Registering a Motor Vehicle in Singapore

Share | Print | +

Delicious

Digg

Facebook

Google

Propeller

reddit

StumbleUpon

Twitter

Yahoo!

Registering a Motor Vehicle in Singapore

Note: registration can be done on behalf of the motorist by a car agent.

If the car to be registered has been imported from another country make sure the import and inspection documentation is complete.

• See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Importing a Foreign Vehicle to Singapore

Registering a Car

Get a Certificate of Entitlement (COE)

Get insurance cover for the vehicle.

• See the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Vehicle Insurance in Singapore

Submit the vehicle's particulars at any computer service terminal at the Singapore Network Services (SNS) service centre, Bugis Junction and collect a Car Registration Application Form.

At the New Registration Section of the Land Transport Authority (LTA), submit the following:

• Completed Car Registration Application Form
• COE (issued by LTA as Temporary Certificate of Entitlement)
• Original passport or a certified true copy of the Company Registration Certificate (if the car is to be registered under a company's name)
• Original insurance cover note or certificate of insurance
• Any import documentation
• Notification of PARF (Preferential Additional Registration Fee) benefit or COE rebate (if any)
• Successful bidding letter for Vehicle Registration Number (if any)
• In one cheque made payable to the Land Transport Authority, pay the registration fees (see below)

Collect the following from the New Registration Section at LTA on registration:

• COE
• Registration Card/Log Card
• Road Tax disc
• Insurance Cover Note or Certificate of Insurance

Car Registration Fees

There is a registration fee imposed when registering a private car. An additional registration fee is 110 percent of the vehicle's Open Market Value (OMV), as assessed by the Customs and Excise department.

• Road Tax: The Singapore Car Market website shows the road taxes payable for cars of different capacities: Click here
• Import duty (if applicable): 41 percent of the OMV as assessed by the customs and excise department

Certificate of Entitlement (COE)

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) controls the number of vehicles on Singapore roads using the Vehicle Quota System.

Vehicle owners must bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) before the vehicle can be registered. Only a fixed number of COEs are made available every month.

Prospective owners must bid to obtain a COE. Successful bidders then pay the quota premium for their vehicle.

The COE is valid for ten years from the date of registration, and may be renewed at the end of that period upon payment of the current quota premium.

Alternatively, the vehicle may be revalidated for five years by paying 50 percent of the prevailing quota premium. The five-year COE is not renewable.

The prevailing quota premium is calculated as the average of quota premiums over the previous three months.

• For more information on the COE see the LTA website: Click here  

To Bid for a COE

There are two COE open bids a month. The person bidding must have a bank account with a participating bank: DBS, Citibank, UOB or OCBC.

A bid can be submitted by indicating a reserve price. The minimum reserve is S$1. Bids cannot be withdrawn or revised to a smaller amount.

A fixed deposit will be deducted from the bidder's bank account upon submission of the bid application.

A small administration charge is also made.

At the time of registration the difference between the quota price and the initial deposit is payable.

If the bid is unsuccessful, the bid deposit will be refunded.

Each applicant can only make one bid (unless representing a company).

COE Categories A and B are not transferable. Category E is transferable.

• For more details on submitting, tracking and revising bids: Click here

Categories of Vehicles

The Vehicle Quota System classifies vehicles according to these categories:

• A: Cars (1600 cc and below) & Taxis
• B: Cars (1600 cc and above)
• C: Goods vehicles and buses
• D: Motorcycles
• E: "Open" (for any kind of vehicles)

De-registering a vehicle

Vehicles that are to be scrapped or exported must be de-registered. Apply to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Once de-registered, a vehicle cannot be re-registered in Singapore. It is an offence for anyone to keep or use a de-registered vehicle.

If a private car is de-registered before it is 10 years old, its owner may apply for the Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) benefit.

• The PARF amount that can be refunded can be calculated at the LTA website: Click here  

If a vehicle is de-registered before the COE expires, the registered owner may be given a rebate on the Quota Premium (QP), pro-rated to the number of months and days remaining on its COE. The rebates for vehicles registered under the "Open" Category will be based on the QP of the "Open" category or its corresponding category, whichever is lower.

The PARF/COE Rebate may be used to offset the Additional Registration Fee (ARF), Registration Fee (RF) and the COE when registering a new car. Any excess not used will lapse. The rebate must be used within 12 months of the vehicle being de-registered. Alternatively, the rebate to may be sold to someone else.

To de-register a vehicle

Get a Transaction Pin from the LTA office at 10 Sin Ming Drive, Singapore 575701. 

• For more information: Click here

Vehicle de-registration forms can be completed and submitted online: Click here (PDF)

The vehicle must be scrapped or exported within five days of submitting the de-registration form.

To scrap a vehicle

The vehicle must be taken to an approved scrap yard within five days of the application, along with:

• the completed de-registration application form
• the registered vehicle owner's passport (if foreign) or NRIC (if Permanent Resident (PR), Singaporean or Malaysian)
• authorisation letter from the owner if not taking the vehicle in person
• any outstanding balance of road tax to be paid

The LTA will then notify the last registered owner of the de-registration and details of any PARF/COE rebates.

To export a vehicle

A car owner may consider exporting a vehicle. If a car is under 10 years old it can be beneficial to export as the government refunds part of the COE (Certificate of Entitlement), the PARF (Preferential Additional Registration Fee) and the owner may be granted a rebate on any Quota Premium (QP) that has been paid.

For vehicles de-registered within two years of their registration for the purpose of export, the rebate will be capped at 80 percent of the QP paid on registration. The PARF rebate date is computed from the date of its registration in Singapore

Arrange for clearance customs and shipping must be arranged with the Singapore Customs.

Submit the vehicle de-registration form together with the necessary export documents:

• Cargo Clearance Permit endorsed by Singapore Customs or the Report on Export and Indemnity by the exporter/freight forwarder/shipper
• A copy of the Bill of Lading endorsed by a recognised shipping line/company, showing the vessel's sailing date and proof that the vehicle was on board
• Foreign re-registration document
• Any outstanding road tax
• The registered vehicle owner's passport (if foreign) or NRIC (if Singaporean or Malaysian)

Original documents must be produced at the LTA counter when de-registration takes place.

• For a complete checklist of the documentation necessary to export a vehicle: Click here

Authorised Scrap Yards

• Hup Lee Leong Hardware Pte Ltd
  At: 26 Sungei Kadut St 3, Singapore 729153
  Tel: 6363 5055 / 6367 0019
• Kim Hock Recycling (Pte) Ltd
  At: 10 Benoi Road, Singapore 629885
  Tel: 6862 3883
• Lim Asia Steel Pte Ltd
  At: 11 Pioneer Sector 3, Singapore 628346
  Tel: 6862 9109
• YLS Steel Pte Ltd
  At: 14 Gul Road, Singapore 629344
  Tel: 6265 9833 / 6861 9833

Further Information

• LTA Vehicle & Transit Licensing (VTL) Division
  At: 10 Sin Min Drive, Singapore 575701
  Tel: 6553 5229
  Fax: 6553 5329
  Website or Website
• Singapore Customs
  At: 55 Newton Road, #08-01, Revenue House, Singapore 307987
  Tel: 6355 2000
  Fax: 6250 8663
  Website
• Automobile Association of Singapore
  At: 336 River Valley Road AA Centre #01-00 Singapore 238366
  Branch Office: 2 Kung Chong Road Singapore 159140
  Tel: 6333 8811
  Fax: 6733 5094
  Website 
• AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Buying & Selling a Car in Singapore
• AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Importing a Foreign Vehicle to Singapore
• AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Driving in Singapore