Licence classes, validity and fees
A Singapore driving licence held by a citizen or permanent resident does not expire on a clock at all — the Act states it runs for life. From age 65 that entitlement is kept alive only by passing a repeating gate, and which gate applies depends on the class. This page sets out the 13 classes the Rules define, the age each requires, the recurring revalidation cycle, and the fees the Rules fix for the theory and practical tests.
WHO GRANTS AND TESTS
One office, two names
The Deputy Commissioner of Police is the office the Act and the Rules vest every operative power described on this page in: granting and renewing licences, appointing the schools that conduct these tests, fixing when and where a test is held. “Traffic Police” is the Singapore Police Force's own public name for the same function, not a separate office.
Road Traffic Act 1961 (RTA1961), s. 35(6) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 10 · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 11
THE CLASSES
13 classes, and one this page leaves out
Class 1 (invalid carriages) is not covered here: nothing in the sources reached for this page states an age exception, a holding prerequisite or a test structure specific to it, and this page will not fill that row with a guess.
| Class | Covers | Min. age to hold | Must already hold | Revalidation cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | Motor cycles up to 200 cc and up to 15 kW. | 18 years | 3-yearly from 65 | |
| 2A | Motor cycles over 200 cc up to 400 cc, 15–25 kW. | 18 yearsClass 2B held at least 1 year, no more than 12 demerit points. | 2B | 3-yearly from 65 |
| 2 | Motor cycles over 400 cc, or electric motor cycles over 25 kW. | 18 yearsClass 2A held at least 1 year, no more than 12 demerit points. | 2A | 3-yearly from 65 |
| 3 | Cars seating up to 7, unladen weight up to 3,000 kg. | 18 years | 3-yearly from 65 | |
| 3A | The automatic-transmission version of Class 3. | 18 years | 3-yearly from 65 | |
| 3C | Class 3 vehicles other than the goods and ambulance versions. | 18 years | 3-yearly from 65 | |
| 3CA | The automatic-transmission version of Class 3C. | 18 years | 3-yearly from 65 | |
| 4 | Heavy cars and motor tractors over 2,500 kg unladen. | 21 years | 3, 3C | Annual from 65, barred at 75 |
| 4P | The automatic-transmission version of Class 4. | 21 years | 3, 3A, 3C, 3CA | Annual from 65, barred at 75 |
| 4A | Omnibuses — heavy passenger vehicles. | 21 years | 3, 3C | Annual from 65, barred at 75 |
| 4AP | The automatic-transmission version of Class 4A. | 21 years | 3, 3A, 3C, 3CA | Annual from 65, barred at 75 |
| 5 | Light and heavy locomotives. | 21 years | 4 | Annual from 65, barred at 75 |
| 5P | The automatic-transmission version of Class 5. | 21 years | 4, 4P | Annual from 65, barred at 75 |
HOW THE LICENCE RUNS
Lifetime, then a repeating gate from 65
For a citizen or permanent resident, the licence itself does not expire on a clock at all — the Act states it runs for the holder's lifetime. From age 65, staying licensed depends on passing a gate that repeats indefinitely, and which gate applies depends on the class.
Classes 2B, 2A, 2, 3, 3A, 3C, 3CA
Unconditional until 65. From then, a medical examination every 3 years keeps the licence in force. No upper age is stated for this cycle — it continues on the same 3-yearly gate for as long as the medical is passed.
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 4A(1) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 4A(1) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 4A
Classes 4, 4P, 4A, 4AP, 5, 5P
Unconditional until 65. From then, a medical examination AND the Proficiency Driving Test are required every 1 year to keep the licence in force — and driving these classes is barred outright from age 75, whatever the medical says.
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 5(2) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 5(2) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 5(2) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 5(1)
HEDGE
This is the citizen/PR rule only
A licence held by someone who is not a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore runs on a different, simpler rule: a plain five-year term from the date it was granted or renewed, with no lifetime entitlement and no age-triggered cycle. That is a rule keyed on WHO holds the licence rather than which class it is, and this page does not try to fold the two together.
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 4A · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 5 · Road Traffic Act 1961 (RTA1961), s. 35(10)
WHAT A TEST COSTS
Two fees, both set by the Rules
| Covers | Fee | Payable to |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Cycle Riding Theory Test, Basic Driving Theory Test or Final Driving Theory Test | $7.20 | Deputy Commissioner of Police |
| Practical Riding Test, Practical Driving Test, Proficiency Driving Test or Road Assessment | $40 | Deputy Commissioner of Police |
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 17(1)(a) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 17(1)(b)
AFTER THE LICENCE IS GRANTED
The first year has its own, separate rules
A newly licensed driver is under a stricter regime for one year from the date of grant — revocation rather than suspension, on a window that does not roll with later offences. This site covers it in full on the demerit points page, sourced from the same regulations, rather than repeating it here.
NOT IN THE LAW
No separate certificate — the medical check sits inside the revalidation cycle
There is no periodic medical certificate that exists apart from the age-triggered cycle described on this page. The Rules require a medical and eyesight check once, when a class is first applied for; after that, a medical examination is folded into the recurring revalidation gate itself rather than issued as a certificate with a cycle of its own.
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 8(1) · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 4A · Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (RTA1961-R27), r. 5