Driving In Singapore

What are the common traffic offences?
Parking offences
a) Parking opposite continuous white line
b) Parking at unbroken double yellow lines
c) Parking on the footway of a public road
d) Parking in a manner as to cause unnecessary obstruction
e) Parking at unbroken single yellow line
f) Parking within 9 metres of a bus stop
g) Parking opposite continuous double white lines
h) Parking within 6 metres of a junction

Moving Offences
i) Speeding
j) Failing to conform to traffic red light signal
k) Crossing double white lines
l) Driving or stopping on shoulder of an expressway
m) Driving in a bus lane during prohibited hours

What are the types of traffic summonses?
There are different types of traffic summonses / notices issued by police officers for traffic violations. They are, NP402W (Notice of A Parking Offence), NP413 (Notice of A Parking Offence), NP402S (Notice of Traffic Offence), NP403 (Notice of Traffic Offence), NP143B (Request for Driver's Particulars) and NP404 (Notice to Attend Court).

The rationale for the issuance of the different types of traffic summonses / notices could be best explained by classifying the traffic offences into Parking and Moving offences.

PARKING OFFENCES
Parking Offences without Demerit Points
You could receive one of the following summonses/notices:

a) NP402W (Notice Of A Parking Offence).
This is a traffic summon placed on your vehicle or issued to you on the spot. With this notice, you will be given 28 days (from the date of issue of the notice) to pay a composition fine. If payment is not made within the 28 days, you will receive a NP 403 (Notice of Traffic Offence) of which you will be given another 28 days to made the fine payment. If you fail to do so, you may still pay a court fine* without having to attend court. Such court fine payment can only be made through ATOMS and if the offender has never been convicted of a traffic offence in a Singapore Court. Payment of the court fine is allowed till 12 noon on the date of the court mention. If payment is not made, you will be required to attend court on the court mention date. Failure to attend Court will result in a Warrant of Arrest issued against you.

b) NP413 (Notice of A Parking Offence)
This is a notice for a parking offence placed on your vehicle or issued to you on the spot, and you will receive a NP 403 (Notice of Traffic Offence) by post in due course. Please do not make payment with the NP 413. You may make payment upon receipt of the NP403.

c) NP403 (Notice of Traffic Offence)
Upon receipt of this traffic offence notice, you will be given 28 days (from the date of issue of the notice) to pay the composition fine. If you fail to do so, you may still pay a court fine* without having to attend court. Such court fine payment can only be made through ATOMS and if the offender has never been convicted of a traffic offence in a Singapore Court. Payment of the court fine is allowed till 12 noon on the date of the court mention. If payment is not made, you will be required to attend court on the court mention date. Failure to attend Court will result in a Warrant of Arrest issued against you.

Parking Offences with Demerit Points
You could receive one of the following summonses/notices:

a) NP143B (Request for Driver's Particulars)
This is a notice requesting for the driver's particulars that is sent to your place of abode/business. Upon receipt of the NP143B, you are required to furnish Traffic Police with the driver's full particulars within 7 days from the date of issue of the notice. Upon receipt of the driver's full particulars, Traffic Police will send a NP 403 (Notice of Traffic Offence) to the driver concerned. If you fail to supply Traffic Police with the driver's particulars or fail to supply within the required period, you will receive a Notice of Traffic Offence for Failure to Furnish Driver's particulars. Upon receipt of this notice, you are given another 28 days to furnish the driver's particulars and you are also required to pay the fine for the 'Failure to Furnish' offence.

If the driver's particulars are furnished, Traffic Police will issue a NP403 to the driver concerned. However, if you still fail to furnish Traffic Police with the driver's particulars, you will be issued with another NP143B requesting you to furnish the driver's particulars. If you still fail to furnish or fail to furnish within the period required, another NP403 for 'Failure to Furnish' offence will be issued to you. This process will be repeated until you have furnished the driver's particulars. (Driver's particulars are still required to be furnished to Traffic Police, even though payment has been made for the 'Failure to Furnish' offence).

