Driving Without a Licence in Singapore: What are the Penalties?

Last updated on January 24, 2025

hands on steering wheel while driving car

In Singapore, a person must have a valid driving licence to legally drive a motor vehicle. Following amendments to the Road Traffic Act (RTA) in 2019, the penalties for driving without a valid driving licence have been increased to combat irresponsible driving and improve road safety. The tightening of the legal regime emphasises the importance of obtaining a valid driving licence in Singapore.

This article will cover:

What Type of Driving Licence Do I Need?

The law mandates that all drivers in Singapore, whether citizens, Permanent Residents (PRs), or foreigners, must have the appropriate driving licence to ensure the safety of fellow road users and uphold local traffic laws and regulations.

Singapore driving licence

All Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) are required by law to hold a valid Singapore driving licence appropriate for the class or type of vehicle they wish to operate.

Certain groups of foreigners are also required to have a valid Singapore driving licence. This includes foreigners residing in Singapore for more than 12 months and foreigners residing in Singapore for less than 12 months but are employed as drivers holding Work Permits or S-Passes. This latter class of persons refer to work pass drivers, a group of individuals who work in Singapore and are issued a work pass by the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act to drive motor vehicles.

Provisional driving licence

A provisional driving licence is required for individuals who wish to commence their practical driving lessons before acquiring a Singapore driving licence. This provisional driving licence allows individuals who have passed their Basic Theory Test and eyesight test to drive on public roads under the supervision of a driving instructor.

A provisional driving licence is only valid for 2 years, and individuals who have not passed their driving test by then must renew their provisional driving licence, which costs $25.

Foreign driving licence

A foreigner residing in Singapore for less than 12 months must hold a valid foreign driving licence. They are also allowed to drive for a period of 12 months starting from the date of their last entry into Singapore, as long as the foreign licence permits them to drive the specific class or type of vehicle.

These individuals must have a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by an authorised body from their country of origin, in addition to their foreign driving licence. If an IDP is not available, an official translation of their foreign driving licence in English is required. However, an individual from an ASEAN member state does not need an IDP and only requires a valid foreign driving licence.

If at any time the holder of a valid foreign driving licence becomes a Singapore citizen, permanent resident, or work pass driver, they will no longer be allowed to drive under the 12-month exemption. Instead, they will be allowed to drive for up to 3 months in Singapore with a foreign licence, upon acquiring their new citizenship, permanent resident status, or work pass. If they wish to continue driving in Singapore beyond that 3 month period, they have to convert their foreign driving licence to a Singapore driving licence.

Furthermore, members of a visiting force or the civilian component of the visiting force are allowed to drive in Singapore with a valid driving permit issued by the competent authority of their respective countries. This applies to vehicles that belong to their country and fall within the specified class or description in the driving permit.

You may refer to our article for a detailed discussion on how to obtain a driving licence in Singapore.

Is It an Offence to Drive Without a Driving Licence in Singapore?

Under section 35 of the RTA, it is an offence to drive in Singapore without a valid driving licence. There are several reasons why a valid licence is essential.

First, a valid driving licence demonstrates that a driver has met the required standards of competency and is qualified to operate a vehicle safely. It ensures that the driver is knowledgeable about traffic rules and has the relevant driving techniques to handle a vehicle responsibly. Without this assurance, unlicensed drivers pose significant risks to other road users, as they may lack the necessary skills to drive safely. Hence, a valid licence is crucial to ensure the safety of fellow road users.

Second, an unlicensed driver who gets into an accident may be at risk of being unable to provide adequate compensation to victims. Drivers who do not possess the appropriate driving licence will not be covered by motor insurance in the event of an accident, leaving them personally liable for damages or compensation. This lack of coverage can lead to severe financial and legal consequences, especially if there are injuries or property damage involved.

Thus, driving without a valid licence is not just a legal violation but is also a serious public safety concern, underscoring why the law strictly prohibits it.

What Penalties are Involved When Driving Without a Valid Driving Licence?

Any person who drives a vehicle without obtaining the valid licence for it will face a fine of up to $10,000 and/or be imprisoned for a maximum of 3 years. Repeat offenders will face an increased fine of up to $20,000 and/or be imprisoned for a maximum of 6 years.

In the case of a repeat offence, the court may also order the confiscation of the motor vehicle that was used in the offence. However, the court will not confiscate that motor vehicle if the court is convinced the repeat offender is not the owner of the vehicle and the vehicle was driven without the owner’s knowledge or consent. The court may also refrain from confiscating the vehicle in exceptional circumstances, such as in the case of a medical emergency. However, such cases are rare, and the overall culpability of the offender and circumstances surrounding the commission of the offence will ultimately guide the court’s decision.

