Statute Details
- Title: Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006
- Act Code: IPA2017-S41-2006
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256)
- Enacting Authority: Minister for Home Affairs (made under section 5(1) of the Act)
- Citation and Commencement: Comes into operation on 25 January 2006
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Declaration of premises as protected places)
- Schedule: Lists premises (second column) and the relevant authority issuing pass-cards/permits (first column)
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Amendment History (from extract): Amended by S 742/2015 (version shown: 3 Dec 2015)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 is a Singapore subsidiary instrument made under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256). In practical terms, it designates specific premises as “protected places” and imposes strict entry controls for those premises.
The core idea is straightforward: certain locations are treated as sensitive because of security, safety, or operational considerations. The Order does not itself describe why each site is protected; instead, it identifies the premises and sets the rule that entry is restricted to persons who have the required authorisation.
Because it is an “Order (No. 2)”, it forms part of a broader regulatory framework where multiple orders may designate different sets of premises. The Order works together with the parent Act, which provides the legal basis for controlling access to protected areas and protected places, including the use of passes, permits, and permission from authorised officers.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1: Citation and commencement establishes the formal identity of the instrument and when it takes effect. The Order may be cited as the Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 and comes into operation on 25 January 2006. For practitioners, this matters when determining whether entry restrictions applied at a particular time (for example, in relation to an alleged contravention).
Section 2: Premises declared to be protected places is the operative provision. It provides that the premises described in the second column of the Schedule are declared to be “protected places” for the purposes of the Act. This declaration is what triggers the access restrictions under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act.
Section 2 then sets the entry rule. It states that no person shall be in those premises unless one of the following conditions is satisfied:
- the person is in possession of a pass-card or permit issued by the authority specified in the first column of the Schedule; or
- the person has received permission of an authorised officer on duty at the premises to enter the premises.
This structure is important. The Schedule is not merely a list of locations; it also ties each location to the relevant issuing authority for pass-cards/permits. Practically, a person’s ability to enter depends on whether the pass-card/permit is issued by the correct authority for that specific premises category.
The Schedule (as referenced by Section 2) is therefore central to compliance. Although the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule entries, the legal effect is clear: the Schedule’s second column identifies the premises, and the first column identifies the authority that issues the qualifying pass-card or permit. For legal work, the Schedule is often the document that must be consulted to determine whether a particular address, facility, or site is within the protected perimeter.
Permission by an authorised officer is the alternative route to lawful entry. Even without a pass-card/permit, entry may be lawful if the person has received permission from an authorised officer on duty at the premises. This creates a factual question in enforcement scenarios: whether the officer was “on duty” and whether permission was actually granted (and, in practice, whether it can be evidenced).
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a short, standard format typical of access-control instruments:
- Enacting Formula explains the legal basis: the Minister for Home Affairs makes the Order under section 5(1) of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act.
- Section 1 provides the citation and commencement date.
- Section 2 contains the substantive rule: it declares the Schedule premises to be protected places and restricts entry to persons with the correct pass-card/permit or permission from an authorised officer.
- The Schedule operationalises the restriction by listing (i) the issuing authority and (ii) the premises to which the restriction applies.
Notably, the Order is not lengthy because it relies on the parent Act for the broader legal framework (including definitions, offences, and enforcement mechanisms). The Order’s function is primarily to designate the protected places and specify the access conditions.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to “no person”—in other words, it is not limited to employees, contractors, or residents. The entry restriction is universal: anyone who is in the designated premises must satisfy one of the two conditions in Section 2.
Accordingly, the Order is relevant to a wide range of persons who may enter sensitive facilities, including (by way of example) staff, service providers, delivery personnel, visitors, maintenance contractors, and members of the public who might otherwise have incidental access. For legal compliance, the key question is whether the person had (i) the correct pass-card/permit issued by the authority specified for that premises, or (ii) permission from an authorised officer on duty.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it converts the abstract concept of “protected places” into concrete, enforceable restrictions at specific sites. For practitioners, the value lies in the ability to identify whether a particular location is within the protected category and what lawful entry routes exist.
From an enforcement and risk perspective, Section 2 creates a clear compliance threshold. If a person is present in the premises without the required pass-card/permit (from the correct authority) and without permission from an authorised officer on duty, the person is in breach of the access restriction. In practice, this can become central to investigations, charging decisions, and defences—particularly where the facts turn on whether permission was granted or whether the person held the correct authorisation.
For compliance officers and counsel advising organisations, the Order also has operational implications. Organisations that operate or manage protected premises must ensure that authorised officers are properly designated and that permission processes are documented and controlled. Similarly, contractors and visitors must be managed through pass/permit issuance channels aligned with the Schedule’s specified authority. Where these systems fail, the legal exposure is immediate because the rule is location-specific and does not depend on the person’s intent.
Finally, the Order’s amendment history (notably the version shown as current as at 27 March 2026, with an amendment annotation referencing S 742/2015) underscores the need to verify the correct version when advising on conduct at a particular time. A premises list can change across versions, and the legal status of a location at the material date may be determinative.
Related Legislation
- Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256) — the authorising Act providing the legal framework for protected areas and protected places
- Protected Places Act (as referenced in the metadata timeline) — relevant contextual legislation within the protected places regime
- Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 — as amended (current version as at 27 March 2026)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Protected Places (No. 2) Order 2006 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.