Statute Details
- Title: Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) (Class Licence) Order 2021
- Act Code: SMECLA2020-OR2
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) Act 2020
- Legislative Status: Current version (as at 27 Mar 2026)
- Key Instrument Dates (from legislative history): 17 May 2021 (SL 319/2021); 2 Jun 2025 (2025 Revised Edition)
- Commencement Date: Not stated in the extract (instrument applies to services provided “at any time on or after 17 May 2021”)
- Key Sections (from extract): Section 2 (definitions); Section 3 (class licence scope); Section 4 (notice to LTA); Section 5 (updating notice particulars); Section 6 (speed recording device condition for “class licensee A”)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) (Class Licence) Order 2021 (“the Order”) is a regulatory instrument made under the Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) Act 2020. In practical terms, it creates a class licence regime for certain shared mobility services—meaning that qualifying operators do not need to obtain an individual licence for each service, but they must comply with defined conditions and administrative requirements.
The Order focuses on shared mobility services involving specific categories of personal mobility devices. It is particularly concerned with services that allow individuals to hire and return (or “dock”) vehicles in connection with riding in public places and/or in designated docking locations. The class licence is not automatic for all shared mobility activity; it applies only where the service falls within the Order’s defined scope and is not exempt under the Act.
Two compliance themes run through the extract. First, operators must provide timely notice to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) about the service and must update that notice when particulars change. Second, for a subset of operators (“class licensee A”), the Order imposes operational conditions relating to speed measurement—requiring speedometers and portable speed recording devices, and requiring an “always-on declaration” by riders.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Scope of the class licence (Section 3)
Section 3(1) sets out when a person providing a shared mobility service is “subject to a class licence” in connection with that service. The trigger is whether the service is provided “in the course of business” at any time on or after 17 May 2021, and whether it uses the relevant device categories.
Under Section 3(1)(a), the class licence applies (unless exempt under section 47 of the Act) to shared mobility services using registrable personal mobility devices or power-assisted bicycles under which an individual can hire a docked vehicle to ride on wholly or partly in a public place and then end the hiring with the vehicle docked in or at any place (public or not). The “docked” feature is central: the service is structured around docking at the end of the rental.
Under Section 3(1)(b), the class licence also applies to shared mobility services using motorised personal mobility devices without handlebars (and not in combination with the vehicles in Section 3(1)(a)). Again, the service must allow the individual to hire a docked device to ride on wholly or partly in a public place and end the hiring with the device docked in or at any place.
2. Notice to the LTA (Section 4)
Section 4 imposes a mandatory administrative obligation on class licensees. A class licensee must give notice to the LTA about the shared mobility service described in Section 3(1) it is providing. The timing depends on whether the operator was already providing the service on 16 May 2021 or starts on or after 17 May 2021.
For operators already providing the service on 16 May 2021, notice must be given no later than 16 June 2021. For operators starting on or after 17 May 2021, notice must be given no later than the 30th day after starting.
Section 4(2) specifies the content of the notice. It is detailed and includes: (i) the class licensee’s identity and business form (sole proprietor, corporation, partnership, or unincorporated association); (ii) corporate/registration particulars such as address, telephone number, date and place of incorporation/registration (as applicable), and UEN; (iii) at least one person in Singapore authorised to accept notices and documents on the class licensee’s behalf; (iv) at least one nominated representative in Singapore for the service; and (v) a description of the vehicle construction/type and the total number of such vehicles used or to be used.
3. Updating notice particulars (Section 5)
Section 5(1) requires a class licensee to notify the LTA of any change in any particulars contained in a notice earlier given under Sections 4 or 5. This is a continuing duty, not a one-off filing obligation.
Section 5(2) sets the deadline: the notice of change must be given to the LTA no later than 14 days after the change occurs. For practitioners, the key compliance point is that “particulars” are not limited to major changes; any change in any of the listed notice particulars can trigger the 14-day update requirement.
4. Speed recording device conditions for “class licensee A” (Section 6)
Section 6 is the most operationally significant provision in the extract. It applies to class licensee A, defined as a class licensee providing a shared mobility service mentioned in Section 3(1)(a). In other words, it applies to services using registrable personal mobility devices or power-assisted bicycles under Section 3(1)(a), not to the “no handlebars” category in Section 3(1)(b).
