Singapore is the best container port in the region and one of the worst places on earth to import a car. Those two facts sit side by side and you need to know which one applies to you before you spend any money. Ordinary US cargo enters duty free under the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and clears through a port built for exactly this. A US car faces a right-hand drive rule it cannot satisfy, a three year age limit, and a licence to own the vehicle that currently costs around S$130,000 on its own.
Three walls in front of a US car
Wall one: right-hand drive. The Land Transport Authority states plainly that only right-hand drive cars are allowed to be registered for use in Singapore. Every car sold in the United States is left-hand drive. There is no permit route for an ordinary car.
Wall two: age. A used car must not be more than three years old at the point of registration. The clock does not run from manufacture, it runs from the vehicle’s first registration in a foreign country, and the test is applied when you register in Singapore, not when you ship. The Land Transport Authority advises filing the approval application at least three months before the car turns three.
Wall three: the Certificate of Entitlement. Before you can register any vehicle at all you must win a COE at auction, which gives you the right to own and use it for ten years. At the October 2026 bidding exercises the premium was S$130,001 and S$132,004 for Category A, S$130,100 and S$131,901 for Category B, and the open Category E reached S$137,000. That is the licence alone, before the car, the shipping, the duty or the tax.
The one exception: pre-1940 vintage vehicles
There is exactly one route by which a left-hand drive car can be registered in Singapore, and it is narrow.
The Vintage Vehicle Scheme covers cars, motorcycles and scooters manufactured before 1 January 1940. For those, the Land Transport Authority states that left-hand drive cars may be registered. Vintage vehicles also need not meet exhaust emission requirements.
Note what does not work. The Classic Vehicle Scheme, for vehicles at least 35 years old from original registration, still requires right-hand drive. A 1989 American car is old enough to be a classic in Singapore and is still barred by the steering position. The age concession and the steering rule are separate, and only the vintage scheme relaxes the steering one.
The vintage scheme runs in three variants:
| Vintage (Normal) | Vintage (Restricted) | Revised Vintage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days of use per year | No restriction | 28, by day licence at $10 each | 45. First 28 at $10, then 17 at $20 |
| COE | Full Quota Premium | Waived | 10% of the Prevailing Quota Premium |
| Additional Registration Fee | Waived if non-transferable | Waived if non-transferable | 10% of OMV |
| Excise duty | Waived if non-transferable, else 20% of OMV | As Normal | 20% of OMV |
| Road tax | Similar to a normal vehicle | Waived | Not separately stated |
Two conditions matter. Replicas and rebuilt vehicles are excluded: the Land Transport Authority states that no kit vehicle such as a replica, or a vehicle rebuilt with old or new parts, is allowed, and the vehicle should be restored to its original state. And using a restricted vintage vehicle without a valid day licence carries a fine of up to $5,000 for a first offence and up to $10,000 after that.
If you have a genuine pre-1940 American car going to a Singapore collector, this is a real lane and we can ship it. Anything from 1940 onward, assume no.
What the taxes look like if you do qualify
For completeness, because people ask, here is the stack on a car that can actually be registered.
Open Market Value. Everything is calculated off OMV, which Singapore Customs assesses on cost, insurance and freight. Customs starts with the transaction value method and falls back to identical goods, similar goods, deductive, computed and residual valuation. For a used vehicle bought and used in the export country, Customs may depreciate the original purchase price based on the vehicle’s age and condition, and the valuation then includes the depreciated price, freight, insurance and incidentals such as handling and storage. A used car bought from a dealer is valued the same way as a new one.
Excise duty. 20% of customs value for cars, including classic and pre-1940 vintage cars. 12% for motorcycles and scooters.
GST. 9%, charged on customs value plus duties payable.
Additional Registration Fee, for cars registered on or after 15 February 2023, in bands of OMV:
| OMV band | ARF rate |
|---|---|
| First $20,000 | 100% |
| $20,001 to $40,000 | 140% |
| $40,001 to $60,000 | 190% |
| $60,001 to $80,000 | 250% |
| Above $80,000 | 320% |
Vehicle Emission Scheme. Restructured on 1 January 2026 and running to 31 December 2027. Only fully electric vehicles now earn a rebate; hybrids no longer do. The band is set by the worst-performing pollutant, not the average. For cars in 2026: Band A rebate of $22,500, Band B neutral, Band C1 surcharge of $7,500, Band C2 surcharge of $22,500, Band C3 surcharge of $35,000. A typical American V6 or V8 gasoline car lands in C2 or C3, so budget a surcharge of $22,500 to $35,000 on top of everything above.
