Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations

Source: Singapore Statutes Online | Archived by Legal Wires


Environmental Protection and Management Act
(CHAPTER 94A, Sections 12(5) and 77)
Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations
Rg 6
G.N. No. S 291/1999

REVISED EDITION 2008
(31st January 2008)
[1st July 1999]
PART I
PRELIMINARY
Citation
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations.
Definitions
2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“approved vehicle examiner” means a vehicle examiner approved under these Regulations to carry out any re-examination under these Regulations;
“certificate of compliance” means a certificate of compliance issued by an approved vehicle examiner under regulation 12(3)(a) or 14(5)(a);
“diesel engine” means an internal combustion engine which operates by burning diesel;
[S 301/2012 wef 01/07/2012]
“goods vehicle”, “motor vehicle”, “owner” and “public service vehicle” shall have the same meanings as in the Road Traffic Act 1961;
[S 172/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
“licensed motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle in respect of which a vehicle licence is issued and in force;
“prescribed standard” means any standard specified in any Schedule to these Regulations;
“registered elsewhere”, in relation to a motor vehicle, means registered for the first time under the provisions of any law of any country (other than Singapore) relating to motor vehicles;
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
“registered in Singapore”, in relation to a motor vehicle, means registered for the first time under section 26 of the Road Traffic Act 1961;
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
[S 172/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
“use” means use on a road in Singapore;
“vehicle examiner” means a person authorised under section 90(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 to carry out a vehicle examination;
[S 172/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
“vehicle licence” means a vehicle licence issued by the Registrar of Vehicles under section 19 of the Road Traffic Act 1961;
[S 172/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
“vehicle testing station” has the same meaning as in the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Test) Rules (R 21).
[S 172/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
Application
3.—(1)  Unless otherwise expressly provided, these Regulations shall apply only to a motor vehicle whose whole weight is transmitted to the road surface by means of its wheels that are in contact with the ground when the motor vehicle is in motion.
(2)  Nothing in Part II (except regulations 6 and 7) shall apply to a motor vehicle or trailer brought temporarily into Singapore by a person resident abroad.
[S 57/2019 wef 31/01/2019]
(3)  Regulations 4 and 6 shall not apply to any diesel engine installed in or carried on a motor vehicle unless the diesel engine propels the motor vehicle.
[S 301/2012 wef 01/07/2012]
(4)  Despite paragraph (1), Part IIIA applies to any motor vehicle being driven in Singapore.
[S 372/2016 wef 01/01/2017]
PART II
STANDARDS AND TESTS FOR VEHICLE EXHAUST EMISSION AND NOISE EMISSION
Standards for exhaust emission for new motor vehicles
4.—(1)  Every petrol driven motor vehicle (other than a motor cycle or scooter) to be registered in Singapore on or after 1 January 2024 shall conform to any of the standards for exhaust emission specified in the First Schedule for the class of motor vehicle to which that motor vehicle belongs.
[S 765/2013 wef 20/12/2013]
[S 199/2014 wef 01/04/2014]
[S 480/2017 wef 01/09/2017]
[S 172/2023 wef 01/04/2023]
[S 897/2023 wef 01/01/2024]
(2)  Every diesel driven motor vehicle (other than a motor cycle or scooter) to be registered in Singapore on or after 1 January 2024 shall conform to any of the standards for exhaust emission specified in the Second Schedule for the class of motor vehicle to which that motor vehicle belongs.
[S 765/2013 wef 20/12/2013]
[S 766/2013 wef 01/01/2014]
[S 480/2017 wef 01/01/2018]
[S 172/2023 wef 01/04/2023]
[S 897/2023 wef 01/01/2024]
(3)  Every two‑wheeled motor cycle or scooter with an engine capacity exceeding 200 cubic centimetres, and every three‑wheeled motor cycle or scooter, that is to be registered in Singapore on or after 1 January 2018 must conform to the standard for exhaust emission specified in Part 2 of the Third Schedule.
[S 781/2017 wef 01/01/2018]
(4)  Every two-wheeled motor cycle or scooter with an engine capacity not exceeding 200 cubic centimetres must —
(a)if it is to be registered in Singapore on or after 1 January 2018 but before 1 January 2020 — conform to the standard for exhaust emission specified in Part 1 of the Third Schedule; or
(b)if it is to be registered in Singapore on or after 1 January 2020 — conform to the standard for exhaust emission specified in Part 2 of the Third Schedule.
