Vehicle immobilisation when an arrest warrant is in force
When police or LTA may immobilise or seize a vehicle registered to a person with an active warrant, and the statutory release, notice and disposal process.
Primary source: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RTA1961?ProvIds=pr95A-
When police or LTA may immobilise a vehicle
Under section 95A of the Road Traffic Act, if a vehicle being used or parked on a road or in a parking place is registered to a person with a court warrant of arrest in force for an offence under the Road Traffic Act or its rules, or under the Parking Places Act 1974 or its rules, a police officer or an LTA employee may immobilise it if it is stationary, or seize it and detain it at a place of safety. It remains at the owner's risk until a Magistrate, the Deputy Commissioner of Police or the Registrar orders its release (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(1), (13)).
The Act also allows a police officer to use these powers for a vehicle in a public place. At private premises, a police officer attempting to execute the warrant may immobilise or seize and detain the registered person's vehicle there only if, despite all reasonable effort, the officer cannot arrest that person at the premises (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(2)–(4)).
An officer may require a driver or person in charge to stop, take the vehicle to a specified place of safety, or provide other reasonable cooperation. A release authority may refuse release until the registered person has been arrested in connection with the warrant, has surrendered to a police officer, or the court has cancelled the warrant; prescribed release charges may also be required (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(5)).
Notice, charges and disposal
The police officer or LTA employee must notify the registered person as soon as reasonably possible. The notice must explain how to secure release and state that the vehicle may be sold or disposed of if the person does not surrender to police within 3 months from the date specified in the notice. For an immobilised vehicle, the notice may be affixed to its windscreen or another conspicuous part; for a seized vehicle, notice may be given by a method allowed under section 131A (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(6)–(7)).
Removing or tampering with the immobilisation notice, removing or tampering with the immobilisation device, or removing the vehicle from its immobilisation or detention place without authority is an offence. Obstructing or hindering an officer or LTA in carrying out the section is also an offence (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(8), (11)).
If the registered person has neither surrendered nor been arrested in connection with the warrant by the end of the 3-month period, the Deputy Commissioner of Police or LTA may, after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette, sell the vehicle at public auction or otherwise dispose of it. Sale proceeds first pay taxes, fees or charges due from the registered person under the Act or its rules and charges incurred under section 95A. Any surplus is paid to the registered person; if not claimed within 12 months, it is forfeited to the Government (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(9)–(10)).
For an immobilisation device fixed under section 95A(1), the current LTA charges rules set a $200 release charge. If a vehicle is seized and detained under section 95A(1), (2) or (3), the rules require the applicable removal and storage charges. The Registrar may waive charges under those rules in whole or in part (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic (Vehicle Removal, Storage and Release Charges — Land Transport Authority) Rules 2010, rr. 2(3), 3(1), 4).
Coverage debt
The cited legislation states the legal grounds, notices and release conditions, but does not describe a step-by-step public process for resolving a warrant or requesting release in an individual case. The notice for a particular vehicle directs the registered person to the release procedure.