Registration fee. $350.
General cargo: duty free, and genuinely simple
This is the part of the lane that works, and it works very well.
Singapore levies duty on only four categories of goods: intoxicating liquors, tobacco products, motor vehicles, and petroleum products and biodiesel blends. Everything else is duty free as a matter of course. On top of that, under the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, all US exports to Singapore enter duty free.
What you do pay is GST at 9% on import, calculated on customs value, or on customs value plus duties where the goods are dutiable.
One thing to know before you plan: the S$400 low-value goods threshold that people quote applies to goods imported by air or post only. It does not reach sea freight. An ocean container is declared and assessed regardless of value.
The permits, and the account you need before you start
Singapore runs everything through TradeNet, and the consignee has to be set up on it before the container arrives. This catches first-time shippers out, so plan for it early.
Your consignee needs, in order:
1. A Unique Entity Number, obtained by registering with ACRA or the relevant issuance agency.
2. An activated Customs Account through TradeNet. No import permit application can be submitted until this is done.
3. An Inter-Bank GIRO arrangement with Singapore Customs, for duties, taxes, fees and charges. Singapore Customs states the bank approval usually takes three to four weeks. This is the long pole. Start it before the cargo moves.
Then a Customs Import Permit is submitted through TradeNet. Importers can either register as a Declaring Agent themselves or appoint one, which is what most people do. For a vehicle, the shipping agent submits the application and the resulting document is the Inward Cargo Clearance Permit.
Permits come in two families. In-Payment permits are for goods on which duty or GST is being paid. In-Non-Payment permits suspend or exempt it, and cover storage in a Free Trade Zone, exhibitions and fairs, goods in for repair or testing, re-export of a whole consignment, and similar.
Controlled goods. A long list requires authorization from a Competent Authority before import, and the way to check your specific commodity is the HS/CA Product Code Checker that Singapore Customs maintains. Outright prohibitions worth knowing: chewing gum other than approved dental and medicinal gum, rhinoceros horn and endangered wildlife products, certain telecommunications equipment including jammers and scanning receivers, and the whole category of e-cigarettes, vaporisers, shisha and smokeless tobacco.
Free Trade Zones, transhipment, and wood packaging
All goods arriving by sea or air must first be deposited in a Free Trade Zone, or, where that is impractical, in Customs-approved premises such as a licensed warehouse. Duty and GST are suspended while goods sit in an FTZ and become payable only when the goods leave it for local consumption. Liquor and tobacco may be held in an FTZ for up to 30 days before transhipment; goods on a through bill of lading have no storage time limit.
That structure is why Singapore works so well as a stop rather than a destination. The Maritime and Port Authority describes it as the focal point for some 200 shipping lines with links to more than 600 ports worldwide. If your cargo is heading onward into Southeast Asia, routing it through Singapore usually costs less in time than a direct call elsewhere.
On wood packaging, we are going to be straight with you. We could not find a published Singapore requirement for ISPM 15 treatment and marking of inbound wood packaging on the Singapore Customs or National Parks Board pages, and we are not going to tell you there is one or that there is not. Most US exporters treat and mark their crates, pallets and dunnage anyway, because it is standard practice, it costs very little, and it keeps the same packaging legal if the cargo moves on to a country that does require it. Confirm the current position with your broker in Singapore before you crate anything unusual.
Temporary import, if the vehicle is only visiting
A car that is coming for a show, a race or a demonstration and then leaving is a completely different transaction from one being registered, and it is much more achievable.
Singapore Customs operates a Temporary Import Scheme. Motor vehicles qualify, for listed purposes: exclusive use by the driver or person in charge, repair, inspection, and demonstration, training or racing. Sports, racing and similar events are covered, as is display or use at exhibitions and fairs. Goods may be temporarily imported for a maximum of six months, extendable in blocks of up to three months by amending the permit through TradeNet.
Singapore accepts foreign ATA Carnets for exhibitions, fairs and similar events, for professional equipment, and for scientific equipment used in testing and demonstrations. Goods must leave by the earlier of six months from import or one day before the Carnet expires. Singapore Customs names the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce as the body Singapore entities approach for a local Carnet.
One important distinction: a private vehicle being brought in for touring needs a Carnet de Passages en Douane, not an ATA Carnet. And driving a foreign-registered vehicle in Singapore separately requires Land Transport Authority approval, a Vehicle Entry Permit, an International Circulation Permit or Visitor’s Permit, a valid Autopass card, and insurance from a Singapore-based insurer. Vehicles without those are turned back at the border.
