Statute Details
- Title: Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2006
- Act Code: IPA2017-S44-2006
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256)
- Enacting formula (power used): Section 5(1) of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act
- Commencement: 25 January 2006
- Key provisions: Section 1 (citation and commencement); Section 2 (declaration of protected place); Schedule (premises and authority details)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the legislation portal)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2006 is a Singapore subsidiary law made under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256). Its practical purpose is straightforward: it designates specific premises as “protected places” for the purposes of the Act, and it restricts access to those premises to authorised persons only.
In plain language, the Order functions like a legal “access control” instrument. Once the premises listed in the Schedule are declared to be protected places, the law requires that anyone who enters those premises must have the correct authorisation—typically a pass-card or permit issued by the relevant authority, or permission from an authorised officer on duty at the premises.
This type of Order is not a standalone access regime; rather, it is one of a series of instruments that operationalise the broader framework in Cap. 256. The Act provides the overarching legal consequences and enforcement mechanisms for unauthorised entry into protected places, while the Order identifies which specific locations are protected at a given time.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1: Citation and commencement. Section 1 provides the formal citation of the instrument (“Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2006”) and states when it comes into force. The Order “shall come into operation on 25th January 2006.” For practitioners, this matters for determining whether restrictions applied at a particular time and for assessing the temporal scope of any alleged breach.
Section 2: Premises declared to be protected place. Section 2 is the operative provision. It declares that “the premises described in the second column of the Schedule are hereby declared to be a protected place for the purposes of the Act.” This is the legal bridge between the Schedule (the list of premises) and the Act (the legal regime governing protected places).
Section 2 also sets out the core access restriction. It provides that “no person shall be in those premises unless” the person falls within one of the permitted categories. Specifically, entry is lawful only if the person is:
- in possession of a pass-card or permit issued by the authority specified in the first column of the Schedule; or
- has received permission of an authorised officer on duty at the premises to enter the premises.
Schedule: Identification of premises and the relevant issuing authority. Although the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s detailed entries, the structure is clear from the wording of Section 2. The Schedule has at least two columns: the first column identifies the authority that issues the relevant pass-card or permit, and the second column describes the premises that are declared to be protected places. In practice, this Schedule is critical evidence in any dispute about whether a particular location was legally designated as a protected place and which authority’s authorisations are recognised.
Made by the Minister for Home Affairs. The enacting formula and the “Made this 18th day of January 2006” statement confirm that the Minister for Home Affairs (through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs) exercised the statutory power under section 5(1) of Cap. 256. For legal analysis, this supports the validity of the Order as an instrument properly made under the enabling Act.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a minimal, functional way typical of location-designating subsidiary legislation:
- Enacting formula: States the enabling power under Cap. 256 and identifies the Minister making the Order.
- Section 1 (Citation and commencement): Provides the name and commencement date.
- Section 2 (Premises declared to be protected place): Contains the legal declaration and the access restriction.
- THE SCHEDULE: Lists the premises and, correspondingly, the authority specified for pass-card/permit issuance. The Schedule is the factual heart of the instrument.
Notably, the Order itself does not set out penalties or enforcement procedures in the extract. Those elements are generally found in the parent Act (Cap. 256). The Order’s role is to define the protected places to which the Act applies.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to “no person”—a broad formulation that captures everyone, not only employees or contractors. In other words, the restriction is not limited to a particular class of persons; rather, it applies to any individual who is physically present in the premises designated in the Schedule.
Practically, the Order will be most relevant to:
- authorised personnel who require access to the protected premises (and therefore must hold the correct pass-card/permit);
- visitors and contractors who may need permission from an authorised officer on duty; and
- anyone alleged to have entered the premises without the required authorisation.
Because Section 2 ties lawful presence to either (i) possession of the correct pass-card/permit or (ii) permission from an authorised officer on duty, the factual question in most cases will be whether the person had the relevant authorisation at the time of entry.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
For practitioners, the significance of the Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2006 lies in its role as a location-specific trigger for the legal consequences under Cap. 256. If premises are properly designated as protected places, the law imposes a strict access requirement. This can affect criminal liability, administrative enforcement, and evidential analysis in disputes about unauthorised entry.
From an enforcement perspective, the Order supports a clear operational rule: people should not be in the premises unless they have the correct credentials or permission. This reduces ambiguity for security personnel and authorised officers, and it provides a legally enforceable basis for controlling access to sensitive sites.
From a litigation and compliance standpoint, the Order is also important because it is evidence. In any case involving alleged unauthorised presence, the prosecution or complainant will typically need to show that:
- the premises in question are indeed the premises described in the Schedule; and
- the defendant/person did not have the pass-card/permit issued by the authority specified in the Schedule; and/or did not obtain permission from an authorised officer on duty.
Accordingly, lawyers advising clients—whether individuals, employers, or contractors—should pay close attention to the Schedule entries and the identity of the relevant authority. Even where a person has some form of access credential, the legal question is whether it is the pass-card or permit issued by the authority specified in the Schedule, or whether permission was properly granted by an authorised officer on duty at the premises.
Related Legislation
- Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256) (the authorising and governing Act)
- Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2006 (this instrument)
- Legislation timeline / versions for confirming the correct version as at the relevant date (as referenced on the legislation portal)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2006 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.