An individual charged with driving without a valid licence will likely also face an additional charge for operating a vehicle without insurance coverage, as required under the Motor Vehicle (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act. This is because a valid driving licence is necessary to obtain motor vehicle insurance. Without a licence, the driver would not have valid insurance coverage, thereby violating section 3(1) of the Act which makes it an offence to operate a motor vehicle without insurance. If convicted, the offender will face a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 3 months.

What constitutes a ‘valid’ licence?

A ‘valid’ licence refers to a licence that corresponds to the class of motor vehicle being driven. For example, a person who wishes to drive an omnibus must possess a Class 4A driving licence, which is different from a licence to drive a regular car which typically requires a Class 3A driving licence.

The list of licence and corresponding motor vehicles (taken from the Singapore Police Force website) can be found below:

Class	Type of Vehicle
Class 2B	(a) Motorcycles not exceeding 200cc; and (b) Electric motorcycles not exceeding 15kW
Class 2A	(a) Motorcycles between 201cc and 400cc; and (b) Electric motorcycles between 15.1kW and 25kW
Class 2	(a) Motorcycles exceeding 400cc; and (b) Electric motorcycles exceeding 25kW
Class 3CA	Except for Light Goods Vehicles, Mini Vans, and Small Buses; (a) Motor cars of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg with not more than 7 passengers, excluding the driver; and (b) Motor tractors and other motor vehicles without clutch pedals of unladen weight not exceeding 2,500kg.
Class 3A	(a) Motor cars without clutch pedals of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg with not more than 7 passengers, excluding the driver; (b) Motor tractors and other motor vehicles without clutch pedals of unladen weight not exceeding 2,500kg; and (c) Ambulances and Medical transport vehicles without clutch pedals of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg with not more than 7 passengers, excluding the driver
Class 3C	Except for Light Goods Vehicles, Mini Vans, and Small Buses; (a) Motor cars of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg with not more than 7 passengers, excluding the driver; and (b) Motor tractors and other motor vehicles of unladen weight not exceeding 2,500kg
Class 3	(a) Motor cars of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg with not more than 7 passengers, excluding the driver; (b) Motor tractors and other motor vehicles of unladen weight not exceeding 2,500kg; and (c) Ambulances and Medical transport vehicles of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg with not more than 7 passengers, excluding the driver
Class 4A	Omnibus
Class 4	Heavy motor vehicles of unladen weight exceeding 2,500kg which are constructed to carry load or passengers
Class 5	Heavy motor vehicles not constructed to carry any load and the unladen weight exceeds 7,250kg

What is not a ‘valid’ licence?

A licence is not ‘valid’ if it has not been renewed upon the holder reaching 65 years of age, has expired, has been suspended or disqualified. Regardless of the types of invalidity, the effect remains the same, which is that driving a motor vehicle without a valid licence constitutes an offence.

Invalid licence

This refers to a Singapore driving licence that has not been renewed when the licence holder reaches the legally prescribed age of 65 years old. Once the licence holder reaches this age, a medical checkup is required every 3 years to be certified fit to drive.

The Traffic Police will send a letter to inform the individual to undergo a compulsory medical examination, and the medical report must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the holder’s 65th birthday.

The holder must renew the licence within 3 years from the date it became invalid, or else a competency test must be passed to get another licence.

Expired licence

A licence is also no longer valid if the holder of the driving licence does not renew it by its expiry date.

Suspended licence

A licence is not valid if it has been suspended. Based on a system of demerit points for traffic offences, the Deputy Commissioner of Police may suspend a licence if a person receives a certain number of demerit points within a specified period. Demerit points will be given when a person commits a traffic offence. The more severe the traffic offence, the higher the number of demerit points given.

