Regulation 1
Citation
These Rules may be cited as the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules.
/akn/sg/act/sub_leg/1961/RTA-R39
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules
The full official text, structured for quick navigation. Copy any provision or jump straight to a section.
- Type
- Subsidiary Legislation
- Status
- In force
- Enacted
- 1961
- Sections
- 12
Quick answer
About this subsidiary legislation
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules is Singapore Subsidiary Legislation, cited as Subsidiary Legislation RTA-R39 1961, currently marked in force and first recorded in 1961.
Regulation 2
Definitions
Amended byS 1057/2021 wef 03/01/2022S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 1057/2021 wef 03/01/2022S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
In these Rules —“ambulance” means a motor vehicle that is specifically equipped for —
(a)
the transport on roads of; and
(b)
the provision, during such transport, of out-of-hospital clinical care to,sick or injured individuals who require emergency medical treatment;“approved speed limiter” means any speed limiter conforming to all the standards contained or referred to in —
(a)
from 27 November 2025 to 31 December 2027 (both dates inclusive) —
(i)
the BS AU 217-1a:1987;
(ii)
the European Standard 92/24/EEC; or
(iii)
the UNECE Regulation No. 89; and
(b)
on or after 1 January 2028 — the UNECE Regulation No. 89;“authorised”, for an ambulance, means —
(a)
being specified in a licence (other than a revoked licence) under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 authorising the use of the ambulance to provide a licensable healthcare service specified in that licence; or
(b)
being owned by the Government and used for the purposes of the Singapore Armed Forces or the Singapore Civil Defence Force;”.“authorised agent” means an agent authorised by the Deputy Commissioner of Police under rule 8;“BS AU 217-1a:1987” means the British Standard for Maximum Road Speed Limiters for Motor Vehicles published by the British Standards Institution under the number BS AU 217-1a:1987;“European Standard 92/24/EEC” means the Council Directive 92/24/EEC of the Council of the European Communities adopted on 31 March 1992;“frequency-input terminal” means a device approved by the Deputy Commissioner of Police which facilitates calibration checks of the speed limiter by simulating the speed of the vehicle;“speed limiter” means a device designed to limit the maximum speed of a motor vehicle by controlling the engine power of the vehicle;“UNECE Regulation No. 89” means the current version of Regulation No. 89, a Vehicle Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, that is available on the official website of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe at https://www.unece.org and includes any previous version of Regulation No. 89.
Definition
“ambulance” means a motor vehicle that is specifically equipped for —
(a)
the transport on roads of; and
(b)
the provision, during such transport, of out-of-hospital clinical care to,sick or injured individuals who require emergency medical treatment;
Amended byS 1057/2021 wef 03/01/2022
Definition
“approved speed limiter” means any speed limiter conforming to all the standards contained or referred to in —
(a)
from 27 November 2025 to 31 December 2027 (both dates inclusive) —
(i)
the BS AU 217-1a:1987;
(ii)
the European Standard 92/24/EEC; or
(iii)
the UNECE Regulation No. 89; and
(b)
on or after 1 January 2028 — the UNECE Regulation No. 89;
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Definition
“authorised”, for an ambulance, means —
(a)
being specified in a licence (other than a revoked licence) under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 authorising the use of the ambulance to provide a licensable healthcare service specified in that licence; or
(b)
being owned by the Government and used for the purposes of the Singapore Armed Forces or the Singapore Civil Defence Force;”.
Amended byS 1057/2021 wef 03/01/2022
Definition
“authorised agent” means an agent authorised by the Deputy Commissioner of Police under rule 8;
Definition
“BS AU 217-1a:1987” means the British Standard for Maximum Road Speed Limiters for Motor Vehicles published by the British Standards Institution under the number BS AU 217-1a:1987;
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Definition
“European Standard 92/24/EEC” means the Council Directive 92/24/EEC of the Council of the European Communities adopted on 31 March 1992;
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Definition
“frequency-input terminal” means a device approved by the Deputy Commissioner of Police which facilitates calibration checks of the speed limiter by simulating the speed of the vehicle;
Definition
“speed limiter” means a device designed to limit the maximum speed of a motor vehicle by controlling the engine power of the vehicle;
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Definition
“UNECE Regulation No. 89” means the current version of Regulation No. 89, a Vehicle Regulation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, that is available on the official website of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe at https://www.unece.org and includes any previous version of Regulation No. 89.
