Road Traffic Act 1961 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 5 · Public Service Vehicles
101. Prohibition of use of unlicensed public service vehicles
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2019. 2 amendments in all.
Subject to the provisions of this Part, a person must not use a motor vehicle which is not a proscribed vehicle, or cause or permit a motor vehicle which is not a proscribed vehicle to be used, as a public service vehicle unless there is in force, in respect of the vehicle, a valid licence issued under this Part authorising such use, or otherwise than in accordance with the licence and any conditions attached thereto.
For the purposes of subsection (1), use of a motor vehicle as a private hire car includes a motor car that —
motor vehicle
“motor vehicle” means a vehicle that —(a)is propelled wholly or partly by a motor or by any means other than human or animal power; and(b)is used or intended to be used on any road;
is in use in connection with a hiring to provide an on‑demand passenger transport service; or
is immediately available to a provider of a ride‑hail service to take or facilitate the taking of bookings for an on‑demand passenger transport service provided using that vehicle (whether immediately or at a later time).
Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section if the person proves to the satisfaction of the court that the person used the motor vehicle, the subject of the charge, as a public service vehicle in an emergency for the purpose of conveying a sick or injured person to hospital or to bring medical aid to that person or for the purpose of making a report to a police station and that the person had made all reasonable efforts to hire a public service vehicle for the purpose of the journey.
public service vehicle
“public service vehicle” means a vehicle used or kept for use for the carriage, for hire or reward, of —(a)in the case of a motor car which does not ply for hire on any road but is hired under a contract, express or implied, for the use of the car as a whole, the driver of the car or any passenger; or(b)in any other case, any passenger,but excludes any vehicle constructed for use on fixed rails or specially prepared ways;
A public service vehicle licence is in addition to any other licence issued under this Act and the Point‑to‑Point Passenger Transport Industry Act 2019.
licence
“licence” means a vehicle licence issued under the provisions of this Part.
Any motor vehicle in respect of which there has been, or there is reasonable cause to suspect that there has been, committed any offence under this section may be seized by any police officer or the Registrar or any officer authorised in writing in that behalf by the Registrar.
police officer
“police officer” includes any person employed for police duties in the Singapore Police Force constituted under the Police Force Act 2004;
When any motor vehicle has been seized under subsection (5), a police officer or the Registrar or an officer authorised in writing in that behalf by the Registrar —
Registrar
“Registrar” means the Registrar of Vehicles or the Deputy Registrar or an assistant registrar appointed under section 9;
may temporarily return the motor vehicle to its owner on security being furnished to the satisfaction of the police officer, the Registrar or officer so authorised (as the case may be) that the motor vehicle will be surrendered to him or her on demand; or
must, upon the direction of the Public Prosecutor, and after making any investigations that are necessary for the purposes of this Act, return the motor vehicle to its owner.
Where it is proved to the satisfaction of a court before which the prosecution has been held that a motor vehicle seized under subsection (5) has been used in the commission of an offence under this section, the court, on the written application of the Public Prosecutor, is to make an order for the forfeiture of the motor vehicle, even though no person may have been convicted of an offence.
If there be no prosecution with regard to any motor vehicle seized under subsection (5), that vehicle must be released at the end of one month from the date of seizure unless it has sooner been released.
vehicle
“vehicle” means any vehicle whether mechanically propelled or otherwise;
A police officer may arrest without warrant any person who has committed or whom the police officer reasonably suspects to have committed an offence under this section.
For the purposes of this section, a proscribed vehicle means a vehicle of the construction, type or description or a class of vehicles declared by the Minister, by order in the Gazette, to be proscribed and not likewise declared, by subsequent order in the Gazette, to be not proscribed.
Minister
“Minister” means —(a)except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), the Minister charged with the responsibility for land transport;(b)for the purposes of the whole of Parts 2 and 3 and sections 75(1), 82, 112(1), (3) and (4), 113(1) and (2), 114(1), 116(2), 121(2) and 143(3) and (11), the Minister charged with the responsibility for law and order; and(c)for the purposes of sections 131B(7), 135(2), 140(1) and (2), 142 and 142A(1), the Minister charged with the responsibility for land transport or the Minister charged with the responsibility for law and order, as appropriate;
An order made under subsection (10) by the Minister may contain any saving, transitional, and other consequential, incidental and supplemental provisions that the Minister considers necessary or expedient for the purposes of this Part.
A person commits an offence if a person uses or causes or permits a proscribed vehicle to be used as a public service vehicle.
A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (12) shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.