Statute Details
- Title: Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2007
- Act Code: IPA2017-S485-2007
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256)
- Enacting authority: Minister for Home Affairs
- Commencement: 14 September 2007
- Key provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Declaration of protected places); Schedule (list of premises and the relevant authority)
- Status (as provided): Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Amendment history (from timeline): Amended by S 251/2020; S 93/2023; S 36/2024 (dates shown in the legislation timeline)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2007 is a Singapore subsidiary legislation made under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256). In practical terms, it designates specific premises as “protected places” for the purposes of the Act. Once premises are declared protected places, access is tightly controlled to protect sensitive sites and to manage security risks.
Protected places are typically locations where security, safety, or confidentiality concerns justify restricting entry. The Order does not itself create a general security regime from scratch; instead, it operates as a targeted instrument that identifies particular premises and sets the access conditions for those premises. The legal effect is that persons cannot lawfully enter (or remain in) the designated premises unless they meet the access requirements stated in the Order.
For practitioners, the key point is that this Order is best understood as part of a broader statutory framework. The Protected Areas and Protected Places Act provides the overarching powers and offences/remedies. The “(No. 5)” Order is one of several instruments that “turn on” the protected-place regime for particular premises by listing them in the Schedule.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) is straightforward. It provides the short title—“Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2007”—and states that the Order came into operation on 14 September 2007. This matters for determining whether access restrictions applied from that date and for assessing any compliance or enforcement issues tied to time.
Section 2 (Premises declared to be protected place) is the operative provision. It declares that the premises described in the second column of the Schedule are “protected places” for the purposes of the Act. The legal consequence is immediate: once a premise is listed, it becomes subject to the Act’s protected-place access controls.
Section 2 also sets the entry condition. It provides that no person shall be in those premises unless one of the following applies:
- 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 links each location to the relevant issuing authority for pass-cards or permits. Practically, this means that a permit from the wrong authority (or a permit that does not cover the specific premises) may not satisfy the statutory condition. Similarly, “permission” from an authorised officer is a separate lawful route to entry, but it must be permission granted by an authorised officer on duty at the premises.
The Schedule is therefore central. Although the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s entries, the legal mechanism is clear: the first column identifies the authority that issues the relevant pass-card/permit, and the second column describes the premises. For compliance and litigation, the Schedule entries are the factual anchor for determining whether a person was lawfully present.
Finally, the Order includes the making clause (“Made this 5th day of September 2007”) and the signature of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, indicating the formal exercise of the statutory power.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is compact and follows a typical subsidiary legislation format:
- Enacting Formula: States that the Minister for Home Affairs makes the Order under the powers conferred by section 5(1) of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act.
- Section 1: Citation and commencement.
- Section 2: Declaration of protected places and the conditions for lawful presence.
- THE SCHEDULE: The list of premises and the corresponding authority for pass-cards/permits.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the absence of additional sections means the legal analysis will usually focus on: (i) whether the premises are indeed listed in the Schedule; and (ii) whether the person’s status at the time of entry satisfies one of the two lawful pathways (possession of the correct pass-card/permit, or permission from an authorised officer on duty).
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to “no person”—a broad formulation that captures everyone, regardless of role (members of the public, contractors, employees, visitors, and others). The restriction is not limited to particular categories of persons; rather, it is tied to the premises and the lawfulness of presence within those premises.
In practice, the Order is most relevant to persons who may need to enter restricted sites: employees of organisations operating within the premises, service providers, delivery personnel, auditors, and visitors. For those persons, compliance typically involves obtaining the correct pass-card or permit from the authority specified in the Schedule, or arranging for authorised-officer permission at the time of entry.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
The Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2007 is important because it operationalises the Protected Areas and Protected Places regime for specific locations. The legal effect is that entry is not merely “discouraged” or subject to internal policy; it is a matter of statutory compliance. Once a premise is declared a protected place, being present without meeting the statutory conditions can expose a person to enforcement consequences under the parent Act.
For lawyers advising clients, the Order’s significance lies in its clarity of entry conditions. The statute provides two lawful routes—possession of the correct pass-card/permit, or permission from an authorised officer on duty. This binary structure can be highly relevant in disputes about whether entry was authorised, whether a person had the right documentation, and whether permission was properly granted.
From a compliance perspective, the Order also has operational implications. Organisations associated with protected premises must ensure that access control systems align with the Schedule’s specified authority and that authorised officers are properly designated and able to grant permission on duty. For contractors and visitors, documentation and entry procedures become critical. Any mismatch between the authority issuing the permit and the authority listed in the Schedule can create legal risk.
Finally, the amendment history shown in the legislation timeline indicates that the protected-place designation may be updated over time (for example, to add/remove premises or adjust issuing authorities). Practitioners should therefore verify the current version applicable at the relevant date, especially where conduct occurred before an amendment. The Order’s “current version as at 27 March 2026” status underscores the need to consult the latest consolidated text when advising on present-day compliance.
Related Legislation
- Protected Areas and Protected Places Act (Cap. 256) — the authorising Act and the primary framework governing protected areas/places, including powers and offences/remedies.
- Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2007 — including its amendments (e.g., S 251/2020, S 93/2023, S 36/2024 as reflected in the timeline).
- Protected Places and Protected Areas subsidiary instruments (other “Protected Places (No. …) Orders” and any related Orders) — relevant for mapping which premises are protected and under which numbering.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Protected Places (No. 5) Order 2007 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.