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In the RTA, after section 31, insert —“Division 4 — De-registration of vehiclesCancellation of registration31A.—

The Registrar may, at any time on or after the date of the occurrence of any of the following events, cancel the registration of a vehicle with effect from that date or such later date as the Registrar thinks fit:

the permit issued under section 10A authorising the registration of the vehicle under this Act has been cancelled or has expired;

the tax chargeable under section 11(1)(b) has not been paid by the registered owner of the vehicle for a period of 12 months or any longer period;

no licence under section 19 has been taken out for the vehicle for a period exceeding 3 years by the registered owner who has notified the Registrar that the registered owner will not use the vehicle during that period;

the registered owner of the vehicle applies for the registration of the vehicle to be cancelled;

the vehicle has, to the satisfaction of the Registrar —

become wholly unfit for further use; or

been lost through theft or criminal breach of trust and the prescribed period after the loss has lapsed;

the vehicle is registered but there is a circumstance that would have required or permitted the Registrar to refuse to register the vehicle, had the Registrar been aware of the circumstance immediately before registering the vehicle;

the vehicle exceeds the age‑limit prescribed for the class or description of vehicles to which the vehicle belongs;

if the vehicle belongs to a prescribed class and the registration of the vehicle is of a prescribed class and description — the Registrar is satisfied that the vehicle was first registered before the prescribed cut‑off date for that prescribed class of vehicle and that prescribed class and description of registration;

the vehicle has been forfeited pursuant to any written law;

there are exceptional circumstances (to the satisfaction of the Registrar) requiring the registration of the vehicle to be cancelled.

To be clear, a person does not contravene section 10(1) at a particular time only because the person keeps or uses a vehicle —

which is registered under this Act at that time; but(b)the registration of which is subsequently cancelled with effect from a date before that time.

In addition to subsection (1), the Registrar may cancel the registration of a vehicle registered under any particular class, category or description or purpose of use if the Registrar is satisfied that —

the vehicle has been so permanently altered (on or after 3 January 2022 and whether in the course of repair or otherwise) so as to render its construction, weight and equipment or condition such that the vehicle no longer conforms to the class, category or description it is registered under; or

the use of the vehicle has so materially changed (on or after 3 January 2022) such that the use of the vehicle does not conform to the purpose of use it is registered for.

Subsections (1) and (3) do not apply in relation to a vehicle that is prescribed as an excluded vehicle for the purposes of those provisions.Reinstatement of registration31B.—

If the registration of a vehicle is cancelled under a provision specified in the first column of the following table, the registration of the vehicle is reinstated upon the occurrence of the event —

set out opposite that provision in the second column of the table; and

that is within the prescribed time (if any),with effect from the day immediately after the effective date of the cancellation of the registration of the vehicle:First columnSecond columnProvisionEventSection 31A(1)(a)The permit authorising the registration of the vehicle is renewed or reinstated.Section 31A(1)(b)Any tax payable for the vehicle under section 11(1)(b) is fully paid and —

a licence under section 19 is taken out for the vehicle; or

the vehicle is exempted from the further payment of any tax under section 11(1)(b).Section 31A(1)(c)A licence under section 19 is taken out for the vehicle.

The reinstatement of the registration of a vehicle under subsection (1) does not affect any criminal liability incurred by a person for contravening section 10(1) by keeping or using the de‑registered vehicle before its registration is reinstated.Meaning of “maximum storage period”31C. In this Division, “maximum storage period”, for a de‑registered vehicle, means the prescribed period (or such longer period as the Registrar may allow for that de‑registered vehicle) after the registration of the vehicle is cancelled under section 31A.Approved methods for disposal of de-registered vehicle31D.—

This section applies if the registration of a vehicle is cancelled under section 31A(1) or (3) (other than under section 31A(1)(e)(ii) or (i)).

A person (A) who was the registered owner of a vehicle immediately before the registration of the vehicle was cancelled must, within the prescribed period or such longer period as the Registrar may allow —

transfer the vehicle to an authorised exporter in the prescribed manner;

transfer the vehicle to the authorised operator of a scrapyard in the prescribed manner;

transfer the vehicle to an authorised operator of a designated area in the prescribed manner; or

remove the vehicle from all roads in Singapore in accordance with any method and manner that the Registrar may in writing allow.

