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Driving without a valid licence, or while suspended or revoked

Road Traffic Act rules on licence requirements, producing and surrendering a licence, court disqualification, foreign-licence prohibition orders, suspension and revocation, and related offences.

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Primary source: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RTA1961?ProvIds=pr35-

Section 35 of the Road Traffic Act says a person must not drive a motor vehicle of any class on a road unless they hold a licence authorising that class. It also prohibits employing or permitting another person to drive unless that person holds the required licence. On conviction, the maximum is a fine of $10,000, imprisonment for 3 years, or both; for a repeat offender, it is a fine of $20,000, imprisonment for 6 years, or both (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 35).

For an offence under section 35(3) committed on or after 1 November 2019, a court must order forfeiture of the motor vehicle used in the offence when the convicted person is a repeat offender and the Public Prosecutor applies, unless the statutory ownership-and-consent exception or another good reason applies (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 35AA).

The Deputy Commissioner of Police may suspend a driving licence for up to 5 years if the driver's record, conduct, or habits establish that holding a valid licence would not be in the interests of public safety or that the person is not competent to drive (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 45).

During a suspension, the holder must not drive on a road under another licence or otherwise. Driving while the licence is suspended is an offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $5,000, imprisonment for 2 years, or both; for a second or subsequent conviction, it is a fine of $10,000, imprisonment for 4 years, or both (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 ss 47 and 47E).

Anyone driving a motor vehicle on a road must produce their driving licence for a police officer to examine when required. If they do not produce it at that time, they must not be convicted under this section if, within 24 hours, they produce it in person at the police office or station specified by the officer when requiring it (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 39).

If the Deputy Commissioner of Police has reasonable cause to believe a driving licence is held by someone other than the person it was issued to, the Deputy Commissioner may serve the holder personally with written notice requiring immediate delivery of the licence. Unless there is a reason to the contrary, the Deputy Commissioner must then deliver it to the person to whom it was issued. Failing to comply without reasonable cause is an offence (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 40).

During a suspension under section 45, the holder must not drive a motor vehicle on a road under another driving licence or otherwise. The holder must immediately surrender the licence if it was not issued electronically, and driving on a road while it is suspended is an offence (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 47).

A police officer in uniform may stop a motor vehicle if its driver has committed, or is suspected of having committed, an offence under the Road Traffic Act or its rules. A driver must stop when required to do so; failure to stop is an offence (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 127(4)–(5)).

A police officer in uniform may arrest without warrant a person in charge of or driving a motor vehicle who has committed, or is suspected of having committed, such an offence. The arrest power must not be exercised if, on demand, the person produces their driving licence so the officer can ascertain their name and address, licence issue date and issuing authority. A person who is neither a paid driver nor driving a motor vehicle used to carry passengers for hire or reward or to carry goods may instead give their name and address in Singapore. If the officer has reason to suspect that an ascertained or given name or address is false, the officer may still arrest (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 127(6)–(8)).

When a police officer acts against someone under the Act while not in uniform, the officer must, on demand, declare their office and produce the identification card directed to be carried by police officers. It is not an offence to refuse a request, demand or order from a plainclothes officer who fails to make the required declaration and produce the card (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 128).

Immediate suspension during an investigation

The Deputy Commissioner may immediately suspend a licence during a police investigation into a possible offence under section 65 or 65A, certain pre-1 November 2019 versions of sections 64, 66 or 67, section 84(7) arising from a failure to comply with section 84(3), section 3 of the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act 1960, or Penal Code sections 279, 304A or 338, where the investigated person was driving on a road or in a public place and was involved in an incident resulting in another person’s death or serious injury, or serious damage to a building or structure. Separately, the Deputy Commissioner may suspend a licence at the start of or during an investigation into a possible offence under Road Traffic Act section 64, 67 or 116 committed on or after 1 November 2019. For sections 47B and 47C, “serious injury” means an injury that causes severe bodily pain or inability to follow ordinary pursuits during a period of 7 days (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 ss 47C–47E).

The suspension remains in force unless rescinded earlier. If the person is acquitted, it ends on the acquittal date. If a trial court convicts and sentences the person, it continues until the later of the date all appeal rights have expired or been exhausted and the date a related disqualification order starts. The Deputy Commissioner must give written notice of the suspension and its effective date and require the licence to be surrendered. The person may appeal in writing to the Commissioner of Police within 14 days after receiving that notice, or within a longer period allowed by the Commissioner; the appeal does not pause the suspension unless the Commissioner orders otherwise. The Deputy Commissioner must rescind the suspension as soon as practicable if the investigation shows the person was not involved, it is decided not to charge the person, or the charge is withdrawn. Driving while suspended under section 47C is an offence, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine, 2 years’ imprisonment, or both; for a second or subsequent conviction, the maximum is a $10,000 fine, 4 years’ imprisonment, or both (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 ss 47C–47E).