Section 6 requires the class licensee A to ensure that, for every registrable personal mobility device or power-assisted bicycle used in the authorised shared mobility service, three sets of requirements are met.
First (Section 6(a)), each vehicle must have installed or affixed a working speedometer or like machine/device capable of measuring and displaying the rider’s speed.
Second (Section 6(b)), before the hire starts, the hirer must have in possession a portable speed recording device that is not provided by the class licensee and is in working order. The vehicle must also have a working bracket or like apparatus enabling mounting of the portable speed recording device. Finally, the hirer must make an always-on declaration regarding wearing/carrying/using the portable speed recording device when riding.
Third (Section 6(c)), alternatively (or in addition), before the hire starts, the hirer may be provided with a portable speed recording device in working order by the class licensee, and the hirer must make an always-on declaration regarding the use of that provided device.
The “always-on declaration” is defined in Section 2 as an undertaking by the individual giving the undertaking to (a) wear, carry or use the portable speed recording device and (b) not to switch off or otherwise disengage the speed recording features when the device is in the individual’s possession. This is designed to ensure continuous recording during the ride, which is a compliance and evidentiary mechanism.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Although the extract shows only Sections 1 to 6, the Order’s structure is straightforward:
Section 1 provides the citation of the Order.
Section 2 contains definitions that are essential to interpreting the scope and operational obligations (including “class licensee”, “class licensee A”, “portable speed recording device”, and “always-on declaration”).
Section 3 establishes when the class licence applies—i.e., which shared mobility services and which device categories are covered.
Section 4 sets out the initial notice requirement to the LTA and the required content of that notice.
Section 5 imposes a continuing duty to update notice particulars within a fixed timeframe (14 days).
Section 6 sets specific conditions for class licensee A relating to speed measurement and rider use of speed recording devices.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to persons providing qualifying shared mobility services in the course of business at any time on or after 17 May 2021, where the service uses the relevant device categories and docking arrangements described in Section 3(1). It is not limited to a particular corporate form; it expressly covers sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, and unincorporated associations.
However, applicability is conditional. The class licence applies unless exempt under section 47 of the Act. In addition, the more stringent speed recording device obligations in Section 6 apply only to class licensee A (services under Section 3(1)(a)). Operators providing the Section 3(1)(b) category (motorised personal mobility devices without handlebars) are within the class licence framework but are not within the specific “class licensee A” speed recording device condition as stated in the extract.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it operationalises the Act’s licensing framework through a class licence approach. For practitioners advising shared mobility operators, it reduces the need for individual licensing applications for covered services, but it increases the need for careful compliance with notice and operational conditions. Non-compliance with notice duties or with the speed recording conditions (where applicable) can create regulatory risk, including potential suspension or disapplication under the Act (not shown in the extract, but referenced in the definition of “class licensee”).
The notice regime in Sections 4 and 5 is particularly significant for governance and regulatory reporting. The LTA must receive structured information about the operator, nominated representatives, and the vehicle fleet. The 14-day update requirement for any change in particulars means operators must implement internal processes to track changes in corporate details, representatives, and fleet descriptions. From a legal risk perspective, this is a compliance “paper trail” requirement that can be used to assess whether an operator remains within the class licence conditions.
Section 6’s speed recording device requirements reflect a policy objective: enabling speed measurement and ensuring that rider speed data can be recorded reliably. The combination of (i) a vehicle-mounted speedometer, (ii) a portable speed recording device (either provided by the operator or possessed by the hirer), and (iii) an always-on declaration is designed to reduce gaps in recording and to create a contractual/undertaking basis for continuous recording. Practitioners should note that the definition of “portable speed recording device” is technology-inclusive (mobile phones, tablets, wearable devices) and that the “always-on declaration” is an undertaking not to disengage recording features—raising issues of enforceability, user instructions, and evidence of compliance.
Related Legislation
- Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) Act 2020 (authorising Act; referenced for exemptions and the overall licensing framework)
- Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) (Class Licence) Order 2021 (this instrument; includes definitions and conditions for class licensees)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Shared Mobility Enterprises (Control and Licensing) (Class Licence) Order 2021 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.