No. S 671
Road Traffic Act
(CHAPTER 276)
Road Traffic
(ASEAN Goods Vehicle Cross-Border Permit
Holders — Exemption) Order 2019
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 142 of the Road Traffic Act, the Minister for Transport makes the following Order:
Citation and commencement
1.  This Order is the Road Traffic (ASEAN Goods Vehicle Cross‑Border Permit Holders — Exemption) Order 2019 and comes into operation on 7 October 2019.
General definitions
2.  In this Order —
“AGVCB Permit” means an ASEAN Goods Vehicle Cross‑Border Permit issued by a foreign authority for an ASEAN goods vehicle which is —
(a)a rigid motor vehicle not registered under the Act;
(b)a prime mover not registered under the Act; or
(c)a semi-trailer forming part of an articulated vehicle not registered under the Act;
“AGVCB Permit sticker” means a sticker issued by a foreign authority for an ASEAN goods vehicle which is —
(a)a rigid motor vehicle not registered under the Act;
(b)a prime mover not registered under the Act; or
(c)a semi‑trailer forming part of an articulated vehicle not registered under the Act,
that displays the information in the Schedule relating to the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer, as the case may be;
“articulated vehicle” means a prime mover drawing a semi‑trailer;
“ASEAN goods vehicle” means a goods vehicle exceeding 1,000 kg in weight unladen and in respect of which a licence or permit for its use issued under the law of an ASEAN member country is in force;
“ASEAN member country” means any of the following countries:
(a)Brunei Darussalam;
(b)Kingdom of Cambodia;
(c)Republic of Indonesia;
(d)Lao People’s Democratic Republic;
(e)Malaysia;
(f)Union of Myanmar;
(g)Republic of the Philippines;
(h)Kingdom of Thailand;
(i)Socialist Republic of Vietnam;
“foreign authority” means an authority of an ASEAN member country corresponding to the Authority, which is responsible for issuing an AGVCB Permit and an AGVCB Permit sticker for an ASEAN goods vehicle registered in that country which is —
(a)a rigid motor vehicle not registered under the Act;
(b)a prime mover not registered under the Act; or
(c)a semi-trailer forming part of an articulated vehicle not registered under the Act;
“prime mover” means a commercial motor vehicle which is designed or adapted to draw a trailer;
“reciprocal road charge” means any charge payable under rule 3(1) of the Road Traffic (Collection of Reciprocal Road Charge at Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints) Rules 2017 (G.N. No. S 48/2017);
“rigid motor vehicle” means a commercial motor vehicle (other than an articulated vehicle) which carries the payload on its own axles;
“road-user charge” means any charge payable under rule 11 of the Road Traffic (Electronic Road Pricing System) Rules 2015 (G.N. No. S 226/2015);
“semi-trailer” means a trailer drawn by a prime mover in such manner that —
(a)part of the trailer is superimposed on the prime mover; and
(b)a substantial part of the weight of the trailer and its load is borne by the prime mover;
“standalone prime mover” means an ASEAN goods vehicle which is a prime mover not drawing a semi‑trailer;
“stored value”, in relation to a vehicle entry card, means the amount of money standing to the credit of the card;
“stored value card” means a stored value card which, when used with a card machine in a way authorised by the Registrar, results in the appropriate amount of any toll, vehicle entry fee, reciprocal road charge or road‑user charge payable for a vehicle under the Act being deducted from the stored value of the card;
“toll” means the toll payable for the use of the Johore Bahru — Woodlands Causeway or the Second Crossing under the Road Traffic (Collection of Toll at Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints) Rules (R 12);
“vehicle entry card” means a stored value card issued under rule 22C(2) or 22IB(3) of the Road Traffic (International Circulation) Rules (R 7).
Meaning of “specified vehicle”
3.—(1)  In this Order, “specified vehicle” means an ASEAN goods vehicle which —
(a)is an articulated vehicle, with a semi-trailer the load compartment of which satisfies the requirements in sub‑paragraph (2); or
(b)is a rigid motor vehicle with a load compartment that satisfies the requirements in sub‑paragraph (2).
(2)  For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), the load compartment of the semi‑trailer forming part of an articulated vehicle or a rigid motor vehicle (as the case may be) must be constructed and equipped such that —
(a)a seal can be easily and effectively affixed to the load compartment;
(b)once the load compartment is sealed, goods cannot be removed from or introduced into the load compartment without leaving visible traces of tampering or breaking the seal in sub‑paragraph (a);
(c)the load compartment does not contain any concealed space where goods may be hidden; and
(d)all spaces capable of holding goods are readily accessible for Customs inspection.
Exemption of persons driving specified vehicles and standalone prime movers into Singapore
4.—(1)  Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, rule 2A(1)(c) and Part IVA of the Road Traffic (International Circulation) Rules do not apply to a person —
(a)who drives a specified vehicle into Singapore for the purpose of transporting goods into or from Singapore; or
(b)who drives a standalone prime mover into Singapore for the purpose of drawing a semi-trailer that is used to transport goods from Singapore.
