Valid licence plus 1949 IDP
RequiredUK/EU photocard licence is accepted for up to 12 months, but carry a 1949 Geneva-Convention International Driving Permit as Singapore does not recognise the 1968 Vienna IDP.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Singapore
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Singapore: 10 legal requirements + 8 other things worth knowing.
10
Required
0
Recommended
8
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Singapore
10 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
Valid licence plus 1949 IDP
UK/EU photocard licence is accepted for up to 12 months, but carry a 1949 Geneva-Convention International Driving Permit as Singapore does not recognise the 1968 Vienna IDP.
Passport with 6 months validity
Carry your passport when driving as police may request it alongside your licence at roadside checks.
Vehicle insurance and ownership papers
Third-party motor insurance is compulsory; for a UK-registered car driven via Malaysia bring the V5C and an insurance extension covering Singapore (most UK policies exclude it by default).
Drive on the LEFT
Singapore drives on the left, same as the UK, so no side-of-road adjustment is needed for British drivers.
Speed limits 90 / 70 / 50 km/h
Expressways 90 km/h (some stretches 80), arterial roads 70, urban roads 50 km/h, and school zones 40 km/h: heavily enforced by speed cameras.
BAC limit 0.08 g/100ml
Blood alcohol limit is 80 mg per 100 ml (0.8 g/L), same as England, but penalties are severe including caning for repeat offences: effectively drive sober.
Seatbelts and no phones
Seatbelts compulsory in all seats, children under 1.35 m need an approved restraint, and any handheld phone use while driving carries a fine of SGD 1,000 and 12 demerit points.
ERP electronic road pricing
Singapore uses gantry-based Electronic Road Pricing in the CBD and on expressways during peak hours; rental cars come fitted with an In-Vehicle Unit (IU) and a stored-value CashCard or NETS Motoring Card: top up at 7-Eleven or petrol stations.
Causeway tolls to/from Malaysia
Crossing the Woodlands or Tuas Causeway incurs tolls of roughly SGD 4–7 (EUR 2.50–5) each way plus a VEP and SGD 35 entry fee for foreign-registered cars entering Singapore.
Foreign car needs AutoPass and VEP
If driving in from Malaysia you must pre-register the vehicle for an AutoPass Card and Vehicle Entry Permit via OneMotoring; without it you cannot exit at the checkpoint.
Documents
Passport with 6 months validity
RequiredCarry your passport when driving as police may request it alongside your licence at roadside checks.
Vehicle insurance and ownership papers
RequiredThird-party motor insurance is compulsory; for a UK-registered car driven via Malaysia bring the V5C and an insurance extension covering Singapore (most UK policies exclude it by default).
Foreign car needs AutoPass and VEP
RequiredIf driving in from Malaysia you must pre-register the vehicle for an AutoPass Card and Vehicle Entry Permit via OneMotoring; without it you cannot exit at the checkpoint.
Driving rules
Drive on the LEFT
RequiredSingapore drives on the left, same as the UK, so no side-of-road adjustment is needed for British drivers.
Speed limits 90 / 70 / 50 km/h
RequiredExpressways 90 km/h (some stretches 80), arterial roads 70, urban roads 50 km/h, and school zones 40 km/h: heavily enforced by speed cameras.
BAC limit 0.08 g/100ml
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 80 mg per 100 ml (0.8 g/L), same as England, but penalties are severe including caning for repeat offences: effectively drive sober.
Seatbelts and no phones
RequiredSeatbelts compulsory in all seats, children under 1.35 m need an approved restraint, and any handheld phone use while driving carries a fine of SGD 1,000 and 12 demerit points.
Emergency number 999
Good to knowDial 999 for police and 995 for ambulance/fire; traffic police roadside assistance is reachable on 1800-547-1818.
Tolls
ERP electronic road pricing
RequiredSingapore uses gantry-based Electronic Road Pricing in the CBD and on expressways during peak hours; rental cars come fitted with an In-Vehicle Unit (IU) and a stored-value CashCard or NETS Motoring Card: top up at 7-Eleven or petrol stations.
Causeway tolls to/from Malaysia
RequiredCrossing the Woodlands or Tuas Causeway incurs tolls of roughly SGD 4–7 (EUR 2.50–5) each way plus a VEP and SGD 35 entry fee for foreign-registered cars entering Singapore.
Vignette
No motorway vignette
Good to knowThere is no sticker or e-vignette system; all road charges are handled via the ERP IU and CashCard.
Required equipment
No mandatory in-car kit
Good to knowSingapore does not legally require a hi-vis vest, warning triangle or first aid kit in private cars, though rental cars typically include a triangle.
Money
Currency SGD, fuel ~EUR 1.90/L
Good to knowCurrency is the Singapore dollar (SGD); 95-octane petrol costs around SGD 2.80–3.10/L (EUR 1.90–2.10), cards are accepted everywhere and tipping at fuel stations is not expected.
Three-quarter tank rule
Good to knowSingapore-registered cars must leave the country with at least a 3/4 full fuel tank to discourage cheap-fuel runs to Malaysia; fines up to SGD 500: irrelevant for foreign cars but watch it on rentals.
Cash declaration SGD 20,000
Good to knowDeclare cash or bearer instruments above SGD 20,000 (approx. EUR 13,800) when entering or leaving Singapore.
Environment
Tropical climate, no winter kit
Good to knowNo winter tyres or chains ever needed; main hazards are heavy monsoon rain (Nov–Jan) causing flash floods on low-lying roads like Bukit Timah.
Emissions / low-emission zones
No low-emission zone scheme
Good to knowThere is no LEZ sticker system, but older diesel vehicles face higher road tax and the whole island effectively functions as a congestion-priced zone via ERP.
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Drive on the LEFT
RequiredSingapore drives on the left, same as the UK, so no side-of-road adjustment is needed for British drivers.
Speed limits 90 / 70 / 50 km/h
RequiredExpressways 90 km/h (some stretches 80), arterial roads 70, urban roads 50 km/h, and school zones 40 km/h: heavily enforced by speed cameras.
BAC limit 0.08 g/100ml
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 80 mg per 100 ml (0.8 g/L), same as England, but penalties are severe including caning for repeat offences: effectively drive sober.
Seatbelts and no phones
RequiredSeatbelts compulsory in all seats, children under 1.35 m need an approved restraint, and any handheld phone use while driving carries a fine of SGD 1,000 and 12 demerit points.