Statute Details
- Title: Appraisers (Licence Fees) Order 2012
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Act Code: AA1906-OR1
- Authorising Act: Appraisers Act 1906 (noted as authorising the fee-setting provision)
- Commencement: 1 April 2012
- Original Citation: SL 123/2012
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 26 March 2026
- Latest Revision Shown in Extract: 2024 Revised Edition (18 December 2024)
- Key Provisions (from extract): Section 1 (Citation); Section 2 (Fee)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Appraisers (Licence Fees) Order 2012 is a short piece of subsidiary legislation that sets the monetary fee payable to the Comptroller of Property Tax for the grant or renewal of an appraiser’s licence. In practical terms, it answers a straightforward administrative question: how much must an applicant or licensed appraiser pay when seeking a licence or extending it?
The Order operates within the broader regulatory framework established by the Appraisers Act 1906. That Act provides for the licensing regime for appraisers, including the requirement for licences and the administrative processes surrounding grant and renewal. This Order then specifies the fee amount that attaches to those licensing events.
Because the extract contains only two operative provisions—citation and fee—the legislation’s scope is narrow. It does not create new licensing categories, does not define eligibility criteria, and does not prescribe disciplinary or professional standards. Instead, it focuses solely on the financial charge payable to the relevant authority (the Comptroller of Property Tax) for licensing administration.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the formal name of the instrument: “This Order is the Appraisers (Licence Fees) Order 2012.” While this may appear purely technical, citation provisions are important for legal certainty. They ensure that practitioners, regulators, and regulated persons can correctly identify the instrument when referencing it in applications, correspondence, compliance documentation, or legal submissions.
2. Fee Payable for Grant or Renewal (Section 2)
Section 2 is the core operative provision. It states that the fee payable to the Comptroller of Property Tax for the grant or renewal of every appraiser’s licence is $125.
This provision has several practical implications:
- It applies to both “grant” and “renewal”. Applicants seeking an initial licence and existing licensees seeking to renew are both covered.
- It is payable to a specific authority. The fee is payable to the Comptroller of Property Tax, indicating where payment should be directed and who administers the fee.
- It is expressed as a fixed amount. The Order sets a single fee figure ($125) rather than a fee range or a fee that varies by factors such as experience, qualification, or licence term.
- It is framed as applying to “every appraiser’s licence”. This suggests the fee is uniform across the licensing scheme, subject to any other provisions in the Appraisers Act 1906 or related subsidiary legislation that might address exemptions or special circumstances (none are shown in the extract).
Interpretation points for practitioners
Even for a short fee order, lawyers often need to interpret how it interacts with licensing processes. Key questions typically include: when does the fee become payable, whether it is refundable, and whether late renewals trigger additional charges. The extract does not address these matters. However, the fixed fee language in Section 2 indicates that the amount is determined by the Order for the relevant licensing event (grant or renewal). Any additional administrative fees, penalties, or surcharges—if they exist—would likely be found elsewhere (for example, in other subsidiary legislation, in the Appraisers Act 1906, or in administrative rules made under that Act).
Versioning and legal certainty
The extract indicates that the instrument is in a “current version” status as at 26 March 2026, and it notes a 2024 Revised Edition (18 December 2024). For legal work, this matters because fee amounts can change over time. Practitioners should ensure they rely on the current version when advising clients on the correct fee payable at the time of application or renewal. The timeline also shows the Order commenced on 1 April 2012, and the fee figure in the extract is presented as the operative amount in the current consolidated text.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Appraisers (Licence Fees) Order 2012 is structured as a very concise instrument with only two sections:
- Section 1 (Citation): identifies the Order by name.
- Section 2 (Fee): sets the fee payable to the Comptroller of Property Tax for the grant or renewal of every appraiser’s licence.
There are no additional parts, schedules, or detailed procedural provisions in the extract. This structure reflects the Order’s limited purpose: it is a fee-setting mechanism rather than a comprehensive regulatory code.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to persons who are seeking an appraiser’s licence and to persons who already hold such a licence and are seeking renewal. The fee is payable for “every appraiser’s licence,” indicating that the fee obligation is tied to the licensing status and the licensing event.
In terms of the payment recipient, the Order applies to the Comptroller of Property Tax as the authority to whom the fee must be paid. For regulated persons, the practical compliance obligation is to ensure that the correct fee amount is paid when submitting a licence application or renewal request under the licensing framework in the Appraisers Act 1906.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is brief, it is important because it directly affects the cost of entry into, and continued operation within, the licensed appraiser regime. For practitioners advising clients—whether prospective appraisers, existing licensees, or firms employing licensed appraisers—the fee amount is a basic but essential compliance detail. Incorrect fee payment can delay processing, create administrative back-and-forth, or lead to avoidable procedural complications.
From an enforcement and administration perspective, fee orders like this support predictable regulatory operations. By setting a fixed fee, the regulator can standardise licensing administration and reduce uncertainty. For the regulated community, a fixed fee also improves budgeting and planning for renewal cycles.
Finally, the Order illustrates how Singapore’s legislative framework often uses subsidiary legislation to implement specific administrative parameters (such as fees) under an enabling Act. Lawyers should therefore treat fee orders as part of a wider compliance ecosystem: the fee amount is only one element, and the licensing process itself is governed by the Appraisers Act 1906 and any other relevant subsidiary instruments.
Related Legislation
- Appraisers Act 1906 (authorising legislation for the licensing regime and the fee-setting power referenced in the Order)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Appraisers (Licence Fees) Order 2012 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.