PART V
VALIDITY AND TRANSFERS OF CERTIFICATES OF ENTITLEMENT
Term of certificate of entitlement
16.—(1)  Subject to these Rules, a certificate of entitlement issued in respect of a motor vehicle shall be in force from the date of its issue until the vehicle becomes 7 years old in the case of a taxi or a private hire car registered using a certificate of entitlement issued before 1st April 1998, or 10 years old in any other case.
(2)  For the purpose of this rule, the age of a vehicle shall be reckoned from the date of its first registration in Singapore.
Certificates of entitlement issued under rule 3 (1) (f)
17.—(1)  A person who has been issued a certificate of entitlement for an off-peak car under rule 3(1)(f) and who has not used the certificate for the registration of an off-peak car may elect —
(a)to surrender the certificate to the Registrar for a refund;
(b)to use the certificate for the purpose of registering an off-peak car under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5); or
(c)on or after 1st October 1994, to use the certificate for the purpose of registering a private motor car under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules if he pays to the Registrar a sum of an amount equal to any positive difference derived by deducting —
(i)the quota premium paid for the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(f); from
(ii)the quota premium which would have been payable for a certificate of entitlement for a motor vehicle of the appropriate cylinder capacity which was issued at the same time as the certificate of entitlement was issued under rule 3(1)(f).
(2)  Where the holder of the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(f) elects to apply for a refund under paragraph (1)(a), the Registrar may, in his discretion, refund to the holder of the certificate the quota premium paid for the certificate without any interest or reimbursement of any cost or expenses incurred in obtaining the certificate.
Grace period to register vehicle
18.—(1)  Every holder of a certificate of entitlement issued in respect of a motor vehicle shall, within 3 months or, in the case of a non-transferable certificate of entitlement, within 6 months from such date as the Registrar may specify in the notification under rule 12(2) or within such further period as the Registrar may approve, register the motor vehicle.
(2)  Where on the expiration of the 3 months or, in the case of a non-transferable certificate of entitlement, 6 months or further period no such vehicle is registered, the certificate of entitlement shall be void and any deposit paid in respect of the certificate of entitlement under rule 7(2) shall be forfeited.
(3)  The date to be specified by the Registrar shall not be prior to the date of notification under rule 12(2).
Transfers of certificates of entitlement
19.—(1)  Subject to paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), a certificate of entitlement for a motor vehicle shall not be transferable at any time before the certificate of entitlement is used to register a motor vehicle.
(2)  Any person (other than a company) to whom a certificate of entitlement is issued may at any time before the certificate of entitlement is used to register a motor vehicle, with the approval of the Registrar and on payment of a fee of $10, transfer the certificate of entitlement to another person.
(3)  Any motor vehicle dealer registered with the Registrar may, on payment of a fee of $10, transfer any certificate of entitlement issued to him for any quota period before October 1991 to any person who is purchasing a motor vehicle which he is authorised to import and sell or otherwise distribute in Singapore.
(4)  Notwithstanding paragraph (2), a certificate of entitlement issued for any quota period on or after October 1991 for a motor vehicle falling within a category of vehicles referred to in rule 3(1)(a), (b), (d) or (f) shall not be transferable at any time before the certificate of entitlement is used to register a motor vehicle.
Cancellation of certificates of entitlement
20.—(1)  A certificate of entitlement for any motor vehicle shall automatically be cancelled if —
(a)the registration of the motor vehicle (including a public service vehicle) is cancelled under section 27 (1) (a), (b), (d) or (e) of the Act;
(b)in the case of a public service vehicle, the public service vehicle licence is revoked under section 108 of the Act; or
(c)the certificate of entitlement is surrendered to the Registrar under rule 22(2).
(2)  Where a certificate of entitlement has been cancelled under paragraph (1), the Registrar shall, upon the application of the holder of the certificate of entitlement, issue to him a certificate setting out the residual value, if any of the certificate of entitlement.