Separately, if a person who is already disqualified or whose licence is suspended drives while disqualified or suspended, causes death or serious injury to another person, and is charged with an offence under the Act, the disqualification or suspension continues until that charge has been tried and determined by a court (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 ss 47B–47D).

Administrative revocation of a driving licence

The Deputy Commissioner may revoke a licence on several grounds under section 35A. These include a driving record during the 12 months after the licence was granted that establishes a public-safety concern or lack of competence; an offence committed before the licence was granted while driving a class of vehicle authorised by another licence, if the person is later dealt with for that offence in a way that would have disqualified them from taking the test for the new licence; or a circumstance discovered after grant that would have required or permitted refusal of the licence had it been known immediately before grant. The Deputy Commissioner may also rely on the prescribed demerit-point revocation threshold. Separately, the New Drivers Rules allow revocation of a new driver's licence for 13 or more demerit points within 12 months after grant. If a licence is revoked under section 35A while its holder is a new driver, each other driving licence the person holds is also deemed revoked unless the person is no longer a new driver in relation to that other licence (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 ss 35A–35C; SSO, Road Traffic (New Drivers) Rules, rule 3).

Before revoking a licence, the Deputy Commissioner must give notice at least 4 weeks before the proposed revocation date, state the reasons, and allow a period of at least 4 weeks for representations or objections. The Deputy Commissioner may revoke on the proposed date after considering any representations or objections duly made within that period and not withdrawn. Once revoked, a non-electronic licence must be surrendered immediately, and the person must not drive a vehicle of the class or description it authorised until granted a new licence. Driving on a road while the licence is revoked is an offence (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 ss 35B–35C).

Court disqualification

After conviction for an offence under the Road Traffic Act or another written law connected with driving a motor vehicle, a court may disqualify the offender from holding or obtaining a driving licence for life or for a period it thinks fit. A court may also make such an order for a different offence connected to a road-use dispute if the statutory conditions about who was involved and the court's assessment of the offender are met. The court may limit the disqualification to the same class or description of vehicle involved in the offence. The person may appeal against the order as against a conviction; the court may suspend the order while the appeal is pending (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 42).

For certain accused persons who repeatedly fail to attend court, the Public Prosecutor may apply for a driving disqualification order. The person must have failed to attend despite proper court service; a warrant must have been issued and the person arrested and released on bail; the person must then have been warned that another failure to attend on the next appointed date would lead to an application; and they must fail to attend that date without lawful excuse. If the court is satisfied of these conditions and considers it undesirable, in light of the case and the accused's behaviour, to let the person continue driving, it may disqualify them until the charge is tried and determined or for another period. If that period ends before trial, the court may extend it on a further application by the Public Prosecutor (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 42A).

If a person is sentenced to imprisonment while disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence because of a conviction or court order under the Road Traffic Act or the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act 1960, the imprisonment period is not counted towards completion of the disqualification period. This rule applies to sentences imposed on or after 1 January 2026 (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 42B).

For a court-ordered disqualification lasting less than 1 year, a licence holder's licence is suspended while the disqualification remains in force. For a disqualification lasting 1 year or longer, the licence has no effect and the person must pass the prescribed test of competence before driving after the disqualification period. Applying for or obtaining a licence while disqualified is an offence punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, and a licence obtained this way has no effect (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 43).

When a person is convicted of an offence connected with driving a motor vehicle or is disqualified by a court from holding or obtaining a driving licence, the court must notify the Deputy Commissioner of Police, who records the particulars. A person disqualified by a court from holding a driving licence must deliver any licence they hold to the Deputy Commissioner within 7 days of the order. The Deputy Commissioner may cancel or keep it during the disqualification, or return it with an endorsement if the order applies only to certain vehicle classes (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 44).

For a holder of a foreign driving licence who is permitted to drive in Singapore under section 38, section 47F treats Road Traffic Act powers to disqualify, suspend or revoke a driving licence as powers to prohibit that person from driving any motor vehicle in Singapore for the corresponding period. Other provisions in the Act, including offence-punishment provisions that refer to disqualification, suspension or revocation, apply to the foreign-licence holder as references to that prohibition order. The Act's definition excludes members of a visiting force and its civilian component covered by section 38(4) (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 47F).

Coverage debt

  • This guide covers the main Road Traffic Act court-disqualification routes in sections 42 and 42A, section 47F's conversion of these Act powers for eligible foreign-licence holders, and licence effects described in section 43. Other court-disqualification powers and licence-refusal procedures are not catalogued here. See the dedicated DIPS and traffic-offence appeal guides for related topics.

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