How we ship it, and what we will tell you
We load full containers only. The container is yours, you decide what goes in it, and we never put another customer’s cargo in with yours. No part loads, no groupage, no loose items. A 20ft takes one vehicle; a 40ft high cube takes two comfortably.
We load from New Jersey, Savannah, Houston and Baltimore, with pickup and towing from any US state. Singapore is a high-frequency lane from both US coasts, so sailings are not the constraint.
Our responsibility runs to the port of discharge. Clearance in Singapore is done by your own broker, and the TradeNet account, GIRO and permits described above are on the consignee’s side.
And we will tell you when not to ship. If you describe an American car that you want to register and drive in Singapore, we will say no before you buy it, because the steering rule will stop it and there is no amount of freight planning that changes that. We would rather lose the booking than take your money for a container that cannot be registered at the other end.
Singapore questions, answered
Can I register my American car in Singapore?
Almost certainly not. The Land Transport Authority states that only right-hand drive cars are allowed to be registered for use in Singapore, and every US-market car is left-hand drive. There is no permit route for an ordinary car. The only exception is a vehicle manufactured before 1 January 1940 under the Vintage Vehicle Scheme, for which left-hand drive cars may be registered.
My car is a classic. Does that help?
Not with the steering. The Classic Vehicle Scheme covers vehicles at least 35 years old from original registration, but it still requires right-hand drive. A 1989 American car qualifies on age and is still barred on steering position. Only the pre-1940 Vintage Vehicle Scheme allows left-hand drive.
What is the age limit on a used car?
It must not be more than three years old at the point of registration in Singapore. Age is reckoned from the date of first registration in a foreign country, not from manufacture. If the first registration date is unknown, it runs from the first day of the year of manufacture. The Land Transport Authority advises applying at least three months before the vehicle reaches three years old.
What is a COE and what does it cost?
A Certificate of Entitlement gives you the right to own and use a vehicle in Singapore for ten years, and every vehicle needs one. They are bid for at open exercises twice a month, with a bid deposit of $10,000 for cars. At the October 2026 exercises the premium was S$130,001 and S$132,004 for Category A, S$130,100 and S$131,901 for Category B, and S$137,000 for the open Category E. Premiums move constantly, so check the current results before relying on any figure.
What taxes apply on top of the COE?
Excise duty at 20% of customs value for cars, GST at 9%, the Additional Registration Fee in bands of Open Market Value running from 100% on the first $20,000 up to 320% above $80,000, a $350 registration fee, and the Vehicle Emission Scheme charge. Under the 2026 emission bands a typical American V6 or V8 gasoline car falls in band C2 or C3, carrying a surcharge of $22,500 or $35,000.
How is the Open Market Value decided?
Singapore Customs assesses it on cost, insurance and freight, starting with the transaction value method. For a used vehicle that was bought and used in the export country, Customs may depreciate the original purchase price based on the vehicle’s age and condition, and the value then takes in the depreciated price, freight, insurance and incidentals such as handling and storage. A used car bought from another dealer is valued the same way as a new vehicle.
Can I bring a car in temporarily for a show or a race?
Yes, that is a different and much easier transaction. Singapore Customs operates a Temporary Import Scheme covering motor vehicles for demonstration, training, racing, sports events, repair, inspection and exhibition use, for a maximum of six months with extensions of up to three months at a time. Singapore also accepts foreign ATA Carnets for exhibitions and professional equipment. A private vehicle brought in for touring needs a Carnet de Passages en Douane instead, plus Land Transport Authority entry permits.
Will I pay duty on US goods into Singapore?
No. Singapore levies duty on only four categories: intoxicating liquors, tobacco products, motor vehicles, and petroleum products and biodiesel blends. Beyond that, all US exports to Singapore enter duty free under the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. You will pay GST at 9% on import.
Does the S$400 threshold mean my small shipment is exempt?
Not for ocean freight. The low-value goods regime applies to goods imported by air or post only. A sea freight consignment is declared and assessed whatever its value.
What does my consignee need to set up before the container arrives?
Three things, and the third takes the longest. A Unique Entity Number from ACRA, an activated Customs Account on TradeNet, and an Inter-Bank GIRO arrangement with Singapore Customs for duties and taxes. Singapore Customs states the GIRO bank approval usually takes three to four weeks. Start it well before the cargo moves, because no import permit can be submitted without the account in place.