(3)  Subject to rule 28, where a certificate of entitlement is cancelled under paragraph (1) before its expiration, the residual value of the certificate of entitlement shall not be refunded to the holder of the certificate of entitlement, but, upon application by the holder thereof to the Registrar, shall, for a period of 12 months from the date of the cancellation or within such further period as the Registrar may approve, be available to the applicant to be set off against —
(a)any quota premium payable by him for another certificate of entitlement issued in respect of another motor vehicle;
(b)any charge payable by him for restoring the certificate of entitlement in respect of another motor vehicle; and
(c)the fees payable under rules 6 and 7 of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5) in connection with the registration of the motor vehicle referred to in sub-paragraph (a).
(4)  In granting an application under paragraph (3), the Registrar may impose such conditions as he thinks fit.
(5)  The Registrar may, upon application and the payment of a fee of $10 and subject to such conditions as he may impose, allow the residual value mentioned in paragraph (3) and rule 21(1) to be transferred to such person as the holder may nominate in writing and to be used or further transferred for the benefit of the person nominated as if he were the holder, provided that no fee need be paid under this paragraph if the person nominated is concurrently nominated under rule 8(5) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules.
(6)  Subject to paragraphs (12), (13) and (14), the residual value of a cancelled certificate of entitlement for the purposes of paragraph (3) shall be an amount determined in accordance with the following formula:
Where A is the quota premium paid for the certificate of entitlement;
B is the period reckoned in months for which the certificate of entitlement would be in force if it was not cancelled;
C is the period reckoned in months commencing from the date the certificate of entitlement was issued until the date of its cancellation.
(7)  A person who holds the residual value of any certificate of entitlement may apply to the Registrar for the whole amount of the residual value to be divided into such smaller portions as the applicant may require and may use each such portion for the registration of a separate new vehicle or transfer any such portion of the rebate to any person under paragraph (5).
(8)  A person who holds the residual values of the certificates of entitlement in respect of 2 or more vehicles may apply to the Registrar for the residual values of such certificates of entitlement to be used collectively for the registration of one or more new vehicles.
(9)  The Registrar may grant an application under paragraph (7) or (8) subject to such conditions as he thinks fit and shall, upon granting an application under paragraph (7), issue to the applicant a new certificate of entitlement in respect of each portion into which the residual value of the certificate of entitlement has been divided.
(10)  The new certificates of entitlement issued under paragraph (9) shall be in replacement of the certificate referred to in paragraph (2).
(11)  A fee of $10 shall be payable in respect of each portion into which the residual value of a certificate of entitlement is to be divided under paragraph (7).
(12)  In the case of a certificate of entitlement that has been —
(a)issued whether before, on or after 20th February 1995 under rule 3(1)(e);
(b)used on or after 20th February 1995 for the registration of any motor vehicle referred to in rule 3(1)(a) to (d); and
(c)subsequently cancelled under paragraph (1) before its expiration,
the residual value of the cancelled certificate of entitlement shall be an amount determined in accordance with the following formula:
where
A is —
(i)the quota premium paid for the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(e); or
(ii)the quota premium which would have been payable for a certificate of entitlement issued for a motor vehicle of the appropriate cylinder capacity during the same quota period as the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(e),
whichever is the lower;
B and C have the same meanings as in paragraph (6).
(13)  Where a motor vehicle has been declared non-user under rule 53 of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5), the residual value of a cancelled certificate of entitlement for the purposes of paragraph (3) shall be the sum of the amount, if any, determined in accordance with the formula in paragraph (6) and an amount determined in accordance with the following formula:
UNKNOWN
Where A and B have the same meanings as in paragraph (6);
D is the period of non-user or, where there is more than one period of non-user, the sum of all the periods of non-user, reckoned in monthsand any fraction of a month shall be disregarded in determining the length of each period of non-user.
