Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Car Bodies Fairway Taxis) (Exemption) Order 2012
- Act Code: RTA1961-S91-2012
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276)
- Power Used: Section 142 of the Road Traffic Act
- Enacting Formula Date: 7 March 2012
- Commencement: 8 March 2012
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026 (per the legislation portal)
- Key Provisions: Sections/paragraphs 1–3 and the Schedule (description of taxis)
- Primary Beneficiary: SMRT Taxis Pte. Ltd.
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Car Bodies Fairway Taxis) (Exemption) Order 2012 is a targeted regulatory instrument made under the Road Traffic Act. In plain terms, it allows certain taxis operated by SMRT Taxis Pte. Ltd. to receive exemptions from specific age-related and licensing/renewal limitations that would otherwise apply under the Road Traffic Act and its subsidiary rules.
The Order is not a general relaxation of taxi rules for all operators. Instead, it is tightly scoped: it applies only to “every taxi registered in the name of SMRT Taxis Pte. Ltd.” and “described in the Schedule.” The Schedule (not reproduced in the extract) is therefore central—practitioners should treat it as the definitive list or description of the affected taxi car bodies/vehicles.
At its core, the Order addresses a practical tension in taxi regulation: maintaining vehicle quality and safety through age limits, while allowing continuity of service and operational planning for a specific fleet. The exemptions are granted only if the operator meets a set of conditions, including wheelchair accessibility requirements, approval of a disabled-person conveyance service, and additional financial payments (quota premium/levy) to compensate for the extended use of older vehicles.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and commencement (paragraph 1)
Paragraph 1 provides the formal citation and states that the Order came into operation on 8 March 2012. For practitioners, this matters when determining whether any exemption-related actions (such as applications, renewals, or rebates/levies) were taken within the effective period.
2. The exemptions (paragraph 2)
Paragraph 2 sets out the exemptions. Subject to the conditions in paragraph 3, the Order exempts the specified SMRT taxis from multiple provisions that would otherwise restrict the continued registration, licensing renewal, and quota certificate term for taxis beyond 8 years. The exemptions are expressed “in so far as” they apply to cancel registration, limit renewal, limit the term of certificate of entitlement, and restrict rebate applications.
Specifically, the exemptions cover:
- Section 27(1)(e) of the Road Traffic Act (as far as it applies to cancel registration when the taxi age exceeds 8 years).
- Rule 4(2)(c)(ii) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules (as far as it does not permit renewal of a licence granted under Part V in respect of a taxi more than 8 years old).
- Rule 16(1)(a)(iii) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Quota System) Rules (as far as it limits the term of the certificate of entitlement for the taxi to 8 years).
- Rule 8 of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (as far as it does not allow an application for and the grant of the rebate under that rule in respect of the taxi).
Legal significance: The exemptions are not merely procedural; they directly affect the operator’s ability to keep taxis registered and licensed beyond the standard 8-year threshold, and they also interact with rebate entitlements. This means that compliance strategies must be aligned with both the exemption and the conditions that trigger it.
3. Conditions of exemption (paragraph 3)
Paragraph 3 is the heart of the Order. It makes the exemptions conditional. If the conditions are not met, the exemptions may not be available, and the operator could face the underlying age-based cancellation/renewal restrictions.
The conditions include the following:
- Wheelchair conveyance service requirement (paragraph 3(a)): Each taxi described in the Schedule must also be used in an approved service conveying disabled persons in wheelchairs. The service must be approved by the Registrar.
- Additional quota premium where entitlement issued under rule 11 (paragraph 3(b)): If the certificate of entitlement for the affected taxi was issued under rule 11 of the quota system rules, an additional quota premium must be payable to the Registrar before expiry (or such further period as the Registrar extends under rule 24(3A)).
- Formula for additional quota premium (paragraph 3(c)): The additional premium equals the difference between:
- (i) 90% of the amount calculated under rule 14(1)(a) of the quota rules; and
- (ii) the quota premium paid under rule 14(1)(d) when the taxi was registered.
- Additional levy where entitlement restored under rule 24(6) (paragraph 3(d)): If the certificate of entitlement had been restored under rule 24(6), an additional levy must be payable before expiry (or such further period as the Registrar extends under rule 24B(6)).