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Regulation 3
Application
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 1057/2021 wef 03/01/2022S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Subregulation 1
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Subject to paragraph (2), these Rules shall apply to —
(a)
every goods vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 12,000 kg and which has, or if a speed limiter is not fitted to it would have, a maximum speed exceeding 60 km/h; (aa)every goods vehicle which —
(i)
has a maximum laden weight exceeding 3,500 kg but not exceeding 12,000 kg; and
(ii)
has an open deck for the carriage of goods and that deck is capable of being used to carry any individual; and
(b)
every public service vehicle having a maximum laden weight exceeding 10,000 kg and which has, or if a speed limiter is not fitted to it would have, a maximum speed exceeding 60km/h.
Subregulation 2
Amended byS 1057/2021 wef 03/01/2022S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
These Rules shall not apply to —
(a)
any public service vehicle which is used on any service to or from a place outside Singapore and which is approved by the Deputy Commissioner of Police;
(b)
any motor vehicle owned by the Government and used for naval, military or air force purposes;
(c)
any motor vehicle used for naval, military or air force purposes while being driven by a person for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the Singapore Armed Forces;
(d)
any authorised ambulance, or any fire engine or police vehicle;
(da)any motor vehicle used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force for civil defence purposes;
(e)
any motor vehicle bearing the index marks “RU” for use within such areas as may be approved by the Authority; and
(f)
any motor vehicle which the Deputy Commissioner of Police is satisfied cannot, by virtue of its construction or use, be equipped with a speed limiter.
Regulation 4
Vehicles to be fitted with speed limiters and frequency-input terminals
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025S 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Subregulation 1
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Subject to rule 4A, an owner of a vehicle to which these Rules apply must ensure that the vehicle is not used on any road unless it has been fitted with —
(a)
an approved speed limiter; and
(b)
if the approved speed limiter is not an ECU-based speed limiter — a frequency-input terminal.
Subregulation 1A
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
In paragraph (1)(b), “ECU-based speed limiter” means a vehicle’s electronic control unit that forms part of the vehicle’s engine management system and is designed to limit the maximum speed of the motor vehicle by controlling the engine power of the vehicle through any software or program installed in the electronic control unit.
Subregulation 2
An owner of a vehicle referred to in paragraph (1) who fails to comply with that paragraph shall be guilty of an offence.
Regulation 4A
Grace period for vehicles to be fitted with speed limiters and frequency-input terminals
Amended byS 726/2025 wef 27/11/2025
Despite rule 4(1), a vehicle mentioned in rule 3(1)(aa) may be used on any road without being fitted with an approved speed limiter or a frequency-input terminal until —
(a)
if the vehicle is registered before 1 January 2018 and the maximum laden weight of the vehicle exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 5,000 kg — 30 June 2026;
(b)
if the vehicle is registered before 1 January 2018 and the maximum laden weight of the vehicle exceeds 5,000 kg but does not exceed 12,000 kg — 31 December 2025;
(c)
if the vehicle is registered on or after 1 January 2018 but before 1 January 2026 and the maximum laden weight of the vehicle exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 5,000 kg — 30 June 2027; and
(d)
if the vehicle is registered on or after 1 January 2018 but before 1 January 2026 and the maximum laden weight of the vehicle exceeds 5,000 kg but does not exceed 12,000 kg — 31 December 2026.
Regulation 5
Use on road
Subregulation 1
The driver of a vehicle to which a speed limiter has been fitted shall not drive the vehicle on a road if he knows or has reason to believe that the speed limiter is not functioning or is faulty except for the purpose of taking the vehicle to a place where the speed limiter is to be repaired or replaced.