[S 781/2017 wef 01/01/2018]
Standards for noise emission for new motor vehicles
5.  Every motor vehicle to be registered in Singapore on or after 1 April 2026 must conform to the standard for exhaust noise emission, specified in the Fourth Schedule for the class of motor vehicle to which that vehicle belongs.
[S 564/2010 wef 01/10/2010]
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
[S 249/2022 wef 01/04/2022]
[S 172/2023 wef 01/04/2023]
[S 239/2024 wef 01/04/2024]
[S 197/2025 wef 01/04/2025]
[S 165/2026 wef 01/04/2026]
Standards for exhaust emission for in-use motor vehicles
6.  Every licensed motor vehicle that is in use (whether registered in Singapore before, on or after 1st July 1999) and every motor vehicle not registered in Singapore (whether brought temporarily into Singapore or otherwise) that is in use shall conform to the standard for exhaust emission specified in the Fifth Schedule.
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
Standards for noise emission for in-use motor vehicles
7.—(1)  Except as provided in paragraph (2), every motor vehicle that is in use (whether or not registered in Singapore or elsewhere) shall conform to the standard of noise emission specified in the Sixth Schedule for the class of motor vehicle to which that motor vehicle belongs.
(2)  Every licensed motor vehicle that is in use shall conform to the standard of noise emission specified in the Seventh Schedule for the class of motor vehicle to which that motor vehicle belongs if the motor vehicle was registered in Singapore or elsewhere before 1st July 1999.
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
Unleaded petrol
8.  Every petrol driven motor vehicle to be registered in Singapore on or after 1st July 1999 shall be capable of running on unleaded petrol.
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
Vehicle manufacturer’s certificate
9.  The following may be accepted as prima facie evidence for the purpose of determining whether any motor vehicle to be registered in Singapore on or after 1st July 1999 conforms to any prescribed standard:
(a)a certificate from the manufacturer of the vehicle stating that the motor vehicle conforms to the standard for exhaust emission specified in the First, Second or Third Schedule, or the standard for noise emission specified in the Fourth Schedule, as the case may be; or
(b)a certificate stating that the motor vehicle belongs to a model or batch of vehicles that conform to the standard for exhaust emission specified in the First, Second or Third Schedule, or the standard for noise emission specified in the Fourth Schedule, as the case may be.
[S 564/2010 wef 01/04/2011]
PART III
FLEET OWNERS
Owners of motor vehicle fleets
10.  This Part shall apply only to a person who is the owner or who has under his control or possession 3 or more —
(a)public service vehicles (other than trishaws) for the purpose of his business or trade;
(b)motor vehicles for the purposes of his business or trade as a manufacturer or dealer of motor vehicles; or
(c)motor vehicles for the purpose of his business or trade of transporting goods or cargo for hire or reward.
Special duties of owners of motor vehicle fleets
11.—(1)  The Director-General may, by notice in writing, require any person to whom this Part applies to take such measures as the Director-General may specify, being measures necessary to ensure that every motor vehicle or public service vehicle the person owns or has under his control or possession conforms to the applicable prescribed standards, including but not limited to —
(a)carrying out regular servicing and repair of the motor vehicles at such intervals and workshops as may be specified by the Director-General in the notice; and
(b)keeping and maintaining full and accurate records of such servicing and repair carried out.
(2)  Any person who fails to comply with a notice under paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence unless he satisfies the court that he has used all due diligence to comply with the notice.
PART IIIA
STANDARDS FOR DIESEL OR PETROL
[S 26/2017 wef 01/07/2017]
[S 372/2016 wef 01/01/2017]
Standards for diesel or petrol used by motor vehicles
11A.  Every motor vehicle being driven in Singapore, when using diesel or petrol, must only use diesel or petrol that conforms to the standards for diesel or petrol specified in the Eighth Schedule.
[S 26/2017 wef 01/07/2017]
[S 372/2016 wef 01/01/2017]
Import, manufacture, etc., of diesel or petrol
11B.—(1)  A person must not import, manufacture, possess for sale, sell or offer for sale any diesel or petrol, with the intention for it to be used in any motor vehicle being driven in Singapore, unless the diesel or petrol conforms to the standards specified in the Eighth Schedule.