Upon receipt of the NP403 for 'Failure to Furnish' offence, you are given 28 days to pay a composition fine. If you fail to do so, you may still pay a court fine* without having to attend court. Such court fine payment can only be made through ATOMS and if the offender has never been convicted of a traffic offence in a Singapore Court. Payment of the court fine is allowed till 12 noon on the date of the court mention. If payment is not made, you will be required to attend court on the court mention date. Failure to attend Court will result in a Warrant of Arrest issued against you.

MOVING OFFENCES
Moving Offences without Demerit Points
You could receive one of the following summonses/notice:

a) NP 402S (Notice of Traffic Offence)
The Police Officer booking you for the offence will issue you on the spot with a NP 402S (Notice of Traffic Offence). Upon receipt of this notice, you can choose to have the offence compounded by paying a composition fine within 28 days from the date of issue of the notice. If you fail to do so, you may still pay a court fine* without having to attend court. Such court fine payment can only be made through ATOMS and if the offender has never been convicted of a traffic offence in a Singapore Court. Payment of the court fine is allowed till 12 noon on the date of the court mention. If payment is not made, you will be required to attend court on the court mention date. Failure to attend Court will result in a Warrant of Arrest issued against you

b) NP403 (Notice of Traffic Offence)
If you have committed a traffic offence and no police officer has stopped and booked you on the spot, you could still receive a NP 403 (Notice of Traffic Offence) by post for the offence that you have committed. Upon receipt of the said notice, you are given 28 days to pay a compositon fine. If you fail to do so, you may still pay a court fine* without having to attend court. Such court fine payment can only be made through ATOMS and if the offender has never been convicted of a traffic offence in a Singapore Court. Payment of the court fine is allowed till 12 noon on the date of the court mention. If payment is not made, you will be required to attend court on the court mention date. Failure to attend Court will result in a Warrant of Arrest issued against you

Moving Offences with Demerit Points
You could receive one of the following summonses/notice:

However, if you have committed a traffic offence where the case has to be processed before a Notice of Traffic Offence can be issued to you (example, offence of careless driving where a description of the offence has to be stated on the Notice), the officer who stops you will inform you of the offence and that a Notice of Traffic Offence will be sent to you by post.

c) NP 143B (Request for Driver's Particulars)
This is a notice requesting for the driver's particulars that is sent to your place of abode/business. Upon receipt of the NP143B, you are required to furnish Traffic Police with the driver's full particulars within 7 days from the date of issue of the notice. Upon receipt of the driver's full particulars, Traffic Police will send a NP 403 (Notice of Traffic Offence) to the driver concerned. If you fail to supply Traffic Police with the driver's particulars or fail to supply within the required period, you will receive a Notice of Traffic Offence for Failure to Furnish Driver's particulars. Upon receipt of this notice, you are given another 28 days to furnish the driver's particulars and you are also required to pay the fine for the 'Failure to Furnish' offence.

NP 404 (Notice to Attend Court)
This Notice to Attend Court is issued to an offender who has committed a non compoundable offence and court attendance is required, example, speeding offence for which the speed that the vehicle has exceeded is more than 40 kmph of the speed limit of the road or vehicle, or offence of using mobile telephone whilst driving. This notice may also be issued for compoundable cases where offer of composition is not granted.

How can I pay for traffic summons?
Payment can be made electronically to Traffic Police or by cash or cheque. For your convenience, you are encouraged to do so by electronic means.

Payment by VISA or Master Card

Payment can be made using VISA or Master Card through our Electronic Driver Data Information and Enquiry System (EDDIES) website at URL: http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/index.htm . Go to Outstanding Traffic Offence under Traffic Matters and follow the instructions from there. Payment using VISA or Master Card can also be made at Traffic Police Department located at 10 Ubi Avenue 3, Singapore 408865 during the following hours (except public holidays):

You can also use FlexiPay at the same EDDIES website above. You must have the following:

If you fail to pay the composition amount before the expiry date but do not wish to dispute the alleged offence in Court , you can pay a higher fine at any AXS Stations (ATOMS) before 5.00pm on the Court date stated on the notice. Please use the 12-digit numeric Report Number when making payment for the fine.

You can also pay the fine through ATOMS via Internet up to 5.00pm on the Court date, at URL: https://atoms.subcourts.gov.sg/atoms.

You can also choose to pay at any Singapore Post's Self Service Automated Machine (S.A.M.). S.A.M. are conveniently located island wide.

