Statute Details
- Title: Sewerage and Drainage (Fees) Regulations 2015
- Act Code: SDA1999-S251-2015
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Sewerage and Drainage Act (Chapter 294)
- Enacting authority: Public Utilities Board (PUB), with Ministerial approval
- Legal basis for making: Section 74(1) of the Sewerage and Drainage Act
- Citation and commencement: Commenced on 30 April 2015
- Current status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key provisions (as reflected in the extract): Regulation 2 (fees for copies of plans/records), Regulation 2A (fees for clearance certificate/Board approval applications), Regulation 2B (fees for administrative exemptions), Regulation 3 (remission/refund)
- Notable amendments (from the timeline shown): S 111/2022 (w.e.f. 31/03/2022); S 912/2023 (w.e.f. 01/01/2024); S 206/2025 (w.e.f. 01/04/2025)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Sewerage and Drainage (Fees) Regulations 2015 is a Singapore subsidiary law that sets out the fees payable to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) in connection with certain administrative and regulatory processes under the Sewerage and Drainage Act. In practical terms, it tells applicants how much they must pay when they request copies of plans or records, apply for certain clearances or approvals relating to sewerage and drainage works, or seek exemptions from specified requirements.
While the underlying regulatory framework is found in the Sewerage and Drainage Act, the Regulations focus on the cost side—how fees are calculated, when they must be paid, and what categories of projects or requirements attract different fee levels. The Regulations also provide a discretion for the PUB to remit or refund fees in appropriate cases.
For practitioners, the Regulations are important because fee provisions can affect timelines, compliance strategy, and the administrative handling of applications. They also interact with the Act’s approval and exemption mechanisms, which may be relevant to development projects, building works, and clearance processes for works that fall within the Act’s scope.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Regulation 1 (Citation and commencement) is straightforward: it provides the short title and confirms that the Regulations came into operation on 30 April 2015. This matters for determining which fee schedule applies to applications made before and after commencement, particularly where projects span multiple dates.
Regulation 2 (Fees for copies of plans or records) sets the fee payable for obtaining copies of plans or records referred to in the Act. Under Regulation 2(1), the fee payable under section 13A(2) of the Act for a copy of any plan or record referred to in section 13A(1)(a) of the Act is $3.55. The extract indicates that this fee has been amended over time (with references to amendments effective 31 March 2022 and 1 January 2024). Although the amount is modest, it is still legally significant because it determines the cost of access to regulated information and may be relevant to due diligence, litigation preparation, or technical review.
Regulation 2A (Fees for applications under section 33(1) of the Act) is one of the most practically important provisions. It specifies the fee payable for an application under section 33(1) of the Act for either:
- a clearance certificate, or
- the approval of the Board in respect of any works for the purposes of sections 11, 14, 23 or 24 of the Act.
Regulation 2A(1) establishes a two-tier fee structure depending on whether the works involve a minor project or a major project:
- Minor project: $1,450 for the works to which the application relates.
- Major project: $1,850 for the works to which the application relates.
Regulation 2A(2) adds an important procedural requirement: the fee must accompany the first submission of the plans for the works made during the application. This is a compliance trigger. If the fee is not paid with the first submission, the application may be treated as incomplete or delayed, which can affect project schedules and downstream approvals.
Regulation 2A(3) defines “major project” and “minor project”. “Major project” is essentially a residual category: it means a project other than a minor project. “Minor project” is defined with specificity, including:
- Works for only a single unit of a strata landed dwelling-housing or landed housing (examples given include terrace house, detached house, semi-detached house, bungalow, or landed public house);
- Works for an external structure (examples include covered linkway, bus shelter, pedestrian overhead bridge, pavilion, taxi stand, or vehicle drop-off point); and
- Simple or small-scale works eligible for the Direct Submission Process under the electronic service described in section 42AA of the Building Control Act 1989.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the definitions are where disputes often arise. Determining whether a project is “minor” may require careful mapping of the works to the categories in Regulation 2A(3), including whether the works qualify as “single unit” works, whether the structure is “external” within the examples, and whether the project is eligible for the Direct Submission Process under the Building Control Act framework. Where the classification is uncertain, counsel should consider obtaining clarification from PUB early to avoid fee underpayment or reclassification.