(2)  Sub-paragraph (1) applies whether or not there is any transhipment, warehousing or breaking bulk of the goods while the goods are within Singapore.
(3)  Sub-paragraph (1)(a) applies whether or not the specified vehicle is carrying any goods when the person drives the specified vehicle into Singapore.
Exemption of specified vehicles and standalone prime movers driven into Singapore
5.  Rules 6(1) and 8(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) Rules (R 9) do not apply to —
(a)a specified vehicle which is driven into Singapore by a person exempt under paragraph 4(1)(a); or
(b)a standalone prime mover which is driven into Singapore by a person exempt under paragraph 4(1)(b).
Conditions of exemption — when driving specified vehicle or standalone prime mover into Singapore
6.—(1)  A person must, when driving a specified vehicle into Singapore, possess a vehicle entry card relating to —
(a)the rigid motor vehicle which is the specified vehicle; or
(b)the prime mover forming part of the specified vehicle.
(2)  A person must, when driving a standalone prime mover into Singapore, possess a vehicle entry card relating to the standalone prime mover.
Conditions of exemption — keeping or using specified vehicle or standalone prime mover in Singapore
7.—(1)  A person must, when keeping or using in Singapore a specified vehicle which is a rigid motor vehicle —
(a)possess an AGVCB Permit relating to the specified vehicle that is valid for the duration the specified vehicle is kept or used in Singapore;
(b)display, in an unobstructed position on the front windscreen of the specified vehicle, a valid AGVCB Permit sticker relating to the specified vehicle; and
(c)comply with the conditions in sub-paragraph (4).
(2)  A person must, when keeping or using in Singapore a prime mover which entered Singapore forming part of a specified vehicle which is an articulated vehicle or as a standalone prime mover —
(a)possess an AGVCB Permit relating to the prime mover that is valid for the duration the prime mover is kept or used in Singapore;
(b)display, in an unobstructed position on the front windscreen of the prime mover, a valid AGVCB Permit sticker relating to the prime mover; and
(c)comply with the conditions in sub‑paragraph (4).
(3)  A person must, when keeping or using in Singapore a semi‑trailer which entered Singapore forming part of a specified vehicle which is an articulated vehicle —
(a)possess an AGVCB Permit relating to the semi-trailer that is valid for the duration the semi‑trailer is kept or used in Singapore;
(b)display, in an unobstructed position on the front windscreen of a prime mover mentioned in sub‑paragraph (2) which is drawing the semi‑trailer, a valid AGVCB Permit sticker relating to the semi‑trailer; and
(c)comply with the conditions in sub-paragraph (4).
(4)  The conditions in sub-paragraph (1)(c), (2)(c) or (3)(c) are that the person in those sub‑paragraphs must —
(a)have documentary proof of the registration of the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer forming part of a specified vehicle (as the case may be) in its country of registration;
(b)have a certificate of insurance, certificate of security or certificate of foreign insurance in respect of the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer (as the case may be) that —
(i)complies with the requirements of the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act (Cap. 189); and
(ii)is valid for the duration the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer (as the case may be) is kept or used in Singapore;
(c)not use the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer (as the case may be), or allow the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer (as the case may be) to be used —
(i)for the carriage of goods loaded in Singapore for unloading in another place within Singapore; or
(ii)for any unlawful purpose or in an unlawful manner;
(d)ensure that —
(i)the rigid motor vehicle or prime mover or semi‑trailer forming part of a specified vehicle which is an articulated vehicle (as the case may be) remains in Singapore only for such time as is reasonably necessary for the purpose of transporting goods into or from Singapore; or
(ii)the standalone prime mover remains in Singapore only for such time as is reasonably necessary for the purpose of drawing a semi‑trailer that is used to transport goods from Singapore; and
(e)produce for inspection, upon demand by a police officer or an officer duly authorised by the Registrar —
(i)the vehicle entry card relating to the rigid motor vehicle or prime mover, as the case may be;
(ii)the AGVCB Permit relating to the rigid motor vehicle, prime mover or semi‑trailer, as the case may be; or
(iii)any document in sub‑paragraph (a) or (b).
(5)  If the AGVCB Permit in sub-paragraph (4)(e)(ii) or a document in sub‑paragraph (4)(e)(iii) is in a language other than English, the person in sub‑paragraph (1), (2) or (3) must also produce an English translation of the AGVCB Permit or document (as the case may be) that is issued by the foreign authority or a person authorised by the foreign authority.
Made on 1 October 2019.
LOH NGAI SENG
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Transport,
Singapore.
[MOT.LT.31.1.015.11.2; LTA/L18.029.002/NN/DT/EO.19. ASEAN; AG/LEGIS/SL/276/2015/15 Vol. 9]