Road Traffic Act 1961 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 2 · Licensing of Drivers and Riders
47C. Immediate suspension of driving licence in certain circumstances
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If police start investigating certain offences against a driver involved in a traffic incident that seriously injured or killed another person, or seriously damaged a building or structure, the deputy police commissioner may suspend the driver's licence. The suspension lasts until a court tries and decides the offence, unless lifted sooner. 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 2025. 4 amendments in all.
Where any police investigation into the possible commission of any offence mentioned in subsection (2) is started against any person who, while driving a motor vehicle on a road or in any public place, was involved in any traffic incident resulting in —
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;
serious injury or death to another person; or
serious damage to any building or structure,the Deputy Commissioner of Police may, immediately upon or at any time after the start of the police investigation, suspend the driving licence of that person.
At the start of or during any police investigation into the possible commission on or after 1 November 2019 by a person of any offence under section 64, 67 or 116, the Deputy Commissioner of Police may suspend the driving licence of the person.
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;
Subsection (1) applies in respect of any of the following offences:
an offence under section 65 or 65A;
an offence under section 64, 66 or 67 as in force immediately before 1 November 2019;
an offence under section 84(7) arising from a failure to comply with section 84(3);
an offence under section 3 of the Motor Vehicles (Third‑Party Risks and Compensation) Act 1960;
an offence under section 279, 304A or 338 of the Penal Code 1871.
The suspension of a person’s driving licence under subsection (1) or (1A), unless it is sooner rescinded by the Deputy Commissioner of Police under subsection (10), remains in force —
driving licence
“driving licence” means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under the provisions of Part 2;
if the person is acquitted of the offence on account of which the person’s driving licence is so suspended (called in this subsection the relevant offence), whether or not by a trial court or an appellant court — until the date of the person’s acquittal; or
if the person is convicted of and sentenced for the relevant offence by a trial court — until the later of the following dates:
the date on which all rights of appeal against the conviction or sentence (including any order of a court disqualifying the person from holding or obtaining a driving licence under this Act or the Motor Vehicles (Third‑Party Risks and Compensation) Act 1960 in relation to the relevant offence) have expired or are exhausted;
the date of commencement of a disqualification order mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i).
Where the Deputy Commissioner of Police suspends the driving licence of a person under subsection (1) or (1A), the Deputy Commissioner of Police must, as soon as is practicable, give to the person concerned a written notice —
informing the person concerned of the suspension of his or her driving licence and the date from which the suspension is to take effect; and
requiring the person concerned to surrender his or her driving licence to the Deputy Commissioner of Police within the time specified in the notice.
A person who refuses or fails, without reasonable cause, or excuse to surrender his or her driving licence to the Deputy Commissioner of Police under subsection (4) shall be guilty of an offence.
Any person whose driving licence has been suspended under this section must not during the period of suspension drive a motor vehicle on a road under any other driving licence granted by any authority or otherwise.
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;
Any person who drives a motor vehicle on a road when his or her driving licence is suspended under this section shall be guilty of an offence.
A person aggrieved by the suspension of his or her driving licence under subsection (1) or (1A) may, within 14 days after the receipt of the notice mentioned in subsection (4) or any extended period of time that the Commissioner of Police may allow in any particular case, appeal in writing against the suspension to the Commissioner of Police whose decision is final.
Commissioner of Police
“Commissioner of Police” means the public officer appointed under section 6(1) of the Police Force Act 2004;
Even though any appeal under subsection (8) is pending, the suspension of a person’s driving licence under subsection (1) or (1A) takes effect from the date specified in the notice given to him or her by the Deputy Commissioner of Police under subsection (4), unless the Commissioner of Police otherwise orders.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police may, at any time, rescind the suspension of a person’s driving licence under subsection (1) or (1A) on account of any offence mentioned in subsection (2) or (1A), respectively, but must, as soon as is practicable, rescind the suspension if —
the investigation reveals that that person was not involved in the commission of any such offence;
it is decided that that person is not to be charged with any such offence; or
the charge against that person in respect of any such offence is withdrawn.
In this section, “structure” has the meaning given by section 65A(2).