Like we’ve mentioned in the Buying a New Car section, the law requires that your car be insured at all times. Driving your car around without insurance is a serious offence in the eyes of the law. The penalty is a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to 3 months, or both. Upon conviction, offenders will also be disqualified from holding a driving licence for at least 12 months. This is certainly painful, especially for those who depend on their licence for their livelihood (e.g. taxi drivers). So do make it a point to ensure that your vehicle is properly insured.

If you’d recall, in the Buying a New Car section, we mentioned that you have to purchase motor insurance first before you are allowed to register your car. But that’s not the end of it. On a yearly basis, you’ll have to renew the insurance, and likewise, on a yearly basis, you’ll have to renew your road tax.

• LTA Renew Road Tax e-Service
• Click here to access the e-service.
• To renew your road tax online, you’ll need an eNETS Virtual Card or an Internet Banking Account with DBS, UOB or Citibank.

• AXS Stations
• You can find the locations of AXS Stations island wide at the AXS Web site.

• GIRO
• The application form to renew road tax via GIRO is available on the ONE.MOTORING Portal.
• Do note that you’d need to submit your application form to the LTA at 1.5 months before your road tax expiry date.

• Through SingPost and Collection Centres
• If you prefer to see a face and talk to a customer service officer, then deal over the counter.
• Check out ONE.MOTORING for a list of Post Offices and collection centres.

• Post
• Send your cheque – made payable to “Land Transport Authority” – by registered mail to:
  Vehicle & Transit Licensing Group
  Land Transport Authority
  10 Sin Ming Drive
  Singapore 575701

Put an entry into your diary or find some preferred way to remind yourself to renew your road tax before the expiry date. Late renewal fees will be imposed if you fail to meet the deadline, and eventually your tardiness, carried far enough, will result in an offence. Recalcitrant car owners who persistently default on road tax may be prosecuted for the offence of keeping or using the vehicle without a valid road tax under Section 15 of the Road Traffic Act. The offence carries a maximum fine of $2,000 upon conviction in court.

Regular inspection ensures that your car is roadworthy, and, if we might add, your personal safety and that of other road users certainly outweighs the inconvenience of bringing your car in for regular checkups. 

For owners of private passenger cars, once your car is more than three years old, it’ll have to pass an inspection first before LTA will allow you to renew your road tax. If it fails, you’ll have to make good.

Sounds a trite bit draconian? Well, it represents our road authorities’ commitment to road safety, and we couldn’t agree more.

Companies authorised by the LTA to conduct vehicle inspection are:

• JIC Inspection Services Pte Ltd
• STA Inspection Pte Ltd
• VICOM Inspection Centre Pte Ltd

Click here to check for locations of inspection centres.