Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 2) Order 2021
- Act Code: RTA1961-S941-2021
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276), specifically section 142
- Citation: SL 941/2021
- Date Made: 7 December 2021
- Commencement: 16 December 2021
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Provisions (from extract): Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Exemption)
- Instrument Being Modified: Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5), specifically rule 5(1)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 2) Order 2021 is a narrowly targeted legislative instrument. In plain terms, it grants a specific exemption from a rule in the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules for a particular motor vehicle identified by its engine and chassis numbers.
Unlike broad regulatory reforms that change licensing or registration requirements for all vehicles, this Order operates as an exception for one vehicle registered in the name of a named individual. The Order is made under the Road Traffic Act, which empowers the Minister for Transport to create exemptions from certain requirements in the subsidiary rules.
The Order’s practical effect is to ensure that rule 5(1) of the relevant Rules does not apply to the specified vehicle. This allows the vehicle to be registered (or otherwise dealt with) without meeting the condition(s) that rule 5(1) would ordinarily require for vehicles more than three years old.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the formal identification of the instrument and when it takes effect. It states that the Order is cited as the “Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 2) Order 2021” and that it comes into operation on 16 December 2021. For practitioners, this matters because any exemption can only be relied upon after commencement, and the effective date may be relevant to registration timelines, compliance checks, and any dispute about whether the exemption was available at a particular time.
Section 2 (Exemption) is the operative provision. It specifies that rule 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules does not apply to a particular vehicle. The vehicle is identified with precision using both engine number and chassis number, namely:
- Engine number: DCB037523
- Chassis number: WP1ZZZ9YZKDA05558
Section 2 also states that the vehicle is registered in the name of Teng Jun Han Edmund. This combination—unique vehicle identifiers plus the registered owner’s name—confirms that the exemption is not intended to be general. It is designed to apply only to the specified vehicle in the specified registration context.
From a legal and compliance perspective, the key question is what rule 5(1) requires. The extract does not reproduce rule 5(1), but the Order’s title indicates that the exemption relates to vehicles “more than 3 years old.” Typically, such provisions in vehicle registration frameworks are aimed at ensuring that older vehicles meet additional conditions (for example, inspection, documentation, or compliance with certain standards) before they can be registered. The Order’s language—“does not apply”—means that the specified vehicle is relieved from whatever obligation or restriction rule 5(1) would otherwise impose.
Practitioners should note the legal drafting technique used: the exemption is framed as a disapplication of a specific rule to a specific vehicle. This is different from, for example, granting a discretionary waiver or allowing an alternative compliance pathway. The effect is categorical for the identified vehicle: rule 5(1) is simply not applicable.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is structured in a very compact form, reflecting its limited scope. It contains:
- Enacting Formula: states that the Minister for Transport makes the Order in exercise of powers conferred by section 142 of the Road Traffic Act.
- Section 1: “Citation and commencement” (identification and commencement date).
- Section 2: “Exemption” (the substantive disapplication of rule 5(1) to the specified vehicle).
There are no additional parts, schedules, or complex procedural provisions in the extract. The instrument is essentially a targeted legal “switch” that turns off the operation of one rule for one vehicle.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption applies to one specific vehicle—identified by engine and chassis numbers—and it applies in the context that the vehicle is registered in the name of Teng Jun Han Edmund. Therefore, the Order does not create a general class of beneficiaries (such as all vehicles older than three years, or all vehicles of a certain make/model). Instead, it is owner- and vehicle-specific.
In practical terms, the Order is relevant to the named registered owner and any parties acting for them (for example, their vehicle agent, transporter, or legal representatives) when dealing with registration processes that would otherwise be affected by rule 5(1). It may also be relevant to enforcement officers or administrative decision-makers who must determine whether rule 5(1) applies to a given vehicle at a given time.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is short, it is legally significant because it demonstrates how Singapore’s regulatory framework uses subsidiary legislation to manage edge cases and specific compliance situations. Vehicle registration rules often contain technical requirements that can be difficult to satisfy in particular circumstances—such as documentation issues, timing of importation, or the practicalities of meeting inspection or certification requirements for older vehicles. Section 142 of the Road Traffic Act provides the Minister with the power to grant exemptions, and this Order is one example of that mechanism in action.
For practitioners, the importance lies in the certainty the exemption provides. If a registration authority or enforcement officer were to apply rule 5(1) to the specified vehicle, the Order supplies a direct legal basis to argue that rule 5(1) is not applicable. This can be crucial in administrative disputes, compliance reviews, or when determining whether a vehicle’s registration status was lawfully processed.
Another practical point is the commencement date. The exemption operates from 16 December 2021. If a registration event, inspection, or enforcement action occurred before that date, the exemption may not be available. Conversely, actions taken after commencement should take the exemption into account. Lawyers advising on timelines should therefore treat the commencement date as a key fact.
Finally, this Order is part of a broader pattern of “exemption orders” that are issued to address specific vehicles. While this particular Order is “(No. 2)”—suggesting there is at least one earlier related exemption order—each exemption order typically stands on its own and must be checked for the exact vehicle identifiers and the exact rule being disapplied.
Related Legislation
- Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276) — in particular section 142 (power to make exemptions)
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules — in particular rule 5(1)
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 1) Order 2021 (implied by the “No. 2” numbering; practitioners should verify the exact title and instrument number)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 2) Order 2021 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.