(14)  For the purpose of paragraph (3), where a motor vehicle which is first registered on or after 20th February 1995 is de-registered within a period of 2 years from the date of its registration on the ground that it has been permanently removed from Singapore, the residual value of the certificate of entitlement for the motor vehicle shall be —
(a)where the motor vehicle has been registered using a certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d), 80% of the quota premium paid for the certificate of entitlement; or
(b)where the motor vehicle has been registered using a certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(e), 80% of —
(i)the quota premium paid for the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(e); or
(ii)the quota premium which would have been payable for a certificate of entitlement issued for a motor vehicle of the appropriate cylinder capacity during the same quota period as the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(e),
whichever is the lower.
(15)  For the purposes of this rule, “new vehicle” means a motor vehicle which has not been registered elsewhere before its first registration in Singapore.
Residual value of certificate of entitlement of motor vehicle which has been lost through theft
21.—(1)  Where a motor vehicle which has been insured under a policy of insurance effected on or after 1st April 1994 has been reported to be lost through theft for more than 3 months, the holder of the certificate of entitlement for the motor vehicle may apply for the residual value of the certificate of entitlement to be used as provided for in rule 20(3).
(2)  For the purpose of paragraph (1), the residual value of the certificate of entitlement shall be reckoned in months from the date on which the loss of the motor vehicle is reported until the date of the expiry of the certificate of entitlement.
(3)  Subject to paragraph (4), the Registrar may, in his discretion, approve or reject an application made under paragraph (1).
(4)  The Registrar shall not approve an application made under paragraph (1) unless the applicant gives an undertaking to the Government —
(a)to pay to the Government a sum equal to the amount of the residual value of the certificate of entitlement calculated according to paragraph (2) if —
(i)the motor vehicle is recovered within 3 years of the date on which it was reported lost; and
(ii)the applicant desires to continue to keep or use the motor vehicle upon its recovery; and
(b)to abandon the motor vehicle free of all expenses or to scrap or export the motor vehicle within 6 months of its recovery if —
(i)the motor vehicle is recovered after 3 years from the date on which it was reported lost; or
(ii)the motor vehicle is recovered within 3 years of the date on which it was reported lost and the applicant does not wish to continue to keep or use the motor vehicle upon its recovery.
(5)  Where payment has been made to the Government under paragraph (4)(a), the certificate of entitlement shall be restored and shall continue to be valid until the time when, in the normal course of events, it would have expired —
(a)upon the motor vehicle reaching the appropriate age prescribed under rule 16(1); or
(b)in the case of a certificate of entitlement which has been renewed under rule 24(2) , upon the expiry of the period for which the certificate of entitlement has been renewed.
Conversion of off-peak car in respect of which certificate of entitlement has been issued under rule 3 (1) (f)
22.—(1)  The registered owner of an off-peak car in respect of which a certificate of entitlement has been issued under rule 3(1)(f) may re-register the off-peak car as a private motor car under rule 33(5) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5) if —
(a)where the re-registration takes place before 1st October 1994, he obtains, in accordance with these Rules, a certificate of entitlement for a motor vehicle in a category referred to in rule 3(1)(a), (b) or (e) as appropriate to the cylinder capacity of the motor vehicle; and
(b)where the re-registration takes place on or after 1st October 1994, he pays to the Registrar a conversion charge which shall be computed according to the following formula:
UNKNOWN
where A is the rebate referred to in rule 9(3) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules granted to the owner of the motor vehicle at the time of its registration as an off-peak car;
B is the amount of any positive difference derived by deducting —
(i)the quota premium paid for the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(f); from
(ii)the quota premium which would have been payable for a certificate of entitlement for a motor vehicle of the appropriate cylinder capacity which was issued at the same time as the certificate of entitlement issued under rule 3(1)(f);
C is the period (in months) for which the motor vehicle has been registered in Singapore at the time of the re-registration.
(2)  Upon the re-registration of the off-peak car as a private motor car under paragraph (1)(a), the certificate of entitlement which was issued under rule 3(1)(f) in respect of the off-peak car shall be surrendered to the Registrar.