[S 26/2017 wef 01/07/2017]
(2)  Any person who, on behalf of the owner or occupier of any trade or industrial premises, purchases, or negotiates for or authorises the purchase of, diesel or petrol, with the intention for the diesel or petrol to be used in any motor vehicle being driven in Singapore, must ensure that the diesel or petrol conforms to the standards specified in the Eighth Schedule.
[S 26/2017 wef 01/07/2017]
(3)  Any person who contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $2,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.
(4)  Any person who contravenes paragraph (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
[S 372/2016 wef 01/01/2017]
Testing methods
11C.  Unless the Director-General otherwise allows in any particular case, the standards specified in the Eighth Schedule must be tested in accordance with the appropriate testing methods most recently published by any of the following:
(a)the American Society for Testing and Materials;
(b)the European Committee for Standardization;
(c)the International Organization for Standardization;
(d)the United Kingdom Institute of Petroleum.
[S 322/2019 wef 01/07/2019]
Requirements
11D.—(1)  The Director‑General may, by notice in writing, require any person, owner or occupier of any premises to —
(a)carry out any analysis or study; or
(b)put in place any suitable measure (including but not limited to installing relevant equipment and systems),
for monitoring the quality of any diesel or petrol kept in the premises and ensuring that the diesel or petrol conforms with the standards specified in the Eighth Schedule.
[S 26/2017 wef 01/07/2017]
(2)  The person, owner or occupier mentioned in paragraph (1) must —
(a)keep records of —
(i)any analysis or study carried out; or
(ii)any measure put in place; and
(b)submit the records to the Director‑General when so required by the Director‑General.
(3)  A person who manufactures, imports, sells, stores or carries out any analysis or study of any diesel or petrol must —
(a)keep records of the manufacture, import, sale or storage of the diesel or petrol or the results of the analysis or study of the diesel or petrol (as the case may be), in such form as may be determined by the Director‑General; and
(b)submit the records to the Director‑General when so required by the Director‑General.
[S 26/2017 wef 01/07/2017]
[S 372/2016 wef 01/01/2017]
PART IV
RE-EXAMINATION AND RECTIFICATION NOTICES
Re-examination of motor vehicle
12.—(1)  The Director-General may, at any time by notice in writing, require the owner of any motor vehicle that is in use (whether registered in Singapore or elsewhere and whether brought temporarily into Singapore or otherwise) to submit the vehicle, at such place and such time as may be specified in the notice, for a re-examination for the purpose of determining whether the vehicle still conforms to the applicable prescribed standards.
[S 57/2019 wef 31/01/2019]
(2)  Every motor vehicle that is submitted for re-examination pursuant to a notice under paragraph (1) shall be examined for the purpose of ascertaining whether the motor vehicle conforms to all the applicable prescribed standards at the date of such re-examination.
(3)  After the re-examination under this regulation is completed, the approved vehicle examiner shall —
(a)issue a certificate of compliance to the owner of the motor vehicle re-examined if he is satisfied that the vehicle conforms to all the applicable prescribed standards at the date of such re-examination; or
(b)if he is not so satisfied, refuse to issue a certificate of compliance and issue instead an inspection report to the Director-General and to the owner of the motor vehicle re-examined containing the detailed results of the re-examination.
(4)  Any person who, without the permission of the Director-General, makes any alteration to any certificate of compliance or inspection report issued under paragraph (3) shall be guilty of an offence.
(5)  Any such certificate of compliance or inspection report that contains any unlawful alteration shall be invalid.
(6)  Any owner of a motor vehicle who fails to comply with the notice of the Director-General under paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence unless he satisfies the court that, owing to some mechanical breakdown or other sufficient reason, the vehicle cannot be submitted for re-examination under this regulation.
Appeal on refusal of certificate of compliance
13.—(1)  Any person who is aggrieved by the refusal of a certificate of compliance under regulation 12(3)(b) may appeal to the Director-General within 24 hours from the time of the notification of such refusal.
(2)  Every appeal shall be made in writing on a form approved by the Director-General.
(3)  The Director-General shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the receipt of an appeal under paragraph (1), send a notice to the appellant stating the place and time the re-examination for the purposes of the appeal will be conducted.
Re-examination on appeal
14.—(1)  The place selected by the Director-General for a re-examination for the purposes of an appeal may be at such other approved vehicle testing station as the Director-General thinks fit.