Subregulation 2
A driver of a vehicle referred to in paragraph (1) who contravenes that paragraph shall be guilty of an offence.
Regulation 6
Speed limiters
Subregulation 1
The owner of a vehicle that is required to be fitted with a speed limiter under rule 4 shall —
(a)
ensure that the speed limiter that is fitted to the vehicle —
(i)
is an approved speed limiter;
(ii)
is calibrated to a set speed not exceeding 60km/h;
(iii)
is sealed by an authorised agent; and
(iv)
is maintained in good and efficient working order; and
(b)
as soon as practicable, send the vehicle for inspection by an authorised agent if he is aware or has reason to believe that —
(i)
the speed limiter fitted to the vehicle is incorrectly calibrated or faulty;
(ii)
the seal on the speed limiter fitted to the vehicle has been broken; or
(iii)
the speed limiter fitted to the vehicle has been adjusted or tampered with in any manner so as to allow the vehicle to exceed the speed of 60km/h.
Subregulation 2
An owner of a vehicle referred to in paragraph (1) who contravenes or fails to comply with that paragraph shall be guilty of an offence.
Regulation 7
Display of label
Subregulation 1
The driver of a vehicle to which a speed limiter has been fitted shall ensure that the label provided by an authorised agent under rule 9(3) is visibly displayed at the top right portion of the front windscreen as seen from the outside of the vehicle.
Subregulation 2
A driver of a vehicle referred to in paragraph (1) who fails to comply with that paragraph shall be guilty of an offence.
Regulation 8
Authorisation of agent
Subregulation 1
The Deputy Commissioner of Police may authorise an agent to seal a speed limiter against any unauthorised adjustment of the pre-set limiting speed of the vehicle and any other tampering with the device.
Subregulation 2
Any authorisation under paragraph (1) may be terminated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police by a written notice to the authorised agent if he is of the opinion that the authorised agent has not performed its work satisfactorily, and any authorisation to which the notice relates shall cease to have effect on the date specified in the notice.
Regulation 9
Works by authorised agent
Subregulation 1
An authorised agent shall not seal a speed limiter under these Rules unless it is satisfied that the speed limiter fulfils the requirements of rule 6(1).
Subregulation 2
An authorised agent shall keep a record of the serial number of all speed limiters which it has sealed pursuant to these Rules for a period of not less than 10 years.
Subregulation 3
When an authorised agent has sealed a speed limiter, it shall supply the owner of the vehicle with a label which shows clearly and indelibly —
(a)
the type of speed limiter fitted;
(b)
the set speed (km/h);
(c)
the date of calibration and sealing;
(d)
the seal number;
(e)
the name of the calibrator and the sealer;
(f)
the vehicle registration number;
(g)
the frequency of speed pulse; and
(h)
the tyre size.
Regulation 10
Offences
Any person who, without the permission of the Deputy Commissioner of Police —
(a)
drives a vehicle which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter under rule 4 when he is aware or has reason to believe that no speed limiter has been fitted in accordance with these Rules;
(b)
adjusts or tampers with a speed limiter so as to allow the vehicle to which the speed limiter has been fitted to exceed the speed of 60km/h; or
(c)
breaks any seal on a speed limiter,shall be guilty of an offence.
Regulation 11
Penalty
Any person who is guilty of an offence under any provision of these Rules shall be liable on conviction —
(a)
in the case of a first offence, to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months; and
(b)
in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.
Common questions
- What is Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules?
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules is Singapore Subsidiary Legislation, cited as Subsidiary Legislation RTA-R39 1961, currently marked in force and first recorded in 1961.
- Is Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules still in force?
- Yes — Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules is currently in force.
- When did Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules take effect?
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules was first recorded in 1961.
- How many regulations does Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules have?
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules contains 12 regulations.
- Where can I read the official version of Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules?
- The official text of Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Speed Limiters) Rules is published at sso.agc.gov.sg.