- Formula for additional levy (paragraph 3(e)): The additional levy equals the difference between:
- (i) 90% of the average of quota premiums payable for certificates of entitlement in the relevant vehicle category issued during the 3 months immediately preceding restoration; and
- (ii) the amount paid under paragraph (1)(ba) of the First Schedule when the taxi was registered.
- Wheelchair ramp equipment requirement (paragraph 3(f)): Each taxi must be equipped with a wheelchair ramp approved by the Registrar for the wheelchair conveyance service.
- Rebate computation adjustment upon cancellation (paragraph 3(g)): If registration is cancelled when the taxi is more than 8 years old but not more than 9 years old, any applicable rebate the Registrar may grant under rule 8 of the registration/licensing rules must be computed in accordance with paragraph (7)(c) of that rule.
- permanently removed from all roads in Singapore, or
- destroyed or permanently removed from Singapore,
- (i) expiry of the certificate of entitlement; or
- (ii) cessation of the conveyance service for the taxi.
- Enacting Formula: States the legal basis (section 142 of the Road Traffic Act) and that the Minister for Transport makes the Order.
- Section/paragraph 1 (Citation and commencement): Provides the short title and commencement date.
- Section/paragraph 2 (Exemption): Identifies the scope of exemptions and the specific provisions from which the taxis are exempted.
- Section/paragraph 3 (Conditions of exemption): Sets out the conditions that must be satisfied for the exemptions to apply.
- THE SCHEDULE: Describes the taxis. This is crucial for determining which vehicles are covered.
- Road Traffic Act (Chapter 276) — in particular section 142 (power to make the Order) and section 27(1)(e) (age-based cancellation trigger).
- Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules (R 14) — in particular rule 4(2)(c)(ii) (renewal limitation for taxis beyond 8 years).
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Quota System) Rules (R 31) — in particular rule 16(1)(a)(iii) (certificate term limitation), and rule 11, rule 14, rule 24(3A), rule 24(6), and rule 24B(6) as referenced in the premium/levy conditions.
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5) — in particular rule 8 (rebate application/grant) and the rebate computation referenced in paragraph 3(g).
Proof of removal/destruction within one month (paragraph 3(h)): SMRT Taxis Pte. Ltd. must produce proof, to the Registrar’s satisfaction, that each affected taxi has been:within one month (or such further period as the Registrar allows) after either:Practical compliance point: The conditions combine operational obligations (wheelchair service and equipment) with financial and administrative obligations (quota premium/levy, rebate computation rules, and post-expiry removal proof). A lawyer advising SMRT or a taxi operator would typically treat these as ongoing compliance duties, not one-off approvals.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a conventional format for Singapore subsidiary legislation:In practice, the Schedule functions like a boundary marker. Even if an operator meets all conditions, the exemption may not apply to vehicles not within the Schedule’s description.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to taxis registered in the name of SMRT Taxis Pte. Ltd. that are described in the Schedule. It is therefore operator-specific and fleet-specific. It does not create a general right for other taxi companies to claim similar exemptions.Although the conditions require operational use (wheelchair conveyance service) and equipment (approved wheelchair ramps), the legal beneficiary of the exemptions is the operator whose taxis are within the Schedule. The Registrar’s role is also significant: approvals and calculations (quota premium/levy, rebate computation, and ramp approval) are administered by the Registrar, meaning that the operator’s compliance and documentation will be central to whether the exemptions can be relied upon.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it demonstrates how Singapore’s regulatory framework balances vehicle age limits with policy objectives such as accessibility for disabled persons. The exemptions allow certain taxis to remain in operation beyond the standard 8-year threshold, but only where the operator provides an approved wheelchair conveyance service and equips the taxis accordingly.From an enforcement and risk perspective, the conditions in paragraph 3 create a compliance “package.” If SMRT fails to maintain the wheelchair service approval, fails to equip taxis with approved ramps, or fails to provide the required proof of permanent removal/destruction within the stipulated timeframe after entitlement expiry or service cessation, the operator may lose the benefit of the exemptions and become exposed to the underlying statutory rules on cancellation and renewal.For practitioners, the Order is also a useful example of how exemptions interact with the quota system and licensing rules. The additional quota premium and additional levy formulas show that exemptions are not granted without economic adjustments. Advising on renewals, entitlement restorations, and rebate computations will require careful cross-referencing of the quota system rules and the registration/licensing rules, as the Order imports those calculations by reference.
Related Legislation
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Road Traffic (Car Bodies Fairway Taxis) (Exemption) Order 2012 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.