Road Traffic Act 1961 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 2 · Licensing of Drivers and Riders
47. Surrender and return of driving licence
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A driver whose licence is suspended by the deputy police commissioner must hand it in at once, unless it is electronic. The licence is returned when the suspension ends. For some suspensions, the driver's points are also cancelled. During the suspension, the driver must not drive on a road under any other licence. Driving while suspended is an offence.
Summary · Drafted with AI, checked against the official text on 30 Sep 2026.
Last amended by an amending law of 2019.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police must, upon suspending a driving licence under section 45, require the licence (if not issued in electronic form) to be surrendered to and retained by him or her.
Deputy Commissioner of Police
“Deputy Commissioner of Police”, in relation to any provision of this Act or rules or any other subsidiary legislation made under this Act, means the Deputy Commissioner of Police designated by the Commissioner of Police for the purposes of that provision, and includes any police officer who —(a)is not below the rank of sergeant; and(b)is authorised under the hand of the Deputy Commissioner of Police for the purposes of that provision, to exercise the powers of that Deputy Commissioner of Police;
Any person whose driving licence has been suspended under section 45 must immediately surrender the driving licence (if not issued in electronic form) to the Deputy Commissioner of Police.
driving licence
“driving licence” means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under the provisions of Part 2;
At the end of a period of suspension, a driving licence surrendered to the Deputy Commissioner of Police under subsection (2) must be returned to the holder of the driving licence and, in the case only of a driving licence suspended under section 45(1), the points awarded against him or her must be cancelled.
Any person whose driving licence has been suspended under section 45 must not during the period of suspension drive a motor vehicle on a road under any other driving licence issued by any authority or otherwise.
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;
Any person who drives a motor vehicle on a road when his or her driving licence is suspended under section 45 shall be guilty of an offence.
road
“road” means any public road and any other road to which the public has access, and includes —(a)any road within Pulau Bukom;(b)any road within the limits of any installation of the Singapore Armed Forces declared by the Minister by notification in the Gazette to be an installation to which this Act applies;(c)any bridge over which a road passes; and(d)any road, to which the public does not have access, which the Minister charged with the responsibility for transport prescribes, by notification in the Gazette, to be a road to which this Act applies;