How to Renew Road Tax in Singapore (2026 Guide)

Road tax renewal is one of those tasks that's easy once you've done it, but surprisingly confusing the first time — especially when the amount due doesn't match what you expected. This guide covers the renewal process, how to find out how much you owe, what happens if your road tax has expired, and the surcharge that kicks in for vehicles over 10 years old.

Checking Your Road Tax Expiry Date and Amount Payable

Before you can renew, you need to know when your road tax expires and how much you'll be paying.

Via OneMotoring: 1. Go to onemotoring.lta.gov.sg 2. Click "Vehicle" in the navigation 3. Select "Check Road Tax Status" 4. Enter your vehicle number

This shows your current road tax expiry date, whether it's been renewed, and the amount payable for your next renewal period.

Via SMS: Text your vehicle number to 74688. LTA will reply with your road tax expiry date.

Road tax in Singapore runs in either 6-month or 12-month periods. You can choose which period to pay for at renewal time. Paying annually is typically more convenient and sometimes marginally cheaper on a per-month basis.

How to Renew Road Tax Online

The majority of road tax renewals are now done through OneMotoring. The process is straightforward:

1. Log in to OneMotoring using your Singpass
2. Navigate to "Renew Road Tax"
3. Confirm your vehicle details
4. Verify that your motor insurance is valid (the system checks this automatically — your car must be insured for the renewal to go through)
5. Select 6-month or 12-month renewal period
6. Pay via credit/debit card or internet banking
7. Your digital road tax label is available immediately. The physical label, if required for your vehicle type, will be mailed to your registered address.

Important: Road tax cannot be renewed if your motor insurance has lapsed or is not active for the renewal period. Sort out your insurance renewal before attempting road tax renewal, as they often expire around the same time.

In-Person Renewal Options

If you prefer to renew in person, or if there's a problem that prevents online renewal, you can visit: - LTA Customer Service Centre at 10 Sin Ming Drive - Any SingPost outlet - AXS machines (located at various malls and MRT stations)

AXS is the most convenient in-person option — it handles road tax renewals 24/7 and accepts NETS payment.

How Road Tax is Calculated

Road tax is based on your vehicle's engine capacity (in cubic centimeters for ICE vehicles) and runs on a tiered formula. Larger engines pay more. The general brackets:

• Up to 600cc: lowest band
• 601–1,000cc
• 1,001–1,600cc: the most common range for Cat A cars
• 1,601–2,000cc
• Above 2,000cc: highest band for ICE

For electric vehicles, road tax is calculated differently — it's based on the motor's maximum output in kilowatts (kW), plus an Additional Flat Component (AFC) of S$700 per year. The AFC was introduced to compensate for lost fuel duty revenue. This is why EV owners often encounter a significant road tax bill despite the vehicle having no engine in the traditional sense.

A real-world comparison: a Toyota Corolla Altis (1.6L) pays approximately S$742/year in road tax. A BYD Atto 3 (150kW) pays approximately S$1,502/year. That S$760/year gap — before factoring in charging savings — is what many EV buyers don't fully model in advance.

The Age Surcharge: Vehicles Over 10 Years Old

This is the road tax penalty most owners discover later than they should. Once your vehicle is more than 10 years old, LTA adds a surcharge on top of the standard road tax:

• Year 11: +10% surcharge
• Year 12: +20% surcharge
• Year 13: +30% surcharge
• Year 14: +40% surcharge
• Year 15 and beyond: +50% surcharge (the cap)

The 50% cap means a vehicle whose standard road tax would be S$742 will cost S$1,113/year in road tax once it reaches its 15th year. This surcharge is a policy lever to discourage owners from keeping very old vehicles on the road.

For owners weighing a 5-year COE renewal, this surcharge is a significant ongoing cost. A car renewed at year 10 for 5 years will pay the surcharge throughout the renewal period — starting at 10% and rising to 50% by year 15, at which point the car must be scrapped. This cost needs to be factored into any genuine comparison between renewing and buying new.

What Happens if Your Road Tax Expires

It's illegal to drive a vehicle with expired road tax in Singapore. The penalties:

• Driving with expired road tax: Fine up to S$2,000, and/or imprisonment up to 3 months for first offence
• Keeping an unregistered vehicle: Separate offence
• Lapsed insurance: Additionally, you cannot renew road tax without valid insurance — so expired insurance means expired road tax by default

LTA's cameras and enforcement officers do check road tax status. It's tracked automatically via your vehicle plate number. There's no grace period.

If you've been overseas or forgot to renew, pay immediately via OneMotoring or AXS. You'll also need to pay any arrears, including for the period the road tax was expired.

Renewing Road Tax for COE-Renewed Vehicles

If your car has a renewed COE (i.e., it's past its 10-year mark), the road tax renewal process is identical to a new car. The vehicle is still registered and taxed normally.

However, note the age surcharge calculation. If you renewed COE at year 10 for a 5-year extension, your vehicle will be 10–15 years old during the renewal period. The surcharge structure means your road tax cost increases each year of the renewal — something to budget for when evaluating the total cost of a COE renewal versus buying new.

For owners doing the full financial comparison — including road tax surcharges, PQP costs, PARF rebate foregone, and expected maintenance — the Singapore COE Navigator includes a structured worksheet covering all of these components in one place.

Linking Road Tax to Log Card and Vehicle History

Your vehicle's road tax status is linked to its log card (the vehicle registration document). When you sell a car, the new owner takes over road tax responsibility from the transfer date. Road tax is non-transferable between different vehicles — it's tied to a specific registration number.

If you're buying a used car, check the road tax expiry date before transferring ownership. An expiry date of next month means you're immediately on the hook for a renewal (and the associated insurance verification). Factor this into the purchase negotiation.