Vehicle immobilisation or seizure under an arrest warrant
When police or LTA may immobilise or seize a vehicle registered to someone with an outstanding arrest warrant, how release works, and when the vehicle may be disposed of.
Primary source: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/RTA1961?ProvIds=pr95A-
When a vehicle may be immobilised or seized
If a vehicle being used or parked on a road or in a parking place is registered to a person who has an active court arrest warrant for an offence under the Road Traffic Act or its rules, or under the Parking Places Act 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. The vehicle 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) and (13)).
The police may also use these powers for a vehicle registered to the warrant subject when it is in a public place. At private premises, a police officer attempting to execute the warrant may immobilise or seize the person's vehicle only if, despite all reasonable effort, the officer cannot arrest that person there. An officer or LTA employee may direct a driver or person in charge to stop, take the vehicle to a specified place of safety, or provide other reasonably required cooperation (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(2)–(5)).
Release and disposal
A release decision may be withheld until the registered person is arrested in connection with the warrant, surrenders to police, or the court cancels the warrant. The release authority may also require prescribed release charges. Under the current vehicle-removal rules, a vehicle immobilised under section 95A is not released until the $200 charge is paid to the Registrar; the Registrar may waive all or part of charges under those rules (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(5)(b); Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic (Vehicle Removal, Storage and Release Charges — Land Transport Authority) Rules 2010, r. 3(1) and r. 4).
The authority must notify the registered person as soon as reasonably possible of the release procedure and that the vehicle may be sold or disposed of unless, within 3 months of the date specified in the notice, that person surrenders in connection with the warrant. If the person has not surrendered or been arrested by then, the Deputy Commissioner of Police or LTA may sell or otherwise dispose of the vehicle after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette. Proceeds first pay the person's outstanding taxes, fees or charges under the Act or rules and the costs of carrying out section 95A. Any surplus is paid to the registered person; surplus not claimed within 12 months is forfeited to the Government (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, s. 95A(6)–(10)).
Coverage debt
- Section 95A requires notice of the release procedure but does not itself describe an application channel or a target processing time. The immobilisation charge in the cited rules applies to immobilised vehicles; this article does not infer a separate release fee for a vehicle that is seized and detained.