Virtual Post or vPOST is an online bill payment service by Singapore Post that allows you to make composition payment at URL : http://www.vpost.com.sg

Payment by cash or through NETS with ATM Card can be made at Traffic Police Department located at 10 Ubi Avenue 3, Singapore 408865 during the following hours:

If I lost the traffic summons, how can I make payment?
You can pay for the summons if you have lost the Traffic Summons over the counter at Traffic Police Department at No. 10 Ubi Ave 3 Sinapore 408865, together with:

your NRIC,
Vehicle Registration Card, and
the summons report number, if any.

How do I know whether any cheque has been accepted?
To check if the cheque you sent has been cleared, please call Traffic Police at 6547 6116.

What to do if I receive a reminder to pay a traffic summons which I have already paid?
Please check and verify whether the Report number, especially the last 2 alphabets and the amount of fine is the same as the one that you have paid for. If so, ignore the reminder.

Otherwise, you can make payment at any NETS Kiosk up to 12 noon of the court date itself, provided you have never been convicted in a Singapore court before. Otherwise, you will have to attend court on the given court date. For the location of NETS Kiosks, please call NETS Hotline at 65602727.

How do I appeal against traffic summons which I did not commit?
If you feel that you did not commit the offence or that the summons was not justifiable, you may make an appeal by writing to OC Violation Reports, Traffic Police.

You will be notified of your appeal within 3 weeks. If you do not receive any reply after 3 weeks, please call 6547 6154 to check.

How can I enquire about Warrant cases?
No details about any Warrant of Arrest will be disclosed to anyone. However, you may call the Warrant Enforcement Unit at 6547 6082 or 6547 6083 to check whether you have any outstanding warrant of arrests.

If you have an outstanding warrant of arrest, you are advised to call at the Warrant Enforcement Unit, Traffic Police, with a bailor who is a Singapore Citizen aged 21 years or above. Both parties must produce their NRICs.

What consitutes handphone driving?
Handphone driving
An offence under Sec 65B of the Road Traffic Act is made out as long as there is evidence to show that the motorist was holding onto the handphone with one hand, while using it to communicate. This is regardless of the position in which he was holding onto the handphone and the fact that a hands-free kit was also used is irrelevant.

Handphone driving is an inconsiderate and dangerous act that poses a threat to other road-users. The act distracts drivers and reduces their ability to control their vehicles and to react to changes in road situations. This puts other road users at risk. Because of the seriousness of the offence, Traffic Police will continue to step up our enforcement on handphone driving. We advise motorists who wish to use their handphones to have their passenger make or receive the call. If travelling alone, motorists should drive to a carpark before making the call.

Penalty
A first-timer convicted of phone and drive offence shall be liable to 12 demerit points and a maximum fine of up to $1000/- or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both. He/She may also be disqualified from driving. The offender's handphone and SIM card will be seized to facilitate investigation. These may be forfeited by the court upon conviction.

What constitutes HP driving:

the vehicle is in motion; and
the driver is holding on to the handphone with one hand; while his other hand is holding the steering wheel and
the driver is communicating with any person with that handphone.

[Para 2(b) : If the driver is not holding on to the steering wheel at all, he can be charged for reckless or dangerous driving. Upon conviction, first-time offenders can be fined up to S$3000/-, or jailed for a term up to 12 months, or both. Repeat offenders are liable for a maximum fine of S$5000/-, or to imprisonment for a term up to 2 years, or both. In addition, they may also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence.]

[Para 2(c) includes making phone calls, paging for someone, receiving a call by pressing the keypad, and reading, writing or sending SMS.]

Examples:
Scenario A (Paging for someone)
Page for someone, with or without earpiece, using one hand to hold on to the mobile phone and the other hand holding the steering wheel.

Scenario B (SMS/MMS message)
Writing, Sending, and Reading SMS/MMS messages from someone, with or without earpiece, using one hand to hold on to the mobile phone and the other hand holding the steering wheel.

Scenario C (Making a Call)
Making a call, with or without earpiece, by pressing the keypads and was holding handphone in one hand with the other hand holding the steering wheel.

Scenario D (Receiving a Call)
Receiving a call, with or without earpiece, by pressing the keypads and was holding handphone in one hand with the other hand holding the steering wheel.