(3)  A certificate of entitlement obtained for the purpose of re-registering an off-peak car as a private motor car under paragraph (1)(a) shall be in force for 10 years from the date of its issue.
(4)  This rule shall not apply to a motor car which was registered as an off-peak car pursuant to rule 23.
(5)  No off-peak car in respect of which a certificate of entitlement has been issued under rule 3(1)(f) may be re-registered as a private motor car after 30th September 1997 .
Conversion of private motor cars into off-peak cars and their reconversion
23.—(1)  Notwithstanding rule 4(1), where a private motor car is re-registered as an off-peak car under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5), the same certificate of entitlement which was used to register the private motor car shall be used to register the car as an off-peak car.
(2)  Where an off-peak car which was registered as an off-peak car pursuant to paragraph (1) is re-registered as a private motor car under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules, the same certificate of entitlement which was used to register the off-peak car shall be used to register the car as a private motor car.
Renewal and restoration of certificates of entitlement
24.—(1)  Any person who is registered as the owner of a motor vehicle may, for the purpose of ensuring the continued registration of the vehicle upon the expiration of the certificate of entitlement relating to the vehicle, apply to the Registrar to renew the certificate of entitlement.
(2)  The Registrar may renew a certificate of entitlement for a period of 5 or 10 years, commencing from the date of the renewal, or such other date as the Registrar may specify, except that where a certificate of entitlement is renewed for a period of 5 years, it shall not be further renewed on its expiry.
(3)  and rule 21(1) application for the renewal of a certificate of entitlement may be made before its expiration or at any time not exceeding one month from its expiration and shall be accompanied by —
(a)the levy specified in the First Schedule; and
(b)where the application is made at a time after 14 days from the expiration of the certificate, the fee specified in the Second Schedule.
(4)  A certificate of entitlement that is renewed before its expiry shall not have any residual value in respect of the period between the date of its renewal and the date on which it would otherwise expire.
(5)  Where an application for the renewal of a certificate of entitlement is made at a time afterbut not exceeding one month from its expiration, the Registrar may renew the certificate of entitlement from the date of its expiration and the registration of the vehicle in relation to which the certificate of entitlement is renewed shall not be cancelled notwithstanding that no certificate of entitlement relating to the vehicle was in force between the time of the expiration of the certificate of entitlement and its renewal.
(6)  Where the registration of a taxi is cancelled under section 27 (1) (d) or (e) of the Act and the certificate of entitlement relating to the taxi is cancelled under rule 20, the person who is registered as the owner of the taxi may, for the purpose of applying for the registration of another taxi to replace the first-mentioned taxi, apply not later than 6 months from the date of such cancellation to the Registrar to restore the certificate of entitlement.
(7)  Every application for the restoration of a certificate of entitlement under paragraph (6) shall be accompanied by the levy specified in the First Schedule.
(8)  The Registrar may, upon receipt of an application made under paragraph (6) and the prescribed levy, restore a certificate of entitlement for a period of 7 years commencing from the date of its restoration.
(9)  Where a motor vehicle has been declared non-user under rule 53 of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5), the Registrar may allow an amount determined in accordance with the formula in rule 20(6) to be set off against the charge payable for renewing the certificate of entitlement relating to the motor vehicle under this rule.
Replacement of certificates of entitlement
25.—(1)  Where any certificate of entitlement is lost, defaced or destroyed, the person to whom the certificate is issued shall apply to the Registrar for the grant of a duplicate certificate of entitlement, and the Registrar, upon being satisfied of such loss, defacement or destruction and upon receipt of a fee of $10, may issue a duplicate certificate of entitlement on such terms and conditions as he thinks fit to impose and the duplicate so issued shall have the same effect as the original certificate.
(2)  Where at any time after the issue of a duplicate certificate of entitlement under paragraph (1) the original certificate of entitlement shall be found, the holder of the original certificate of entitlement shall forthwith report the finding thereof and return the original certificate of entitlement to the Registrar.