October 2026 COE Round 2: Car Premiums Edge Back Up as Cat A Overtakes Cat B Again
By SG Fleet Guide | Results closed Wednesday 21 October 2026, 4pm (Singapore time)
Car COE premiums turned upward again in the second October 2026 bidding exercise, reversing most of the dip seen a fortnight ago. Category A, for smaller cars, closed at $132,004, a whisker above Category B at $131,901. Motorist notes this is the fourth time this year that Cat A has closed higher than Cat B. Goods vehicles nudged up, while motorcycles and the Open category eased.
The results at a glance
| Category | Premium (Oct R2) | Change vs Oct R1 | Quota | Bids received | Bids per COE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: cars up to 1,600cc and 130bhp (EVs up to 110kW) | $132,004 | +$2,003 | 1,191 | 1,574 | 1.32 |
| B: cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp (EVs above 110kW) | $131,901 | +$1,801 | 923 | 1,149 | 1.24 |
| C: goods vehicles and buses | $92,200 | +$311 | 308 | 481 | 1.56 |
| D: motorcycles | $10,778 | -$234 | 539 | 611 | 1.13 |
| E: open (all except motorcycles) | $135,790 | -$1,210 | 270 | 411 | 1.52 |
Prevailing Quota Premiums (PQP), used for COE renewals: Cat A $128,715 (Oct) / $129,883 (Nov); Cat B $131,616 / $131,819; Cat C $92,614 / $91,814; Cat D $11,161 / $11,392.
What the numbers tell us
Demand, not supply, drove the car categories. Cat A’s quota was slightly smaller than in round 1 (1,191 versus 1,232), and bids rose to 1,574 from 1,560, lifting competition from about 1.27 to 1.32 bids per certificate. Cat B saw a similar pattern: quota slipped from 945 to 923 and bids edged up from 1,126 to 1,149. Small shifts, but in a market sitting above $130,000 they are enough to add roughly $2,000 to a car’s on-the-road price.
Cat E cooled the most. The Open category had more certificates this time (270 versus 253) and noticeably fewer bids (411 versus 492). Competition fell from almost two bids per COE to about 1.5, and the premium slipped $1,210. Because Cat E is often used as a hedge by bidders in A and B, its softening is worth watching, but it still sits above both car categories.
For fleets, Cat C is holding steady. Goods vehicle and bus COEs have stayed in a tight $90,000 to $94,000 band since May. At $92,200, this round is essentially flat (+$311). Bidding was the most competitive of any category at 1.56 bids per COE, which suggests demand from logistics and commercial operators remains firm even as the premium stays range-bound.
Motorcycles keep easing. Cat D fell for a third straight round, to $10,778, down from the $12,556 peak in September’s first round.
A year in context
A year ago, in the second October 2025 round, Cat A closed at $122,000 and Cat C at $76,801. That means a small car’s COE is about $10,000 dearer than a year ago, and a goods vehicle COE about $15,400 dearer. Cat C has seen the steepest relative rise of the five categories, which matters for anyone budgeting van or lorry replacements in 2027.
Expert view and outlook
Motorist’s analysts have flagged in a recent commentary that they expect COE prices to peak in November 2026 and dip afterwards. We would treat that as a reasonable but unproven call: car premiums have hovered between about $128,000 and $135,000 since August, and the current quota period (August to October 2026) ends with this round. LTA’s next quota announcement for November 2026 to January 2027 will be the bigger signal. A meaningful rise in the number of certificates would support the “peak then dip” view; a flat or smaller quota would keep premiums elevated.
What this means for you
- Fleet operators and SMEs: With Cat C stable, there is no clear price advantage in rushing or delaying a goods vehicle purchase this month. If a vehicle’s COE is expiring, compare the November PQP ($91,814 for Cat C) against the cost of a new COE before deciding to renew or replace.
- Private car buyers: The Cat A and Cat B gap has effectively closed, so the bigger-engine Cat B car is no longer carrying a COE penalty. Watch the next quota announcement before committing.
- Riders: Cat D’s three-round slide makes this a comparatively better window for motorcycle buyers.
Next bidding: Opens Monday 2 November 2026 at 12pm, with results on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 4pm.
Sources
- LTA OneMotoring, COE open bidding results: https://onemotoring.lta.gov.sg/content/onemotoring/home/buying/coe-open-bidding.html (official)
- Data.gov.sg, COE bidding results dataset (historical rounds): https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_69b3380ad7e51aff3a7dcc84eba52b8a/view
- Motorist.sg, October 2026 COE Results 2nd Bidding: https://www.motorist.sg/article/6500/october-2026-coe-results-2nd-bidding-cat-a-and-b-premiums-both-increased-as-cat-a-closed-higher-than-cat-b-for-the-fourth-time-this-year
- Motorist.sg, COE results page: https://www.motorist.sg/coe-results
SG Fleet Guide compiles these figures from official LTA results. Premiums are for information only; check OneMotoring before making a purchase or renewal decision.
