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The Off-Peak Car (OPC) Scheme replaced the Weekend Car Scheme on 1 October 1994. It offers new and existing car owners the option to save on car registration and road taxes in return for reduced usage of the car. To opt for the scheme, you are required to
obtain a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) under one of the normal
car categories and indicate at registration if it is to be registered
as an OPC. |
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New cars registered as an OPC will enjoy:
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An upfront rebate of $17,000 to be offset against the following items: (a) COE Quota Premium The rebate is first offset against the COE
premium payable. Any excess is then offset against the ARF payable. |
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A flat discount of $800 on annual road tax, subject to a minimum road tax payment of $50 per year. |
Road tax for the OPC is payable every year. Before renewal, the OPC must be inspected by an authorised Inspection Centre to certify that the number plate has not been tampered with.
You can apply to the LTA to convert your normal car to an OPC. To complete the conversion, you will need to submit the required documents as stated in the application form and the payment of a conversion fee of $100 and the applicable road tax and radio license fee. Upon successful conversion of the vehicle, you can proceed to change the car number plate to a red coloured one within 3 calendar days and have it sealed by an authorised Inspection Centre. No tax rebate on your COE quota premium and/or ARF will be given when the normal car is converted to an OPC.
The registered owner of a converted OPC will, however, enjoy:
| 1) |
$800 discount on the annual road tax subject to a minimum road tax payment of $50 per year; and |
| 2) | Additional Preferential
Additional Fee (PARF) benefit on top of the normal PARF benefit may be granted if your car is de-registered before it is 10 years old and is eligible for PARF benefit. The additional PARF benefit is computed as follows:
Lifespan of the car as a converted OPC (in months and days) x ($2,200/12) To illustrate: If you had re-registered your normal car as an OPC on 1 June 2003 and used the car as an OPC up till 19 June 2006, at the point of de-registration, if the car is still eligible for PARF benefit, you would be granted an additional PARF benefit calculated as follows: Period as a converted OPC is calculated as follows: From 1/6/03 to 31/5/06 = 3 years or 36 months (i.e. 3 years x 12 months) From 1/6/06 to 19/6/06 = 19 days or 0.63 months (i.e. 19 days divide by 30 days) Hence, total period where the car was a converted OPC = 36.63 months. The additional PARF is thus calculated as follows: Additional PARF = 36.63 x ($2,200/12) = $6,715 |
Submit an application form to the LTA at 10 Sin Ming Drive. You will need to pay a conversion fee of $100 and top-up the road tax for your converted car. You must also change your car's red number plates to normal ones within 3 calendar days.
In addition, if your car was originally registered as an OPC, you will need to top-up the ‘unused’ upfront rebate as follows:
Top up fee =
| $17,000 X (120 months - No. of months and days registered at time of conversion) |
| 120 months |
To illustrate, assume:
COE quota premium = $12,000
ARF = $22,000
OPC registered on 1 June 2003
OPC converted to normal car on 19 June 2006
OPC rebate of up to $17,000 offset against COE first, and then ARF.
COE quota premium paid = $0
ARF paid = $17,000 [$22,000 – ($17,000 - $12,000)]
The period where the car is registered as an OPC is calculated as follows:
From 1/6/03 to 31/5/06 = 3 years or 36 months (i.e. 3 years x 12 months)
From 1/6/06 to 19/6/06 = 19 days or 0.63 months (i.e. 19 days divide by 30 days)
Hence, the total period where the car was registered as an OPC = 36.63 months. The top-up fee is thus calculated as follows:
| Top-up fee = $17,000 x (120 months – 36.63 months) |
| 120 months |
| = $11,811 |
The top-up fee paid will be apportioned to the COE and ARF components as follows:
COE = $8,337 [i.e. ($12,000/120 months) x 83.37 months (i.e. 120 months – 36.63 months)]
ARF = $3,474 [i.e. ($5,000/120 months) x 83.37 months (i.e. 120 months – 36.63 months)]
When an owner de-registers his car which was converted to a normal car from an OPC, any PARF and COE rebates to be granted to the last registered owner would be based on the actual amount of ARF and Quota Premium (COE) paid, including any top-up amount. In this case, the actual COE quota premium paid is $8,337 and the actual ARF paid is $20,474 [i.e. $3,474 + $17,000 (i.e. $22,000 - $5,000)].
An OPC can be freely driven on Sundays, public holidays and during the following non-restricted hours: -
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Mondays to Fridays: from 7.00pm to 7.00am |
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Saturdays & Eve of the 5 Public Holidays*: 3.00pm onwards *New Year, Lunar New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas. |
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Mon
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12 midnight - 7am
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7am - 7pm
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7pm - 12 midnight
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Tue
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Wed
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Thu
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Fri
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Sat
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Sun
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Whole Day
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| Restricted hours |
If you need to use your OPC during the restricted hours, you will need to display a $20 day licence.
You can purchase the day licence from the following places:
Automobile Association of Singapore
336 River Valley Road
#01-00, AA Centre
2 Kung Chong Road
Tel : 6333 8811
Land Transport Authority
Vehicle & Transit Licensing Division
10 Sin Ming Drive
Tel : 1800 - CALL LTA or 1800 - 2255 582
Penalty for failing to display a day licence
It is a serious offence for failing to display a valid day licence, use an invalid or altered day licence when an OPC is used during the restricted hours. First time offenders may be fined up to $5,000 for failing to display a valid day licence or using an invalid day licence, and fined up to $10,000 for using an altered day licence when the OPC is used during the restricted hours.
The registration number plates of the OPC are in red. A seal must be affixed onto the number plate by an authorised Inspection Centre.
Owners of weekend / off-peak cars must seek prior approval from LTA to remove the number plate(s) for repair or other works on their cars or if there is a change in the vehicle registration number (e.g. retention / replacement of registration number). Please bring along the LTA letter (which gives approval for the number plate’s seal(s) to be broken and reseal) to an authorised Inspection Centre to have the number plate resealed after the repair. LTA’s authorised inspection centres must sight this approval letter when the vehicle is presented to them for resealing of number plate(s).
Please click here for a copy of the application form for the breaking and resealing of weekend / off-peak car number plate
If you scrap or export your OPC before it reaches 10 years old, you can apply for the PARF benefit; if eligible.
Click here for more information on PARF/COE Rebates.
Last Updated on 13/08/2008
