc and 400 cc 

Class 2  -  Motorcycles > 400 cc

Class 3A  -

i) Motor Cars without clutch pedals <= 3000 kg <= 7 passengers, exclusive of the driver;

ii) and Motor Tractors and other Motor Vehicles without clutch pedals of unladen weight <= 2500 kg. 

Class 3  - 

i) Motor Cars <= 3000 kg with <= 7 passengers, exclusive of the driver;

ii) and Motor Tractors and other Motor Vehicles <= 2500 kg.

Class 4A  -  Omnibuses 

Class 4  -  Heavy Motor cars and Motor Tractors > 2500 kg.

Class 5  -  Motor Vehicles not constructed to carry any load and the unladen weight > 7250 kg. 

Please take note of the new pricing from Traffic Police & the map of the Traffic Police where they usually hide their Mobile Speed Camera for your reference.

NEW Price List from TP

Price increase without further notice.

Speeding:

Exceeding 1 - 20km/h = $130 + 4 demerit points.

Exceeding 21 - 30km/h = $150 + 6 demerit points.

Exceeding 31 - 40km/h = $180 + 8 demerit points.

Exceeding 41 - 50km/h = >$200 + 12 demerit points + Court.

Exceeding 51 - 60km/h = >$200 + 18 demerit points + Court.

Exceeding >61km/h = >$200 + 24 demerit points + Court. If you want to be hero and fight the court case yourself, and you lose, you pay the court charges yourself, which will add up to your fine. I guess the court charges is at least $200 and above.

Careless Driving = $150 + 6 demerit Points.

Inconsiderate Driving = $170 + 9 Demerit Points + Court.

Dangerous Driving = >$200 + 24 Demerit Points + Court + Vehicle Compounded.

Illegal Racing = >$200 + Vehicle Confiscate + Court.

Fail to put Seat Belt = $120 + 3 demerit points.

Crossing Double White lines = $130 + 4 points.

Phone and Drive = $200 + 12 demerit point + Phone Confiscate. Do not hold your hp in your hand when you drive even with loud speaker or ear piece.

Drink Driving

For first offence. = Up to $5000 Fine And, or jail Term + License Suspended + Court.

2nd time offence = Jail term + Fine + Court.

Making an illegal U Turn when there ' s no U Turn sign = $70.

Fail to Signal when changing lanes = $70.

Driving at night without headlights or taillights switch on after 7pm = $30.

No Number Plate = $70.

Obstructed Number Plate = $70.

Obscured Number Plate = $70.

Number Plate Of Unapproved Type = $70.

As for Demerit Point system:

Let ' s say you have 0 points on 1st January 2005, and you committed the offence of Failing to Put on Seat Belt. So now, you will have 3 demerit points and this will last for 1 Year. If during this 1 year you have no demerit points offence at all, your 3 demerit points will be gone on 1/1/2006. But, if during this one year, From 1/1/2005 - 1/1/2006, you committed another offence with demerit points, your very first offence will be extended for another year until 1/1/2007 .