Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption) (No. 3) Order 2011
- Act Code: RTA1961-S325-2011
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276)
- Enacting Power: Section 142 of the Road Traffic Act
- Enacting Formula: Minister for Transport makes the Order in exercise of powers under section 142
- Commencement: 10 June 2011
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Exemption)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Related Legislation: Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5); Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption) (No. 3) Order 2011 is a short, targeted exemption order made under the Road Traffic Act. In plain terms, it creates a specific exception to a general rule in the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules. Rather than changing the rules for everyone, it applies only to a particular vehicle identified by its engine and chassis numbers.
Exemption orders like this are typically used when the general regulatory requirements—such as rules governing registration, licensing, or related administrative obligations—would not be appropriate for a particular vehicle due to its circumstances. The Order therefore allows the vehicle to be treated differently from the usual legal position, while keeping the general regulatory framework intact.
Practically, this Order matters most to parties who are dealing with the specific vehicle described in the exemption, including the vehicle owner, insurers, and any legal or administrative stakeholders involved in compliance with registration and licensing requirements. For practitioners, the key is to understand exactly what rule is being exempted, and the precise identity of the vehicle to which the exemption applies.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1: Citation and commencement provides the formal identification of the instrument and when it takes effect. The Order may be cited as the “Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption) (No. 3) Order 2011” and it comes into operation on 10 June 2011. This matters for determining whether any actions taken before that date were governed by the general rules or whether the exemption could be relied upon immediately.
Section 2: Exemption is the substantive provision. It states that Rule 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules shall not apply to a specified vehicle. The vehicle is identified with precision by both its engine number and chassis number: engine number 2GR8613007 and chassis number GSE215019254. The exemption is therefore not category-based (e.g., not “all vehicles of a type”), but person-and-vehicle-based.
Section 2 also identifies the vehicle owner as Lee Wai Pheng. The exemption is framed as applying to “the vehicle belonging to Lee Wai Pheng” bearing the specified engine and chassis numbers. This drafting approach is significant: it suggests that the exemption is tied to the ownership and the specific vehicle identifiers, rather than being a general exemption that would automatically follow the vehicle regardless of ownership. In practice, if ownership changes, practitioners should consider whether the exemption remains effective, or whether a further exemption order would be required. While the text does not expressly address transfer of ownership, the wording “belonging to” indicates that the exemption is anchored to the named owner.
What does “Rule 5(1) shall not apply” mean? The Order does not reproduce Rule 5(1) in the extract provided. However, the legal effect is clear: for the exempt vehicle, the obligations or prohibitions contained in Rule 5(1) are suspended or inapplicable. For compliance purposes, this means that the vehicle is treated as if Rule 5(1) does not exist—at least to the extent of the matters governed by that rule. Practitioners should therefore obtain and review the text of Rule 5(1) to determine the exact regulatory requirement being lifted (for example, whether it relates to registration, licensing, or another administrative condition). The exemption order is only as meaningful as the content of the rule it exempts.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Order is structured in a very simple format with two sections:
(a) Section 1 sets out the citation and commencement provisions.
(b) Section 2 contains the exemption provision, specifying the rule exempted (Rule 5(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules) and the exact vehicle to which the exemption applies (owner name plus engine and chassis numbers).
There are no schedules, parts, or additional conditions in the extract. The absence of further conditions suggests that the exemption is straightforward: once the Order is in force, Rule 5(1) does not apply to the identified vehicle.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption is narrowly targeted. It applies to the vehicle belonging to Lee Wai Pheng with the specified engine number and chassis number. It does not apply to other vehicles, even if they are similar in make, model, or year, unless they match the identifiers stated in the Order.
Because the Order is vehicle-specific and owner-specific in its wording, its practical applicability is limited. For lawyers advising clients, the key question is whether the vehicle in question is indeed the same vehicle described by the engine and chassis numbers. If there is any discrepancy—such as a different chassis number due to re-identification, replacement parts, or administrative re-tagging—then the exemption may not apply. Practitioners should therefore verify the vehicle identifiers against the official records maintained by the relevant authorities.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although this is a short instrument, it is legally significant because it modifies the application of subsidiary rules for a particular vehicle. In Singapore’s regulatory system, compliance with registration and licensing requirements is often a prerequisite for lawful operation and for administrative processes such as insurance claims, road tax/fees administration, and enforcement actions. By exempting the vehicle from Rule 5(1), the Order provides legal certainty that the general rule should not be enforced against that vehicle.
From an enforcement and dispute perspective, exemption orders can be decisive. If an authority were to take action alleging non-compliance with Rule 5(1), the existence of a valid exemption order would typically be a complete answer for the exempt vehicle, provided the identifiers match and the exemption is still in force. For practitioners, this means that the Order should be considered in any compliance review, enforcement response, or litigation involving the vehicle and the specific requirement in Rule 5(1).
For transactional and advisory work, the Order also highlights the importance of checking whether any exemptions exist that affect regulatory obligations. Vehicle owners and their advisers may assume that registration and licensing rules apply uniformly; however, exemption instruments demonstrate that exceptions can be granted. Where a client is buying, selling, or insuring a vehicle, counsel may need to confirm whether any exemptions apply and whether they are tied to the named owner or to the vehicle itself.
Related Legislation
- Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276) — in particular section 142 (power to make exemption orders)
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules — in particular Rule 5(1) (the provision exempted by this Order)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) (Exemption) (No. 3) Order 2011 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.