Regulation 2B (Fees for applications for administrative exemptions) introduces a fee for a different type of application: an application under section 73A(1) of the Act for the PUB to exempt a particular person from the operation of specified requirements. The fee is $950 for each requirement for which the exemption is sought, in relation to any requirement for works for the purposes of sections 11, 14, 23 or 24 of the Act.
Regulation 2B( a ) and ( b ) specify what counts as a “requirement” for exemption purposes:
- Any provision of the Act (including material incorporated by reference under section 32A of the Act); and
- Any provision of any specification or code of practice mentioned in section 32 of the Act.
This “per requirement” approach is significant. If an applicant seeks exemption from multiple provisions (for example, several Act provisions or multiple code/specification provisions), the total fee may scale accordingly. Practitioners should therefore scope exemption requests with precision and consider whether some requirements can be addressed through alternative compliance measures rather than exemption.
Regulation 3 (Remission or refund of fees) provides a discretionary safety valve. The PUB may, as it thinks fit, remit or refund any fee paid or payable under these Regulations, wholly or in part. This discretion can be relevant where an application is withdrawn, where an administrative error occurs, or where circumstances justify equitable relief. However, because it is discretionary, it should not be assumed that refunds will be granted; counsel should document the basis for requesting remission/refund and align the request with the PUB’s administrative practice.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are concise and structured around four operative provisions:
(1) Regulation 1 sets the citation and commencement date.
(2) Regulation 2 deals with fees for copies of plans or records.
(3) Regulation 2A sets fees for applications for clearance certificates or Board approvals relating to specified types of works, with a minor/major project distinction and a procedural payment timing requirement.
(4) Regulation 2B sets fees for applications seeking administrative exemptions, priced per requirement.
(5) Regulation 3 provides the PUB’s discretion to remit or refund fees.
Notably, the Regulations do not create substantive engineering or compliance standards; instead, they operationalise the Act’s administrative processes by attaching fees and defining categories relevant to fee calculation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to persons who interact with the PUB under the Sewerage and Drainage Act in the specific ways covered by the Regulations: requesting copies of plans/records, applying for clearance certificates or Board approvals for works under the relevant sections of the Act, and applying for administrative exemptions under section 73A(1) of the Act.
In practice, this includes developers, property owners, contractors, consultants, and other stakeholders who submit plans or applications for sewerage and drainage-related works. The fee categories in Regulation 2A and the exemption fee mechanism in Regulation 2B are particularly relevant to project teams managing classification of works (minor vs major) and structuring exemption requests.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Regulations are “fees-only” legislation, they can materially affect project administration and compliance outcomes. First, Regulation 2A(2) requires that the fee accompany the first submission of plans. This means fee payment is not merely a financial obligation; it is tied to procedural completeness and can influence processing timelines. For practitioners advising on project schedules, this is a key operational detail.
Second, the minor/major project distinction in Regulation 2A(3) can affect the cost of clearance/approval applications by a meaningful margin ($1,450 vs $1,850). More importantly, classification affects how the PUB will treat the application administratively. Misclassification may lead to correction requests, delays, or disputes over whether the correct fee was paid for the scope of works.
Third, Regulation 2B’s “$950 per requirement” approach for administrative exemptions encourages careful drafting and strategic scoping. Exemption applications can be complex because they may involve multiple provisions of the Act and/or multiple incorporated specifications or codes of practice. Counsel should therefore map the exact requirements from which exemption is sought and consider whether partial exemptions or alternative compliance pathways could reduce both cost and administrative burden.
Finally, Regulation 3 provides discretion for remission/refund. While not a right, it offers a potential remedy in appropriate circumstances. Practitioners should be prepared to support requests with clear factual explanations and a coherent basis for why remission/refund is warranted.
Related Legislation
- Sewerage and Drainage Act (Chapter 294) (including sections 13A, 33, 73A, and the works provisions referenced in the Regulations)
- Building Control Act 1989 (notably section 42AA and the Direct Submission Process referenced in the definition of “minor project”)
- Drainage Act (listed in the provided metadata as related legislation)
- Timeline (as a legislative versioning reference tool for amendments and current status)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Sewerage and Drainage (Fees) Regulations 2015 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.