Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 3) Order 2022
- Act Code: RTA1961-S684-2022
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act 1961
- Authorising Provision: Section 142 of the Road Traffic Act 1961
- Order Number: (No. 3) Order 2022
- SL Citation: SL 684/2022
- Commencement Date: 17 August 2022
- Enacting Formula / Maker: Minister for Transport (made by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport)
- Maker: LOH NGAI SENG, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport
- Date Made: 11 August 2022
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Operative Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Exemption)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption for Vehicles More Than 3 Years Old) (No. 3) Order 2022 (“the Order”) is a narrow, vehicle-specific exemption instrument made under the Road Traffic Act 1961. In plain terms, it allows a particular motor vehicle—identified by its engine and chassis numbers—to be treated differently from the general rule set out in the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules.
Although the Order’s title refers to “vehicles more than 3 years old,” the operative effect in this particular Order is not a broad policy change. Instead, it exempts one identified vehicle from the application of a specific rule: Rule 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (commonly referred to as “R 5” in the extract). The exemption is limited to the vehicle bearing the specified engine number and chassis number, and it applies only when that vehicle is registered in the name of a specified company.
Practically, such orders are used to address exceptional circumstances—commonly involving administrative, compliance, or documentation issues—where the general regulatory requirement would otherwise apply but where an exemption is considered appropriate. For practitioners, the key is to understand that this is not a general exemption regime; it is a targeted carve-out tied to unique identifiers and a particular registered owner.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the formal identification and timing of the Order. 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. 3) Order 2022 and that it comes into operation on 17 August 2022. For legal and compliance purposes, this commencement date matters because it determines when the exemption becomes effective and therefore when the vehicle may lawfully rely on the exemption.
Section 2 (Exemption) is the operative clause. It states that Rule 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules does not apply to a specific vehicle. The vehicle is identified with precision using two technical identifiers:
- Engine number: DEC012851
- Chassis number: WUAZZZF42KA900281
In addition, the exemption is conditional on the vehicle being registered in the name of CARS & COFFEE GEM PTE. LTD. (UEN 202039041M). This means the exemption is not transferable merely by changing possession or use; it is tied to the registered owner as well as the vehicle’s identifiers. If the vehicle were registered under a different name, the exemption would not automatically follow, because the legal text specifies the registered name.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the phrase “does not apply to the vehicle bearing…” is significant. It indicates a true exemption from the operation of the relevant rule, rather than a modification or partial compliance. Therefore, the exempted vehicle is treated as if Rule 5(1) is inapplicable to it, subject to the conditions stated in the Order.
Although the extract does not reproduce the content of Rule 5(1), the structure of the exemption suggests that Rule 5(1) imposes some regulatory requirement that would otherwise apply to vehicles falling within the relevant category (as indicated by the Order’s title). The exemption order effectively removes that requirement for the specified vehicle and registered owner. Lawyers advising clients on registration, licensing, or compliance should therefore focus on whether the client’s vehicle matches the engine and chassis numbers and whether the registration is in the specified company’s name.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is extremely short and consists of an enacting formula and two substantive provisions:
- Section 1: Citation and commencement (sets out the legal name of the Order and the date it takes effect).
- Section 2: Exemption (states the scope of the exemption and identifies the vehicle and registered owner).
There are no schedules or additional parts in the extract. The drafting style reflects the nature of subsidiary legislation used for targeted exemptions: it is designed to be read alongside the underlying Rules (here, Rule 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules) and to specify precisely which element of the general regulatory framework is being disapplied.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to a specific motor vehicle—identified by its engine number and chassis number—and to the specified registered owner, namely CARS & COFFEE GEM PTE. LTD. (UEN 202039041M). It does not create a general class of beneficiaries (such as all vehicles older than three years) and does not apply to other vehicles, even if they are similar in age or type.
Accordingly, the practical “audience” for the Order is the registered owner and any parties involved in the vehicle’s registration and licensing compliance. If the vehicle is sold or its registration is transferred to another entity, the exemption would likely cease to apply unless a further exemption order is issued or the registration remains with the named company. Lawyers should therefore treat the registered-owner condition as a critical compliance checkpoint.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Order is brief, it can be highly consequential for the affected vehicle’s regulatory status. In Singapore’s road traffic regulatory framework, compliance with registration and licensing rules is typically a prerequisite to lawful operation and to avoiding administrative enforcement issues. Where a rule would otherwise apply, an exemption order can provide the legal basis to proceed without breaching the underlying requirement.
For practitioners, the importance lies in precision and evidentiary clarity. The Order uses exact engine and chassis numbers and a specific UEN-identified company. This drafting approach reduces ambiguity and allows enforcement authorities and regulated parties to verify eligibility by reference to objective identifiers. In disputes or compliance reviews, these identifiers are likely to be central: if they do not match, the exemption cannot be relied upon.
Finally, the Order illustrates how Singapore’s subsidiary legislation system can be used to manage exceptional cases within a broader regulatory scheme. Rather than amending the general Rules, the Minister (under the Road Traffic Act 1961) can disapply a rule for a particular vehicle. This approach can be faster and more targeted, but it also means that legal advice must be vehicle- and owner-specific. A practitioner should therefore not assume that the exemption extends beyond the text’s narrow boundaries.
Related Legislation
- Road Traffic Act 1961 (authorising provision: section 142)
- 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. 3) Order 2022 (SL 684/2022) — the subject instrument
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. 3) Order 2022 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.