The number of demerit points required and the corresponding duration of the suspension are listed below (taken from the Singapore Police Force website):

No. of Suspension	Threshold	Suspension Duration	Suspension Duration after successful completion of Driving Improvement point Systems (DIPS) Retraining Course
1st	≥ 24 demerit points within 24 months Note: Only in the first year of obtaining a driving licence, the driving licence will be revoked if the driver accumulated ≥ 13 demerit points	12 weeks	Reduced to 4 weeks (may be reduced to 1 week if offences are not accident-related)
2nd	≥ 12 demerit points within 12 months Note: For non-probationary licence holders (drivers who have had their licence for more than a year), the driving licence will be revoked and invalid if the suspension period is more than a year.	24 weeks	Reduced to 12 weeks
3rd		1 year	–
4th		2 years	–
5th		3 years	–
6th		4 years	–
7th		5 years	–

Disqualified licence

A disqualified licence is different from a suspended licence. A licence will be suspended based on a demerit point system, while disqualification takes place when a particular traffic offence is committed. For example, a person who causes death while driving will be disqualified for a minimum of 10 years, while a person who drives without a valid licence may be disqualified for a period determined by the court.

Furthermore, a licence that has been suspended will be reinstated once the suspension ends, whereas individuals who have been disqualified for more than a year have to undergo a competency test to be able to drive again. Where the disqualification period is less than a year, the disqualified individual will not need to take the competency test.

What Happens If a Traffic Offence is Committed by an Individual Who is Driving Without a Valid Licence?

An individual who commits a traffic offence while driving without a valid licence will be charged for both offences. They may face compounding penalties for both offences, meaning that they will be liable to pay the fine for both of the offences and be imprisoned for the total time the court sentences.

Whether their sentences will be concurrent or consecutive will ultimately depend on the court’s discretion. If the sentences are served concurrently, this means that the individual will serve both (or multiple) sentences at the same time. On the other hand, if the sentences are served consecutively, the individual serves each sentence one after the other.

An example of a consecutive charge is a case reported in March 2023, when a 33-year-old man who never had a driving licence collided into a car, causing minor damage. He was fined for 3 offences, including $8,000 for driving without a licence, $1,000 for driving without due care or reasonable consideration and $800 for using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage. On top of the fines, he also faced imprisonment charges for a total of 5 weeks for the first charge, 5 days for the second charge and 4 days for the last charge, totalling to 6 weeks and 2 days of imprisonment. In this situation, the sentences were served consecutively.

An example of a concurrent charge is a case reported in July 2023, where a 37-year-old British Citizen drove without a valid licence under the influence of alcohol, colliding into 2 cars. He faced 4 charges of driving without a valid licence, using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage, drink driving and dangerous driving. Although his imprisonment charge was 2 weeks for driving without a valid licence and 4 months for dangerous driving, it was run concurrently, resulting in 4 months of imprisonment. His fine for driving without insurance coverage and drink driving totalled to $800 and $10,000 respectively.

The sentences for the two cases can be compared in the following table:

Consecutive charge	Charge	Sentences	Total sentence
	Driving without a valid licence	$8,000 5 weeks imprisonment	$9,800 6 weeks and 2 days imprisonment
	Driving without due care or reasonable consideration	$1,000 5 days imprisonment
	Using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage	$800 4 days imprisonment
Concurrent charge	Charge	Sentences	Total sentence
	Driving without a valid licence	2 weeks imprisonment	$10,800 4 months imprisonment Disqualified for 48 months
	Drink driving	4 months imprisonment Disqualified for 48 months
	Dangerous driving	$10,000 in default of 1 month’s imprisonment Disqualified for 48 months
	Using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage	$800 in default of 4 days imprisonment Disqualified for 12 months

As mentioned above, driving without a valid licence also includes cases where licences are not renewed. In October 2023, a 70-year-old elderly man who did not renew his licence when he was 65 years old hit a cyclist, resulting in a fatal accident. As a result, he was charged with the offences of driving without reasonable consideration, driving without a valid licence and driving without valid insurance. He was sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment and fined $3,800. He was also banned from obtaining any class of driving licence for 8 years upon release.

All these cases show the severity of the charges in situations where an individual without a valid driving licence is also caught for traffic offences. You may refer to our other article for more on being charged with a traffic offence in Singapore.

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Driving without a valid licence in Singapore is a serious offence that carries significant legal consequences. All motorists are required to hold the appropriate licence for the vehicle they are driving, with strict regulations in place to enforce this requirement.

It is equally important to ensure that your licence is renewed on time. Penalties for driving without a valid licence can include substantial fines, imprisonment, and even vehicle confiscation in certain cases. Additionally, committing traffic offences while driving without a licence could result in multiple charges and severe penalties.

The increased penalties for driving without a valid licence aims to protect road users and deter unlicensed driving. As such, greater awareness of the importance of holding a valid licence is essential. If you or a loved one is facing charges for driving without a licence, it is highly recommended that you seek advice from a criminal defence lawyer. You can contact our criminal lawyers here.