Datasets
Driving Licence Classes and Process Anchors
Durable Traffic Police and statute anchors for Singapore driving-licence classes, Provisional and Qualified Driving Licence fees and validity, new- driver probation thresholds, and foreign-licence recognition periods.
Driving Licence Classes and Process Anchors
These rows summarise Traffic Police handbook and Road Traffic subsidiary-legislation gates verified as of 8 Aug 2026. They do not decide whether a specific foreign licence is convertible, whether a medical condition disqualifies an applicant, or what COE category a vehicle needs.
Normalized retrieval terms: rta_section_38 = Road Traffic Act section 38; three_months_from_entry_permit = the new-citizen or permanent-resident recognition window starts from the citizenship certificate or entry permit, whichever is earlier; must_convert = conversion is required after the applicable recognition period; not_twelve_months = the three-month PR/citizenship rule is not the general 12-month rule; btt_then_tp_counter_conversion = foreign-licence conversion requires BTT followed by the Traffic Police counter process; licence_is_driver_authority = a QDL authorises a person to drive; coe_is_vehicle_ownership_right = a COE concerns vehicle registration/ownership access; separate_systems = driving licences and the LTA COE vehicle-quota system are separate systems. Sources: Road Traffic Act s 38, Driving Licences Rules, and SPF QDL FAQ, accessed 8 Aug 2026.
Common licence classes (private pathway)
| Class | Vehicles (handbook summary) | Entry gate |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2B | Motorcycles ≤200 cc, or electric motorcycles ≤15 kW | Age ≥18 |
| Class 2A | Motorcycles 201–400 cc, or electric 15.1–25 kW | Hold Class 2B QDL ≥1 year |
| Class 2 | Motorcycles >400 cc, or electric >25 kW | Hold Class 2A QDL ≥1 year |
| Class 3 | Cars/ambulances unladen ≤3,000 kg, ≤7 passengers exclusive of driver; certain motor tractors/vehicles unladen ≤2,500 kg | Age ≥18 |
| Class 3A | Automatic (no clutch pedal) cars within Class 3 weight/passenger limits; automatic light tractors/vehicles ≤2,500 kg | Age ≥18 |
| Class 3C / 3CA | Passenger cars within 3,000 kg / ≤7 passengers; 3CA = automatic-only Class 3C | Conversion/new-driver rules per TP handbook (WP/S Pass BTT-only conversion note for Class 3 excluding LGV/mini van/small bus) |
Source: SPF BTT handbook (10 Oct 2024), accessed 8 Aug 2026.
Process and fee anchors
| Anchor | Value / rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PDL validity | 2 years from grant; renewable in 2-year periods | Driving Licences Rules r 22A; SPF BTT handbook |
| PDL grant/renewal fee | S$25 | Driving Licences Rules r 8(8) |
| QDL application fee | S$50 | SPF QDL FAQ; Driving Licences Rules r 8(6) |
| New QDL channel | Online only (SPF e-Services / Police@SG); mailed in ~7 working days | SPF QDL FAQ |
| Citizen / PR QDL validity | Lifetime (subject to fitness and DIPS sanctions) | SPF BTT handbook |
| Foreign pass-holder QDL validity | Up to 5 years | SPF BTT handbook |
| FTT → practical window (Class 3/3A) | Pass practical within 2 years of FTT or retake FTT | SPF BTT handbook |
| RTT → practical window (Class 2B) | Pass practical within 1 year of RTT or retake RTT | SPF BTT handbook |
| New-driver probation | 1 year from grant of the new licence class | New Drivers Rules; SPF BTT handbook |
| Probation demerit revocation | ≥13 demerit points in probation year | New Drivers Rules r 3; SPF BTT handbook |
| Non-probationary first suspension trigger (no prior suspension) | ≥24 demerit points in 24 consecutive months | SPF BTT handbook |
Foreign-licence recognition periods
| Population | Recognition period | Clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| General foreign-licence holder (not excluded by s 38) | 12 months | Date of last entry into Singapore |
| New citizen or permanent resident | 3 months | Citizenship certificate or entry permit, whichever first |
| Work pass driver (hire/reward or employed to drive) | 6 months | Work-pass issuance |
Sources: Road Traffic Act s 38 and Driving Licences Rules r 9A, accessed 8 Aug 2026. Conversion after recognition is a Traffic Police counter process after BTT, not an online QDL application (SPF QDL FAQ).
Record details
- Also known as
- ["PDL fee","QDL fee","Class 3A","probation plate","foreign licence recognition"]
- Jurisdiction
- SG
- What each row represents
- one licence class, PDL/QDL fee or validity, probation demerit threshold, or foreign-licence recognition period
- Update cadence
- after Traffic Police revises the BTT handbook/QDL FAQ or Driving Licences / New Drivers Rules are amended
- Source format
- markdown
Dates describe this record’s own period and applicability. A verification date does not mean a rule is currently in force.
Sources
- Singapore Police Force — Basic Theory of Driving handbook (English, updated 10 Oct 2024) Accessed 2026-08-08
- Singapore Police Force — FAQ on online application for Qualified Driving Licence (QDL) Accessed 2026-08-08
- Singapore Statutes Online — Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules Accessed 2026-08-08
- Singapore Statutes Online — Road Traffic (New Drivers) Rules Accessed 2026-08-08
- Singapore Statutes Online — Road Traffic Act 1961 Accessed 2026-08-08
Collection as of 2026-10-07 · An expanding collection. Published counts show available knowledge, not complete coverage of Singapore.