Statute Details
- Title: Fees (Registrar of Criminals) (Consolidation) Order
- Act Code: FeA1920-OR23
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (sl)
- Current Version: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per legislative portal status)
- Authorising / Related Framework: Fees Act (Chapter 106, Section 2)
- Primary Defined Office: “Registrar of Criminals” appointed under section 3 of the Registration of Criminals Act (Cap. 268)
- Key Provisions: Section 3 (fees payable to the Registrar of Criminals)
- Key Fee Items (extract): (a) reports on finger impressions; (b) applications for particulars of previous convictions
- Notable Amendments (timeline highlights): Amended by S 133/2002, S 252/2014 (effective 1 Apr 2014), and earlier revisions/amendments
What Is This Legislation About?
The Fees (Registrar of Criminals) (Consolidation) Order is a Singapore subsidiary legislation that sets out the specific fees payable to the Registrar of Criminals for certain services connected to criminal records and fingerprint-related reporting. In practical terms, it tells users—such as private applicants, statutory boards, and Government-linked companies—how much they must pay when they request particular information or when the Registrar prepares a report based on fingerprint material submitted for analysis.
The Order sits within a broader administrative and legislative framework. It is made under the Fees Act (Cap. 106), which empowers the Government to prescribe fees for services provided by public authorities. Here, the relevant public authority is the Registrar of Criminals, whose functions are anchored in the Registration of Criminals Act (Cap. 268). The Order therefore operates as the “pricing schedule” for specific Registrar services, ensuring that the cost of processing requests is clearly defined and consistently applied.
Although the extract provided shows only two fee categories, the structure of the Order is straightforward: it defines the Registrar, then states that “there shall be payable” specified fees in respect of particular types of reports and applications. For practitioners, the key value of this legislation is certainty: it provides the statutory basis for charging fees and the exact amounts applicable to different classes of applicants.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation). Section 1 provides the short title of the Order: “Fees (Registrar of Criminals) (Consolidation) Order.” This is standard legislative drafting and is mainly relevant for formal referencing in correspondence, submissions, and legal documents.
Section 2 (Definition of “Registrar of Criminals”). Section 2 defines “Registrar of Criminals” as the Registrar appointed under section 3 of the Registration of Criminals Act (Cap. 268). It also expressly includes an Assistant Registrar of Criminals so appointed. This matters because, in practice, requests may be handled by the Assistant Registrar or other officers acting under the Registrar’s authority. The fee provisions apply to the office-holder(s) within that statutory appointment structure, ensuring that fees charged by the relevant administrative officer are still legally grounded.
Section 3 (Fees payable to the Registrar of Criminals). Section 3 is the operative provision. It states that there shall be payable to the Registrar of Criminals “in respect of” specified services. The extract shows two main fee categories:
(a) Fees for reports on finger impressions. Under section 3(a), where the Registrar makes “any report upon any matter or thing relating to finger impressions” submitted for report by a person other than a public officer, a fee of $90 for each report is payable. The wording indicates that the fee is triggered by (i) the existence of a report made by the Registrar and (ii) the subject matter being finger impressions submitted for report. The phrase “submitted to him for report by any person other than a public officer” suggests a distinction between private/non-public-officer submissions and submissions by public officers. Practically, this means that the fee regime may not apply (or may apply differently) when the submitter is a public officer, depending on how other legislation or administrative arrangements treat such submissions.
(b) Fees for applications for particulars of previous convictions. Under section 3(b), a fee is payable for “every application for particulars of previous convictions” relating to a person accused of a crime within the meaning of the Registration of Criminals Act. The fee differs by applicant type: $25 for statutory boards and $30 for Government-linked companies. This is a notable feature for practitioners because it requires careful classification of the applicant. If the applicant is a statutory board, the lower fee applies; if it is a Government-linked company, the higher fee applies. The provision is also tied to the substantive condition that the particulars relate to a person accused of a crime (as defined in the Registration of Criminals Act). Therefore, the fee is not simply for “any request for convictions”; it is for a particular category of request connected to an accused person and the statutory definition of “crime” in the relevant Act.
Legal and procedural implications. While the extract does not reproduce procedural rules (such as how applications are filed, timelines, or documentary requirements), the fee provision is still legally significant. It establishes the statutory basis for charging. In disputes about whether a fee was properly levied, the amounts and triggers in section 3 are likely to be central. For example, if a party challenges a charge for a fingerprint report, the question will be whether the Registrar made a report relating to finger impressions submitted by a person other than a public officer, and whether the fee was charged “for each report.” Similarly, for conviction particulars, the key questions will include whether the application is for “particulars of previous convictions,” whether it relates to a person accused of a crime within the meaning of the Registration of Criminals Act, and whether the applicant is a statutory board or a Government-linked company.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured as a short, focused instrument with three sections. Section 1 contains the citation. Section 2 provides definitions, ensuring that the operative provisions apply to the correct statutory office. Section 3 sets out the substantive fee schedule. In other words, the legislation is not a procedural code; it is a fee instrument that prescribes amounts and identifies the circumstances under which those amounts become payable.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the simplicity of the structure means that compliance and legal interpretation largely turn on reading section 3 carefully—particularly the trigger conditions (finger impressions submitted by non-public officers; applications for particulars of previous convictions relating to an accused person) and the fee differentiation (statutory boards vs Government-linked companies).
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to the Registrar of Criminals (and an Assistant Registrar of Criminals) as the designated authority entitled to receive the prescribed fees. It also applies to persons and organisations that submit materials or make applications that fall within section 3—namely, those who (i) submit finger impressions for the Registrar’s reporting and (ii) make applications for particulars of previous convictions relating to an accused person.
In terms of applicant categories explicitly mentioned in the extract, section 3(b) distinguishes between statutory boards and Government-linked companies. Accordingly, when advising clients in these categories, practitioners should confirm the client’s corporate status and ensure that the correct fee amount is applied. The fingerprint reporting fee in section 3(a) is framed by the status of the submitter as “any person other than a public officer,” which likewise requires attention to whether the submitting entity qualifies as a public officer under the relevant legal definitions and administrative practice.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is brief, it is important because it provides the legal authority and the exact fee amounts for specific Registrar services. In administrative law and compliance contexts, fee charging must be grounded in statute or subsidiary legislation. The Order therefore helps ensure that charges made by the Registrar of Criminals are not arbitrary and are consistent with the prescribed schedule.
For practitioners, the Order is particularly useful when advising on costs and when preparing submissions or documentation for requests involving criminal record particulars or fingerprint-related reporting. The differentiation in section 3(b) between statutory boards and Government-linked companies can affect budgeting and procurement decisions, and it can also be relevant in disputes where a party challenges whether it was charged the correct amount.
Finally, the Order’s linkage to the Registration of Criminals Act (Cap. 268) is a reminder that fees are not standalone. The substantive conditions—such as the meaning of “crime” and the concept of “particulars of previous convictions” relating to an accused person—are anchored in the parent Act. Lawyers should therefore read this Order together with the Registration of Criminals Act and any related regulations or administrative guidance governing how requests are made and processed.
Related Legislation
- Registration of Criminals Act (Cap. 268)
- Fees Act (Chapter 106), Section 2
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Fees (Registrar of Criminals) (Consolidation) Order for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.