A driving licence in Singapore is required before a person is allowed to drive a motor vehicle of any description on a road in the country. Like many other countries in the world, an individual must possess a valid driving licence before being permitted to drive on the road, and driving licence holders are subject to all traffic rules. The minimum age to drive a motor vehicle and getting a Qualified Driving Licence (QDL) in Singapore is 18 years old. The driving licence is for the normal lifespan of a person, but continued eligibility to drive requires a medical clearance after reaching the age of 65. For those who accumulated 13 demerit points and above within the one year probationary period, the licence will be revoked. Driving licences in Singapore are administered by the Traffic Police (TP) of the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

Classes of driving licence

The classification of motor vehicles and eligibility of a driving licence in Singapore is as follows:

Theory tests

There are three main theory tests in Singapore. Candidates must answer 45 questions correctly out of 50 (90%), and the questions are at random from a pool of hundreds on a selection of relevant topics.

Types of driving licence

Conversion of overseas driving licence

Foreigners holding foreign driving licence and intend to remain in Singapore for less than twelve months are not required to convert their foreign driving licence to a Singaporean driving licence. They may drive in Singapore with a valid foreign driving licence. However, if the licence is not in English, in addition to a valid foreign driving licence, they are required to have an International Driving Permit (IDP). If an IDP is not available, an official translation of the driving licence in English is required. Foreigners from selected Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries need to possess a valid driving licence to drive in Singapore but would not need to require an IDP. To convert to a Singaporean driving licence, the foreigner is required to pass the BTT for familiarisation of traffic rules and Singapore's Highway Code pertaining to traffic related issues specific to Singapore. A Singaporean Permanent Resident (PR) who wishes to drive in Singapore is required to convert their foreign driving licence to a Singaporean one after becoming a PR or they will not be considered licensed to drive.

Validity of the Singaporean driving license overseas

The Singaporean driving license is valid without the need of an International Driving Permit (IDP) in ASEAN member states, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Israel, New Zealand, Qatar, Russia and the United Kingdom.

Costs

In Singapore, it is not unusual to end up cumulatively paying about S$3,000 to S$4,000 towards a Class 3 or 3A driving license, owing to the vast number of courses, tests and simulations required. Such costs may end up being much higher if the practical driving test was not passed on the first try, as the test itself ranges about SGD$320 to SGD$550 or if additional lessons are required to reach driving competency. As of 2024, the first timer passing rate for Class 3 and 3A averages around 37% and 46% respectively.

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