When you arrive in Singapore and intend to drive yourself, be it a rented car or your own car, you will be allowed to drive in Singapore with an English language international driving licence or a certified translation for a period of 12 months. You can usually obtain an international driving licence at the Automobile Association in your own country / the country of issue of the licence but remember that this is only valid together with your existing licence.
If you are staying long(er)-term on an Employment Pass, Dependents Pass or the like than within 12 months of moving to Singapore, you will need to convert your licence to a local, Singapore driving licence. Converting your licence is a fairly easy task, but plan well in advance, for this may take some time.
To convert your licence, you will need to take - and pass - a Basic Theory Test (BTT), to prove that you are familiar with the Singapore traffic rules and regulations. You can book your BTT with one of the three driving centers in Singapore:
- Comfort Driving Center
205 Ubi Avenue 4
Singapore 408805
Tel: 6841 8900
Fax: 6841 8913
Website: www.comfortdrivingcentre.com.sg
- Singapore Safety Driving Center
3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62
Industrial Park 3
Singapore 569139
Tel: 6482 6060
Fax: 6482 8808
Website: www.ssdcl.com.sg
- Bukit Batok Driving Center
815 Bukit Batok West Ave 5
Singapore 659085
Tel: 6561 1233
Fax: 6561 1266
Website: www.bbdc.com.sg
The BTT will cost S$6 and is fairly easy as long as you pick up a BTT learning book in any bookshop and do some studying.
Please bring along your passport and employment pass/dependents pass when you go in for the test (details on the SSDC website.
Once you have passed the test you can convert your licence. Please note that, unlike some other countries, you do not get the results of your test straight away. You will have to wait for the results to come in by mail, which may take up to two weeks. Also note that you may have to wait a few weeks before you can take the BBT so please plan your conversion well before the six-month grace period expires.
If you have passed the BTT, you can convert your licence at the Singapore Traffic Police Headquarters:
Singapore Traffic Police
10 Ubi Avenue 3
Singapore 408865
Tel: 6547 0000
Fax: 6547 4900
Website: www.spf.gov.sg/faqs/traffic_hpdriving.htm
To do this, you will have to go down in person and hand in your application, together with your BBT test results, your passport, your employment pass/dependents pass, a recent passport-size picture, your valid foreign driving licence and a translation of your foreign licence if it is not in English. Your new, Singaporean driving licence will be sent to you by registered mail within 2 weeks of submitting the application.
Needless to say, you will need to carry your Singaporean driving licence with you at all times when you are driving, but you do not need to carry your foreign licence and/or international licence anymore.
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