Debt Collection Act 2022 · Updated to 1 Dec 2023 · Part 2 · Regulation of Debt Collection Businesses and Debt Collection Activities Relating to Regulated Businesses
14. Class licence
Official textFrom Singapore Statutes Online, unchanged
The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, determine a class licence that authorises any person who carries on a regulated business to carry out any debt collection activity to collect any debt that is owed to the person in the course of the regulated business —
class licence
“class licence” means a class licence determined under an order made under section 14(1);
for a specified period or indefinitely, or to an extent specified in that order; and
subject to the conditions as may be specified in that order.
To avoid doubt, there may be more than one class licence determined.
Without limiting subsection (1)(b), an order made under subsection (1) may include conditions —
restricting the manner or method by which a class licensee collects, or attempts to collect, any debt;
prohibiting a class licensee from collecting or attempting to collect any debt from any person unless the class licensee has first ascertained that the person is the debtor of the debt;
requiring a class licensee to only deploy employees of the class licensee as the class licensee’s debt collectors;
requiring a class licensee to put in place measures to ensure that every debt collector of the class licensee carries out any debt collection activity in compliance with —
all the conditions of the applicable class licence;
all the codes of practice that are applicable to the class licensee; and
this Act and any other written law, including the Penal Code 1871 and the Protection from Harassment Act 2014;
restricting a class licensee from continuing to deploy an employee as the class licensee’s debt collector, if the employee had previously failed to conduct any debt collection activity in compliance with —
all the conditions of the class licence that are applicable to the class licensee;
all the codes of practice that are applicable to the class licensee; or
this Act or any other written law, including the Penal Code 1871 and the Protection from Harassment Act 2014; and
prohibiting a class licensee from collecting debts which are not owed to the class licensee.
An order under subsection (1) continues in force, unless it is revoked, for the period that may be specified in the order.
A class licensee to which an order under subsection (1) applies may carry out any debt collection activity in respect of any debt owed to the class licensee in the course of a regulated business carried on by the class licensee subject to the conditions of the order being complied with.
class licensee
“class licensee” means a person to whom an order under section 14(1) applies;
Terms defined in s 2
class licence
Defined · s 2“class licence” means a class licence determined under an order made under section 14(1);
class licensee
Defined · s 2“class licensee” means a person to whom an order under section 14(1) applies;
debt collection activity
Defined · s 2“debt collection activity” means any activity undertaken in Singapore that involves finding the debtor of a debt or requesting, demanding or collecting from the debtor money due under the debt;
debt collector
Defined · s 2“debt collector” means an individual who carries out any debt collection activity for or on behalf of another person;
regulated business
Defined · s 2“regulated business” means a business specified in Part 2 of the First Schedule.
Part 3
Debt Collectors
Part 4
Administration and Enforcement
Part 5
Appeals
Part 6