CNA - Authorities impound 91 deregistered vehicles in islandwide operation

[huihong]

A deregistered car being impounded during an enforcement operation by the Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Police Force. (Photo: LTA, SPF)

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) impounded 91 deregistered vehicles during a joint islandwide enforcement operation in September.

The vehicles were being used without valid Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) or road tax, the authorities said in a joint statement on Monday (Oct 5).

“The use of deregistered vehicles poses a serious road safety risk as they are neither roadworthy nor have valid insurance,” they added.

The maximum penalties for keeping or using unregistered or deregistered vehicles were raised in February. First-time offenders can be fined up to S$20,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. The penalties are doubled for repeat offenders.

When deregistering a vehicle, owners should ensure all administrative processes are completed, including transferring ownership before deregistration and ensuring that the buyer confirms the transaction on LTA’s OneMotoring website.

For vehicles handed to dealers for export, owners should obtain the relevant disposal documents for submission to LTA. If such vehicles are later found to have been misused, LTA will investigate the last registered owner.

Members of the public can report suspected cases of deregistered vehicles being kept or used through OneMotoring or the OneService app, LTA and SPF said.

TIGHTER CONTROLS PROPOSED​

The Land Transport and Related Matters (No 2) Bill, which proposes additional measures to ensure the timely and proper disposal of such vehicles, was introduced for first reading in parliament on Sep 8.

The Bill would introduce an Authorised Exporter Scheme, requiring deregistered vehicles to be exported through LTA-authorised exporters.

It would also shorten the grace period for owners to fulfil disposal requirements from one month to 14 days, while ensuring offenders remain liable for prosecution for as long as they fail to meet those requirements.

The Bill would also criminalise the sale or supply of deregistered vehicles where a person knows, or is reckless as to whether, the vehicle will be kept or used on Singapore roads.

Reported cases of deregistered vehicles being used on Singapore roads rose from 75 in 2024 to 245 in 2025, the authorities said when announcing the proposed measures in September.

Some deregistered vehicles have been involved in hit-and-run accidents and used for criminal activities, including drug trafficking.

“The authorities take a firm stance against the keeping and use of deregistered vehicles and will continue to enforce against those who do so,” LTA and SPF said on Monday.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/deregistered-vehicles-91-impounded-lta-spf-6432061

 

[buttbERry]

need more enforcement on this

 

[swenson]

higher penalties please... add in death or castration if necessary....

 

[swenson]

need more enforcement on this

actually enforcement is very difficult for this type.

If camera catch, where to send the summon to? The number is fake in the first place so don't have valid address
If on the road TP, how to detect legit/non-legit numbers of vehicles passing by, given that so many vehicles travel through a given time?

At gantries, these drivers most likely use cashcard to enter/exit, since IU no longer registered, also cannot detect (treat as foreign cars)

My only guess is roadblocks and regular random visits to big carparks to key in the number plates of the vehicles parked there one by one... very resource heavy

 

[buttbERry]

actually enforcement is very difficult for this type.

If camera catch, where to send the summon to? The number is fake in the first place so don't have valid address
If on the road TP, how to detect legit/non-legit numbers of vehicles passing by, given that so many vehicles travel through a given time?

At gantries, these drivers most likely use cashcard to enter/exit, since IU no longer registered, also cannot detect (treat as foreign cars)

My only guess is roadblocks and regular random visits to big carparks to key in the number plates of the vehicles parked there one by one... very resource heavy

need more enforcement on the road via roadblocks

 

[yildun]

actually enforcement is very difficult for this type.

If camera catch, where to send the summon to? The number is fake in the first place so don't have valid address
If on the road TP, how to detect legit/non-legit numbers of vehicles passing by, given that so many vehicles travel through a given time?

At gantries, these drivers most likely use cashcard to enter/exit, since IU no longer registered, also cannot detect (treat as foreign cars)

My only guess is roadblocks and regular random visits to big carparks to key in the number plates of the vehicles parked there one by one... very resource heavy

Its actually easier than you thought. The limitation is the number of tow trucks available.

Hint on loophole:

The Bill would introduce an Authorised Exporter Scheme, requiring deregistered vehicles to be exported through LTA-authorised exporters.

 

[Medicated Oil]

Its actually easier than you thought.

"Dun catch too much at one time.
Need to have some fishes swimming around to catch later."

 

[herzberg]

Offer elderlies cdc vouchers to go to carparks and verify the cars one by one. Better than dumpster diving for 10c cans

 

[BaChorMee]

higher penalties please... add in death or castration if necessary....

Indeed. Should also introduce hard labour like North Korea. Now going to jail I think people no scare liao. Some can still post on social media about their changi holiday.

 

[quincyster]

10X the penalty and cut the disposal to one day and these crimes will stop.

 

[swenson]

Hint on loophole:

The Bill would introduce an Authorised Exporter Scheme, requiring deregistered vehicles to be exported through LTA-authorised exporters.

I won't be surprised that these existing exporters that 'sold' the deregistered vehicles in the first place, will rush to apply to be LTA-Authorised Exporters

 

[Ironside]

actually enforcement is very difficult for this type.

If camera catch, where to send the summon to? The number is fake in the first place so don't have valid address
If on the road TP, how to detect legit/non-legit numbers of vehicles passing by, given that so many vehicles travel through a given time?

At gantries, these drivers most likely use cashcard to enter/exit, since IU no longer registered, also cannot detect (treat as foreign cars)

My only guess is roadblocks and regular random visits to big carparks to key in the number plates of the vehicles parked there one by one... very resource heavy

use the ERP 2.0. satellite tracking.

 

[Ironside]

I won't be surprised that these existing exporters that 'sold' the deregistered vehicles in the first place, will rush to apply to be LTA-Authorised Exporters

this type of using delisted vehicles should be quite prevalent since day one. why suddenly now then become an issue?

 

[cet87]

higher penalties please... add in death or castration if necessary....

this is too much.. maybe just amputate the hand..

 

[PAP4ever]

govt sleeping for too long. collect COE, rd tax till song song.

1 operation can find 91.... it tells u hw many of such illegal cars r on the roads

 

[alex22]

Offer elderlies cdc vouchers to go to carparks and verify the cars one by one. Better than dumpster diving for 10c cans

Amazing idea, need a LifeSG integrated app or api to pull the related info from lta for validation, return a yes no answer.

Then below a big red "To bunknife now, Login with Singpass below"

Gamify it and offer SimplyGo rewards

 

[nachtsid.er]

another 1000 more in the streets?

 

[swenson]

use the ERP 2.0. satellite tracking.

when there is no registered obu, how to track?

if can, why don't the TP track malaysian vehicles? Not easy...

 

[boxer33]

The vehicles were being used without valid Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) or road tax, the authorities said in a joint statement on Monday (Oct 5).
The maximum penalties for keeping or using unregistered or deregistered vehicles were raised in February. First-time offenders can be fined up to S$20,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. The penalties are doubled for repeat offenders.

Prevailing Quota Premium for Oct 2026 is $128,715 for cat A and $131,616 for cat B but the fine is only 20k.
Quite worth the risk. No wonder can catch 91 vehicles in Sept alone.

 

[hotamp]

i think once the car deregistered, must immediately send to some LTA approved shop to put a new tamper proof colourful sticker over the windscreen front/back.