Does my wood packaging need ISPM 15 treatment?
We could not confirm a published Singapore requirement either way on the Singapore Customs or National Parks Board pages, so we are not going to claim one exists or does not. Most US exporters treat and mark anyway, because it is standard practice, costs little, and keeps the packaging legal if the cargo moves onward to a country that does require it. Confirm the current position with your broker in Singapore.
Is my commodity controlled?
Check it rather than guess. Singapore Customs maintains an HS/CA Product Code Checker where you search by product description or HS code and it tells you which Competent Authority controls it. Outright prohibitions include chewing gum other than approved dental and medicinal gum, rhinoceros horn and endangered wildlife products, certain telecommunications equipment such as jammers and scanning receivers, and e-cigarettes, vaporisers, shisha and smokeless tobacco.
Can I use Singapore as a transhipment point?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons to route through it. All goods arriving by sea must first be deposited in a Free Trade Zone, where duty and GST are suspended and only become payable if the goods leave the zone for local consumption. Goods on a through bill of lading have no storage time limit in the zone.
Do you ship single boxes or share a container?
No. We ship full containers only. The container is yours and you fill it with your own cargo. We do not place one customer’s goods in with another’s, and we do not take part loads, loose items or single boxes. A 20ft suits one vehicle; a 40ft high cube takes two comfortably.
Will you tell me if the shipment is not worth doing?
Yes, and on this lane we often do. If you describe an American car you intend to register in Singapore, we will tell you before you buy it that the right-hand drive rule will stop it. We would rather lose the booking than ship a container that cannot be registered at the other end.
- Land Transport Authority – Importing a car (guidelines PDF)
- Land Transport Authority – Import a vehicle
- Land Transport Authority – Certificate of Entitlement (COE)
- Land Transport Authority – COE bidding results
- Land Transport Authority – Vehicle tax structure (ARF and OMV)
- Land Transport Authority – Emissions charges (Vehicle Emission Scheme)
- Land Transport Authority – Classic vehicles
- Land Transport Authority – Vintage vehicles
- Singapore Customs – Establishing the customs value of a motor vehicle
- Singapore Customs – Duty rates on motor vehicles
- Singapore Customs – List of dutiable goods
- Singapore Customs – Obtain a customs import permit
- Singapore Customs – Customs registration overview
- Singapore Customs – Controlled and prohibited goods for imports
- Singapore Customs – Temporary import scheme: duration and extension
- Singapore Customs – Depositing goods in Free Trade Zones
- International Trade Administration – Singapore import tariffs