(2)  The motor vehicle shall be submitted to another approved vehicle examiner specially appointed by the Director-General for re-examination for the purposes of an appeal and at the place and time specified in the notice under regulation 13(3) unless otherwise specified by the Director-General.
(3)  A person submitting a motor vehicle for re-examination for the purposes of an appeal shall, if requested to do so by an approved vehicle examiner specially appointed by the Director-General to carry out the re-examination —
(a)produce to that specially appointed approved vehicle examiner the inspection report issued under regulation 12(3)(b) by the other approved vehicle examiner in respect of the vehicle, and the registration document relating to the vehicle or any other evidence of the date of its first registration; and
(b)give to that specially appointed approved vehicle examiner such information as he may reasonably require in connection with the carrying out of the re-examination relating to any alteration or repair carried out, or other event occurring, since the issue of the inspection report, which may have affected the vehicle or any of its equipment or accessories.
(4)  The specially appointed approved vehicle examiner shall not be required to carry out any re-examination on appeal unless the report, document and information referred to in paragraph (3) are produced or given.
(5)  The specially appointed approved vehicle examiner shall, on completion of a re-examination under this regulation —
(a)issue a certificate of compliance to the owner of the motor vehicle if he is satisfied that the vehicle conforms to all the applicable prescribed standards at the date of such re-examination; or
(b)refuse to issue a certificate of compliance if he is not satisfied that the vehicle conforms to all the applicable prescribed standards at the date of such re-examination, and immediately notify the Director-General of his decision.
(6)  The decision of the specially appointed approved vehicle examiner on a re-examination under this regulation shall be final.
Rectification notices
15.—(1)  The Director-General shall immediately issue a rectification notice to the owner of the motor vehicle concerned —
(a)after receipt of an inspection report issued under regulation 12(3)(b) if no appeal under regulation 13(1) is made; or
(b)if such an appeal is made, after receipt of a notification under regulation 14(5)(b) of a specially appointed approved vehicle examiner’s refusal to issue a certificate of compliance following a re-examination of the motor vehicle on that appeal.
[S 57/2019 wef 31/01/2019]
(2)  The Director-General may also issue a rectification notice to the owner of any motor vehicle that is in use (whether registered in Singapore or elsewhere and whether brought temporarily into Singapore or otherwise) where it appears to him that the motor vehicle has been used contrary to any provision in these Regulations.
[S 57/2019 wef 31/01/2019]
(3)  A rectification notice shall state —
(a)in what respect the motor vehicle is found not to satisfy any requirement of the applicable prescribed standard; and
[S 57/2019 wef 31/01/2019]
(b)that, unless the motor vehicle is submitted for a further examination by an approved vehicle examiner at an approved vehicle testing station and within such period as may be specified in the rectification notice and is found at that further examination to conform to all the applicable prescribed standards, the rectification notice will remain in force for that motor vehicle with effect from the date of the notice.
(4)  Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (5), no person shall use on a road at any time, or cause or permit to be so used, a motor vehicle in respect of which there is a rectification notice in force.
(5)  A motor vehicle in respect of which there is a rectification notice in force may be used —
(a)on a journey for the purpose of effecting repairs thereto and its further examination at an approved vehicle testing station in accordance with the notice; or
(b)for such period and under such other circumstances as the Director-General may expressly authorise its continued use.
(6)  The Director-General shall cancel any authorisation granted under paragraph (5)(b) for the continued use of a motor vehicle in respect of which a rectification notice is in force if the motor vehicle —
(a)is not submitted for a further examination in accordance with the terms of the rectification notice; or
(b)is found at that further examination to still not conform to all the applicable prescribed standards.
(7)  Any person who contravenes paragraph (4) shall be guilty of an offence.
Re-examination by approved vehicle examiners, etc.
16.—(1)  Except where otherwise provided, any re-examination under regulation 12 or 14 and any further examination pursuant to a rectification notice under regulation 15(3) shall be carried out by vehicle examiners and at vehicle testing stations approved under this regulation only.
(2)  Every application for approval shall —
(a)be made to the Director-General; and
(b)be signed by the vehicle examiner or a person duly authorised to do so on its behalf if the vehicle examiner is a firm or body corporate.
