LTA and police impound 91 deregistered vehicles in September blitz

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Singapore Police Force impounded 91 deregistered vehicles during a joint islandwide enforcement operation in September 2026, LTA said on 5 October.

Deregistered vehicles have no valid COE, road tax or insurance, and are not certified roadworthy. LTA said using them is a serious road safety risk. Earlier figures from the authorities showed reported cases of deregistered vehicles on the road rising from 75 in 2024 to 245 in 2025.

LTA reminded owners that deregistration involves more than handing over the keys. When a vehicle is traded in, owners should make sure the dealer completes the necessary steps, and keep records showing how and when the vehicle was scrapped or exported.

Penalties were raised in February 2026. First-time offenders caught keeping or using an unregistered or deregistered vehicle face a fine of up to $20,000, up to two years’ jail, or both, and the penalties double for repeat offenders.

More rules are coming. The Land Transport and Related Matters (No. 2) Bill, read for the first time in Parliament on 8 September, would introduce an Authorised Exporter Scheme, shorten the grace period for owners to dispose of deregistered vehicles, keep owners liable if they fail to dispose of them, let the authorities block registration or transfer to people at risk of non-compliance, and make it an offence to sell or supply a deregistered vehicle knowing, or reckless as to whether, it will be used on the road.

For fleet owners, the practical point is to close the loop when a vehicle leaves the fleet. When you deregister, scrap or trade in a van or lorry, make sure the disposal is completed and documented, whether it goes to a scrapyard or an exporter. Under the proposed changes, owners who leave that step unfinished could stay liable even after the vehicle is out of their hands.

Source: Land Transport Authority — Read the original