美国运货至新加坡：中文摘要
以下为上文英文内容的摘要。详细条文以上方英文版及政府官方资料来源为准。新加坡是本区域最好的集装箱港口之一，同时也是全球最难进口汽车的地方之一。这两件事同时成立，关键是先弄清楚哪一条适用于您。
一、美国汽车面临的三道门槛
第一道：右舵。陆路交通管理局明确规定，新加坡只允许登记右舵汽车。所有美国市场出售的汽车均为左舵。普通汽车没有任何许可证途径。
第二道：车龄。二手车在新加坡登记时车龄不得超过三年。车龄从该车在外国的首次登记日期起算，而非出厂日期。陆交局建议在车龄满三年前至少三个月提交申请。
第三道：拥车证（COE）。登记任何车辆前都必须先在竞标中取得拥车证，有效期十年。2026年10月的竞标结果：A组为S$130,001及S$132,004，B组为S$130,100及S$131,901，公开E组达到S$137,000。这只是拥车的权利，尚未计入车价、运费、关税和消费税。
二、唯一例外：1940年以前制造的古董车
左舵汽车在新加坡登记只有一条路，而且很窄。
古董车计划（Vintage Vehicle Scheme）适用于1940年1月1日之前制造的汽车、摩托车及小型摩托车。陆交局明确表示，此类车辆可以登记左舵车，并且无需符合废气排放要求。
请注意哪一条行不通：经典车计划（Classic Vehicle Scheme）适用于首次登记满35年的车辆，但仍然只接受右舵。一辆1989年的美国车在车龄上符合经典车资格，却仍因左舵被拒。车龄优惠与舵位规定是两回事，只有古董车计划放宽了舵位。
另有两项限制：陆交局规定不接受任何复刻车（kit car）或以新旧零件重组的车辆，车辆应恢复原厂状态；古董车（限制型）若未购买当日准证即上路，首次罚款最高S$5,000，再犯最高S$10,000。
如果您有一辆真正的1940年前美国古董车要运给新加坡的收藏家，这条航线是可行的，我们可以承运。1940年及以后的车辆，请当作不可行。
三、若确实符合资格，税费结构
所有税费均以公开市场价值（OMV）为基础，由新加坡关税局依据成本、保险及运费评定。二手车若曾在出口国购买并使用，关税局可依车龄及状况对原购买价进行折旧。
| 项目 | 税率 |
|---|---|
| 消费税（excise duty） | 汽车为关税价值的20%，摩托车及小型摩托车为12% |
| 商品及服务税（GST） | 9%，以关税价值加应付税款为基数 |
| 额外登记费（ARF） | 首S$20,000为100%，S$20,001至40,000为140%，40,001至60,000为190%，60,001至80,000为250%，80,000以上为320% |
| 登记费 | S$350 |
车辆排放计划（VES）自2026年1月1日起调整，实施至2027年12月31日，仅纯电动车可获回扣，混合动力车不再享有。等级以表现最差的污染物决定。2026年汽车：A级回扣S$22,500，B级零，C1加收S$7,500，C2加收S$22,500，C3加收S$35,000。典型美国V6或V8汽油车通常落在C2或C3级。
四、一般货物：免税，而且真的简单
这才是这条航线真正好做的部分。新加坡仅对四类商品征收关税：含酒精饮料、烟草制品、机动车辆、石油产品及生物柴油混合物。其余货物一律免税。此外，根据美国与新加坡自由贸易协定，所有美国出口至新加坡的货物免征关税。
进口时需缴纳的是9%的商品及服务税（GST）。
提醒一点：常被引用的S$400低价值货物门槛仅适用于空运及邮递，不适用于海运。海运货柜无论价值多少都须申报。
五、收货人必须事先办妥的手续
新加坡一切通关都经由 TradeNet 系统，收货人必须在货柜抵达前完成设置。顺序如下：
（1）向会计与企业管制局（ACRA）申请统一实体编号（UEN）；（2）在 TradeNet 启用海关账户，未启用前无法提交任何进口准证申请；（3）与新加坡关税局建立银行间自动转账（IBG）安排。
随后经 TradeNet 提交海关进口准证。车辆方面，由船务代理提交申请，取得的文件为入境货物通关准证（Inward Cargo Clearance Permit）。
管制货物：请使用新加坡关税局的 HS/CA 产品代码查询工具确认您的商品是否受管制。明文禁止进口的包括：口香糖（经批准的牙科及药用者除外）、犀牛角及濒危野生动物制品、干扰器等特定电信设备，以及电子烟、水烟和无烟烟草制品。
六、自由贸易区与木质包装
所有海运或空运抵达的货物须先存入自由贸易区（FTZ）。货物存放于自贸区期间，关税及消费税暂缓征收，仅在货物离开自贸区进入本地消费时才须缴纳。持联运提单的货物在自贸区内无存放时间限制。
关于木质包装，我们如实相告：我们在新加坡关税局及国家公园局的网页上未能找到针对入境木质包装的 ISPM 15 处理及标识的明文规定，因此我们不会声称有或没有。多数美国出口商仍会照常处理并加盖标识，因为这是通行做法、成本很低，而且货物若再转运至其他要求此标准的国家时同样适用。请向您在新加坡的报关行确认最新规定。
七、我们的服务范围
我们只承接整柜（FCL）。整个货柜属于您，我们不会把其他客户的货物放入您的货柜，也不承接拼箱、散货或单件包裹。20英尺柜适合一辆车，40英尺高柜可宽松装载两辆。
装柜港口：纽泽西、萨凡纳、休斯敦、巴尔的摩，全美各州可安排拖车提货。我们的责任至卸货港为止，新加坡清关由您的持牌报关行办理。
我们会据实相告。如果您打算把美国汽车运到新加坡登记上路，我们会在您购车前就告诉您右舵规定会让这件事无法成立。我们宁可失去这笔订单，也不愿收您的钱去运一个在对岸无法登记的货柜。
Import rules change. The customs information on this page comes from official government sources and was accurate when published, but duties, age limits and eligibility requirements are set by the destination country and can change without notice. Cassandra Logistics is a licensed ocean carrier, not a customs authority or a legal adviser. We are not responsible for changes to foreign import law, or for decisions made by customs at destination. Always confirm current requirements with a licensed customs agent in the destination country before you buy or sell a vehicle.