SG Singapore Driver
Knowledge base Enforcement 5 min read

Vehicle competitions and speed trials on roads

Singapore requires a permit from the Deputy Commissioner of Police for vehicle competitions or trials of speed on a road. The Road Traffic Act sets application rules, criminal penalties, police seizure powers, vehicle forfeiture and driving-disqualification consequences.

road-competition speed-trial permit disqualification vehicle-forfeiture

Primary source: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RTA1961?ProvIds=pr116-

Permit requirement

Under section 116 of the Road Traffic Act, a competition or trial of speed involving vehicles may take place on a road only under, and in accordance with the conditions of, a permit granted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police. An application must be made to the Deputy Commissioner in the required form or manner and by the required advance deadline, and must include any fee prescribed by the Minister. The Deputy Commissioner may impose conditions or refuse the application (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 116).

SPF also provides an online Traffic Police Road Closure Permit service for event organisers seeking to close part of a public road. Its public page describes the road-closure process but does not say whether that permit also fulfils the separate section 116 requirement (SPF, Apply for Road Closure Permit; SPF, Traffic Police Road Closure Permit user guide).

Offences and consequences

A person who promotes or takes part in a competition or trial of speed contrary to section 116(1), and any driver or person in charge of a vehicle used in or taking part in it, commits an offence. On conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to 12 months and a fine of up to $5,000; for a second or subsequent conviction, it is imprisonment for up to 2 years and a fine of up to $10,000 (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 116(7)).

A police officer may arrest without warrant a person committing this offence and seize and detain a vehicle used in or taking part in the competition or trial. On a written application by the Public Prosecutor, a court must order forfeiture if satisfied that the seized vehicle was used in the offence. The court need not order forfeiture if the offender was not the owner and used the vehicle without the owner's consent. If there is no prosecution, the vehicle is forfeited one month after seizure unless someone claiming to be its owner gives written notice to the Commissioner of Police before then; the Commissioner may release the vehicle or refer the claim to a Magistrate (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, ss. 116(8) and 117).

On conviction, the court must disqualify the person from holding or obtaining a driving licence for at least 12 months, unless it finds special reasons not to order disqualification or to order a shorter period. Under the current section 116(9), that period starts on the conviction date or, if the person is sentenced to imprisonment, on release from prison (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 116(9)).

Enacted future amendment

The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2026 has enacted a change to the disqualification start date. If the offender is or was sentenced to imprisonment before or at the same hearing, the amended rule would start the period on the later of conviction and the date the person is released from prison and is no longer serving any sentence, including a sentence for another offence. This amendment is not in force until a date appointed by Gazette notification (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2026, ss. 1 and 23).

Coverage debt

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