To avoid doubt, A may keep, but must not use, the vehicle during the period mentioned in subsection (2).

Upon disposing of a vehicle in accordance with subsection (2), A must notify the Registrar of that fact —

within the prescribed time; and

in the form and manner that the Registrar requires.

The Registrar may, in relation to a notification submitted in accordance with subsection (4), require A to provide any other information or document that the Registrar requires.

Subsection (2) does not apply if the registration of the vehicle is reinstated under section 31B(1) within the period mentioned in subsection (2).

Any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with subsection (2) or (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable —

on the first conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction; and

on a second or subsequent conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.Duties of authorised exporter in relation to de‑registered vehicles31E.—

An authorised exporter who acquires possession of a de‑registered vehicle in accordance with this Division must —

notify the Registrar of the acquisition in the prescribed form and manner (and provide the prescribed information relating to the de‑registered vehicle) within the prescribed time; and

unless the Registrar allows otherwise, do any one of the following within the maximum storage period for the vehicle:

ensure that the de‑registered vehicle is exported in accordance with specified requirements of the Registrar;

with the Registrar’s approval, transfer possession of the de‑registered vehicle to an authorised operator of a scrapyard to scrap the de‑registered vehicle;

with the Registrar’s approval, keep the de‑registered vehicle in a designated area in accordance with section 31G;

with the Registrar’s approval, transfer possession of the de‑registered vehicle to another authorised exporter for export.

An authorised exporter must not remove or cause the removal of a de‑registered vehicle from the premises that the Registrar has approved for the keeping of de‑registered vehicles (other than in accordance with subsection (1)), unless the authorised exporter has the Registrar’s approval to do so.

An authorised exporter who ensures the export of a de‑registered vehicle in accordance with subsection (1)(b)(i) must provide the prescribed documents and information relating to the export to the Registrar —

in the form and manner specified by the Registrar; and

within the prescribed time (or such longer period as the Registrar may allow).

Any person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable —

on the first conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction; and

on a second or subsequent conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.Duties of authorised operator of scrapyard in relation to de‑registered vehicles31F.—

An authorised operator of a scrapyard who acquires possession of a de‑registered vehicle in accordance with this Division must —

notify the Registrar of the acquisition in the prescribed form and manner (and provide the prescribed information relating to the de‑registered vehicle) within the prescribed time; and

unless the Registrar allows otherwise, scrap the de‑registered vehicle in accordance with the specified requirements of the Registrar, within the prescribed period.

An authorised operator of a scrapyard must not remove or cause the removal of a de‑registered vehicle from the premises that the Registrar has approved for the keeping of de‑registered vehicles, unless the authorised operator has the Registrar’s approval to do so.

An authorised operator of a scrapyard who scraps a de‑registered vehicle in accordance with subsection (1)(b) must provide the prescribed documents and information relating to the scrapping of the vehicle to the Registrar —

in the form and manner specified by the Registrar; and

within the prescribed time (or such longer period as the Registrar may allow).

Any person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3), shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable —

on the first conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction; and

on a second or subsequent conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.Duties of authorised operator of designated area31G.—

An authorised operator of a designated area who acquires possession of a de‑registered vehicle in accordance with this Division —

must notify the Registrar of the acquisition in the prescribed form and manner (and provide the prescribed information relating to the de‑registered vehicle) within the prescribed time; and

may, during the maximum storage period for the de‑registered vehicle —

store the de‑registered vehicle in any premises that the Registrar has approved for the storing of de‑registered vehicles;

with the Registrar’s approval, transfer the de‑registered vehicle to an authorised operator of a scrapyard or an authorised exporter; or

with the Registrar’s approval, transfer possession of the de‑registered vehicle to another authorised operator of a designated area.

Without affecting subsection (1), an authorised operator of a designated area must not remove (or cause the removal of) a de‑registered vehicle from the premises that the Registrar has approved for the storing of de‑registered vehicles (other than in accordance with subsection (1)), unless the authorised operator has the Registrar’s approval to do so.

Any person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable —

on the first conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction; and

on a second or subsequent conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both; and

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.”.