(3)  The Director-General may require a separate application for approval to be made in respect of each of the vehicle testing stations at which a vehicle examiner intends to carry out any re-examination of motor vehicles under regulation 12 or 14 or further examination under regulation 15(3), as the case may be.
(4)  On receipt of an application under paragraph (2) from a vehicle examiner, the Director-General may, after making such investigation and carrying out such inspection as he considers necessary —
(a)approve, with or without conditions, the vehicle examiner for the purpose of carrying out any re-examination or further examination of motor vehicles under regulation 12, 14 or 15(3), as the case may be, in respect of any class or classes of motor vehicles; or
(b)reject the application.
(5)  An approved vehicle examiner shall not authorise any person to carry out or personally supervise any such re-examinations or further examinations at any of its approved vehicle testing stations unless the person has undergone successfully a course of instruction approved by the Director-General and is regarded by the Director-General to be competent to act for that purpose.
(6)  Approved vehicle examiners shall ensure that all apparatus used or necessary for the purposes of any such re-examination or further examination under regulation 12, 14 or 15(3) shall be maintained in an efficient state and, in the case of any such apparatus designed to indicate any measurement, that such apparatus shall do so accurately within reasonable limits.
Cancellation and withdrawal of approval
17.—(1)  Any approval of a vehicle examiner granted under this regulation shall cease to have effect —
(a)where the person specified in the approval is an individual, on the death or bankruptcy of that individual;
(b)where the person specified in the approval is a partnership firm, on the dissolution of that firm; or
(c)where the person specified in the approval is a body corporate, on the making of an order or the passing of a resolution for the winding up of that body corporate, not being a winding up for the purpose of amalgamation or reconstruction only.
(2)  A reference to the bankruptcy of an individual in paragraph (1)(a) shall be read as a reference to the making of a bankruptcy order against him, his filing a bankruptcy application or his making an arrangement with or assignment in favour of his creditors.
(3)  An approved vehicle examiner may at any time give notice to the Director-General stating that after such date as may be specified in the notice the examiner does not propose to continue to act as an approved vehicle examiner under these Regulations as may be specified in the notice.
(4)  The date on which an approved vehicle examiner ceases to act as an approved vehicle examiner shall not be earlier than 3 months after the date of any notice given by him under paragraph (3).
(5)  The Director-General may, by notice in writing, cancel any approval granted under this regulation to any vehicle examiner to carry out re-examination of motor vehicles under regulation 12 or 14 if the Director-General is satisfied that the approved vehicle examiner —
(a)has failed to comply with regulation 16(5) or (6) or with any condition of approval imposed under regulation 16(4)(a); or
(b)is for any reason not able to discharge his duties under these Regulations effectively or efficiently.
(6)  Except where it is otherwise specified, the date of any such cancellation of approval shall not be earlier than 28 days after the date of the notice under paragraph (5).
(7)  If, within 14 days from the date of the notice, the Director-General receives from the approved vehicle examiner to whom that notice is given or from any person acting on behalf of that examiner representations to the effect that any approval to which that notice relates should not be withdrawn, the Director-General shall consider these representations and make such investigations in respect thereof as he thinks fit.
Requirements as to motor vehicles submitted for re-examination
18.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Regulations, there is no duty or requirement to carry out a re-examination or further examination of a motor vehicle under any provision of these Regulations if —
(a)on the submission of the motor vehicle for re-examination or further examination, the person applying for the re-examination or further examination does not, after being requested to do so, produce the registration document relating to the vehicle or any other evidence as to the date of its first registration or the inspection report issued under regulation 12(3)(b), where applicable;
(b)where the motor vehicle or any part thereof or any of its equipment is in such a dirty condition as to make it unreasonably difficult for the re-examination or further examination to be carried out;
(c)where the approved vehicle examiner is not able, with the facilities and apparatus available to him at the approved vehicle testing station at which the re-examination or further examination would have been carried out, to complete the re-examination or further examination without the vehicle being driven and the vehicle is not, when submitted for re-examination or further examination, provided with fuel or oil to enable it to be driven to such extent as may be necessary for the purposes of carrying out the examinations; or
(d)where before the carrying out of the re-examination or further examination of the motor vehicle, all or any goods or other things which are on the vehicle and are not part of its equipment or accessories are required to be removed from the vehicle or to be secured in such manner as the approved vehicle examiner may think necessary and the goods or things are not removed or secured accordingly.
 

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