Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(2)) (No. 2) Order 2025
- Act Code: RELA1983-S807-2025
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act 1983
- Enacting authority: President of Singapore
- Enacting formula (key power): Powers conferred by section 17(2) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act 1983
- Order number: No. 2 of 2025
- SL reference: SL 807/2025
- Date made: 3 December 2025
- Date of coming into force: 17 December 2025
- Version status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Schedule: Contains the 2025 Revised Edition of the subsidiary legislation incorporating amendments up to 17 December 2025
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(2)) (No. 2) Order 2025 is a procedural and publication instrument. In plain terms, it authorises the coming into force of a “revised edition” of subsidiary legislation—meaning a consolidated, updated version of certain legal instruments that incorporates amendments made up to a specified cut-off date.
This Order does not, by itself, create new substantive regulatory rules. Instead, it gives legal effect to a revised compilation set out in the Schedule. The Schedule is the operative part in the sense that it contains the updated subsidiary legislation text, reflecting amendments up to 17 December 2025. The Order therefore matters to practitioners because it determines which version of the subsidiary legislation is legally authoritative from the stated commencement date.
For lawyers, the practical significance is version control: when courts, regulators, and parties refer to “the law”, they must be confident they are citing the correct consolidated text. This Order helps ensure that the revised edition is the one that applies from 17 December 2025, thereby reducing ambiguity that can arise when multiple amendments have been made over time.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation). The Order provides its own short title: “This Order is the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(2)) (No. 2) Order 2025.” This is standard drafting, but it is important for citation in legal filings, correspondence, and research. Practitioners often need to cite the correct instrument when discussing the legal status of a revised edition or when explaining why a particular consolidated text should be treated as current.
Section 2 (Date of coming into force of the 2025 Revised Edition of subsidiary legislation). This is the core operative provision. It states that the “2025 Revised Edition of the subsidiary legislation set out in the Schedule incorporating all amendments up to 17 December 2025 comes into force on 17 December 2025.” In other words, the revised edition is not merely published; it becomes legally effective on the same date as the amendment cut-off.
The drafting also clarifies the scope of what is incorporated. The revised edition includes “all amendments up to 17 December 2025.” That phrase is crucial for legal certainty. It signals that if an amendment was made after 17 December 2025, it would not be reflected in this revised edition (though it may be reflected in a later revised edition or through subsequent amending instruments). Conversely, amendments made on or before the cut-off date are captured in the consolidated text.
Enacting formula and Schedule. The Order is made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 17(2) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act 1983.” Section 17(2) is the statutory gateway that permits the President to issue orders bringing revised editions into force. While the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule contents, the Schedule is where the updated subsidiary legislation is set out. Practitioners should therefore treat the Schedule as the substantive repository of the consolidated rules, while the Order itself functions as the legal mechanism that activates the revised edition.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short Order with a small number of provisions, followed by a Schedule. Based on the extract, the structure is:
(1) Enacting formula. It identifies the legal authority (section 17(2) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act 1983) and confirms that the President makes the Order.
(2) Provisions. The Order contains:
- Section 1: Citation (short title).
- Section 2: Coming into force of the revised edition set out in the Schedule.
(3) The Schedule. The Schedule sets out the “2025 Revised Edition of the subsidiary legislation” that incorporates amendments up to 17 December 2025. In practice, the Schedule is where lawyers will locate the consolidated text relevant to their matters. The Schedule may include multiple subsidiary instruments, each revised and consolidated as appropriate.
Versioning and timeline. The document portal indicates a timeline and that the “current version” is as at 27 March 2026. This is relevant because revised editions can be updated or reissued, and practitioners must ensure they are reading the correct version for the relevant period. The timeline also shows the key date: 15 December 2025 (SL 807/2025) as a reference point in the document history, while the coming into force is stated as 17 December 2025.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Because this Order is a revised edition mechanism, it applies broadly to anyone who is subject to the subsidiary legislation included in the Schedule. The Order itself is not directed to a particular class of persons (such as regulated entities, licensing applicants, or enforcement targets). Instead, it determines the authoritative text of the subsidiary legislation that governs those persons.
Accordingly, the practical “applicability” is indirect but universal: regulated stakeholders, legal practitioners, courts, and administrative agencies must apply the consolidated subsidiary legislation as it stands in the revised edition coming into force on 17 December 2025. If a matter arises after that date, the revised edition is the starting point for determining the applicable legal requirements, unless a later amendment has changed the position.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is short, it is important for legal practice because it addresses a perennial problem: how to identify the correct legal text after multiple amendments. Singapore’s legislative framework relies on both primary legislation and subsidiary legislation. Subsidiary legislation is often amended frequently, and without consolidated revised editions, practitioners would need to piece together the law by tracking amendments across time.
This Order provides a clean consolidation point. By bringing into force a revised edition that incorporates amendments up to a defined cut-off date, it helps ensure that practitioners can cite and apply the law accurately. This reduces the risk of relying on outdated provisions, misquoting statutory wording, or overlooking amendments that have been incorporated into the consolidated text.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the revised edition can also affect how obligations are interpreted. Even where the substantive content is unchanged, consolidation can clarify drafting, renumber provisions, and reorganise schedules. Those changes can matter in litigation and compliance documentation, where precise references to sections, definitions, and schedules are often required.
Finally, the Order is a reminder that legislative authority is not only about “what the rules are”, but also about when the rules are in force and which version is authoritative. For time-sensitive matters—such as offences, licensing decisions, or contractual disputes—knowing the commencement date (17 December 2025) and the amendment cut-off (amendments up to 17 December 2025) is essential.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act 1983 (authorising Act; in particular section 17(2))
- Laws Act 1983 (referenced in the metadata and document portal context)
- Legislation timeline / amendments records (for version verification and cross-checking the correct revised edition)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(2)) (No. 2) Order 2025 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.