LTA | Commercial Vehicles

Learn about the different types of commercial vehicles and the restrictions that apply to them.

At a glance

Understanding Restrictions on Commercial Vehicles	There are different restrictions for driving commercial vehicles, which include goods and other vehicles: The restrictions on goods vehicles vary across the types of vehicles. Some vehicles are not allowed to be driven on expressways and in tunnels. Oversized vehicles need permits to be driven on roads. For other restrictions on driving buses, click here.
Driving Goods Vehicles	There are certain restrictions that apply to driving different types of goods vehicles: Light Goods Vehicle (LGV) Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Very Heavy Goods Vehicle (VHGV) Goods-cum-Passenger Vehicle (GPV) Learn about blind spot safety requirements for HGVs and VHGVs with maximum laden weight (MLW) over 12,000kg.
Driving on expressways and in tunnels	Excluded vehicles are not allowed to be driven on expressways, and some vehicles are prohibited to be driven in tunnels.
Driving oversized vehicles	If your vehicle exceeds the width, length or weight requirements, you must apply for an oversized vehicle movement (OVM) permit. You may also need to engage an auxiliary police escort. Learn what to watch out for when driving over-height vehicles. Lorries with cranes must be equipped with an audio warning system to detect if cranes are properly stowed.
Find out more	Find out more details here

Understanding Restrictions on Commercial Vehicles

There are different restrictions for driving commercial vehicles, which include goods and other vehicles:

The restrictions on goods vehicles depend on which type they are.
Some vehicles are not allowed to be driven on expressways and in tunnels.
Oversized vehicles need permits to be driven on roads.

For other restrictions on driving buses, click here.

Driving Goods Vehicles

There are 4 main types of goods vehicles:

1. Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) are vehicles with maximum laden weight (MLW) of up to 3,500kg.

2. Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are vehicles with MLW from 3,501 kg to 16,000kg.

3. Very Heavy Goods Vehicles (VHGVs) are vehicles with MLW of more than 16,000kg.

4. Goods-cum-Passenger Vehicles (GPVs) are vehicles with MLW of up to 5,000kg. GPVs are meant to transport both goods and passengers.

There are certain restrictions that apply to driving some types of commercial vehicles.

Driving a Light Goods Vehicle (LGV)

There are no special restrictions for driving LGVs.

Driving a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV)

Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are vehicles with a maximum laden weight (MLW) from 3,501kg to 16,000kg.

Learn about the blind spot safety requirements for HGVs and VHGVs with MLW over 12,000kg.

To park a HGV with MLW over 5,000kg, you must have a valid Vehicle Parking Certificate (VPC) to park your heavy vehicle at designated parking spaces, which are located away from residential areas.

HGVs need to be parked in the designated parking space when not in use at night between 12 midnight and 6 am.

Learn more about parking your heavy vehicle

You must apply for a police escort (PDF, 1.2MB) if your vehicle’s height exceeds 4.5m. Depending on the width of the vehicle and the roads you intend to travel on, you must also apply to LTA for an oversized vehicle movement (OVM) permit to drive an oversized vehicle on the road.

Driving a Very Heavy Goods Vehicle (VHGV)

These vehicles have a maximum laden weight (MLW) of above 16,000kg.

Learn about the blind spot safety requirements for HGVs and VHGVs with MLW over 12,000kg.

You must have a valid Vehicle Parking Certificate (VPC) to park your heavy vehicle at designated parking spaces, which are located away from residential areas.

VHGVs need to be parked in the designated parking space when not in use at night between 12 midnight and 6 am.

Learn more about parking your heavy vehicle

You must apply for a police escort (PDF, 1.2MB) if your vehicle’s height exceeds 4.5 metres. Depending on the width of the vehicle and the roads you intend to travel on, you must also apply to LTA for an oversized vehicle movement (OVM) permit to drive an oversized vehicle on the road.

Blind spot safety requirements for HGVs and VHGVs with MLW over 12,000kg

To improve the safety of vehicles and other road users, HGVs and VHGVs with MLW over 12,000kg which are registered from 1 April 2015 must be equipped with mirrors or devices (e.g. Camera Monitor System (CMS)) to cover the vehicle’s blind spot areas. This is in addition to the previous requirement of having two rear view mirrors. The additional blind spot mirrors or devices will help drivers to better detect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other motorists who are in their blind spots, reducing the risk of accidents when heavy vehicles turn at traffic junctions or change lanes. HGVs and VHGVs with MLW over 12,000kg include cement mixers, prime movers, tipper trucks, tankers and heavy lorries.

You can approach your vehicle’s authorised agent for advice on how to meet the requirements.

The blind spot mirrors or devices fitted on the heavy vehicles must meet the relevant European or Japanese standards.

HGVs and VHGVs (registered before 1 April 2015)

For HGVs and VHGVs with MLW 12,000kg which are registered before 1 April 2015, vehicle owners can choose to either retrofit the additional blind spot mirrors or camera devices, or install a Fresnel lens (at least A4 size) on the passenger side window.

Fresnel lens (at least A4 size)

The Fresnel lens gives the driver a better view of the blind spot directly next to the passenger door.

HGVs and VHGVs with MLW over 12,000kg must meet the requirements for additional blind spot mirrors or devices in order to pass their periodic inspections.

Driving a Goods-cum-Passenger Vehicle (GPV)

These vehicles transport both goods and passengers. If you plan to buy or drive a goods-cum-passenger vehicle, here are the special safety regulations you must follow.

Lorries cannot be used to transport passengers except for ferrying workers between their lodgings and workplace, if the following requirements are met:

The lorry must not travel faster than the road speed limit, or 60 km/h, whichever is lower.
Lorries used to ferry workers must be fitted with higher side railings and canopies with rain covers installed on all non-enclosed sides.
- Higher side railings must be at least 700mm measured from the carriage deck and at least 300mm measured from the top of the side boards.
- For light lorries¹ , the height of the canopy structure must not exceed 1.35 times the height of the lorry's cabin when measured from the road surface.
- For heavy lorries², the height of the canopy structure must not exceed 3.2m when measured from the road surface (regardless of the height of the lorry's cabin).
- All non-enclosed sides of the canopy must be installed with rain covers with at least one side being transparent.

¹G-Plate lorries with maximum laden weight not exceeding 3,500 kg

²X or Y Plate lorries with maximum laden weight that exceed 3,500 kg

Note: The height limits above is to ensure the stability of the vehicle. If the height limits above is exceeded, certification from a Professional Engineer is required.

Examples of non-enclosed sides of the canopy

Example of a lorry installed with rain covers on all non-enclosed sides of the canopy, with at least one side being transparent.

Rain covers for lorries with rear power tail gate

For lorries with a rear power tailgate covering at least half the height of the canopy, a rain cover is not required to be installed on the rear canopy when it is non-enclosed. The remaining non-enclosed sides (e.g. left and right or front) of the canopy must continue to be installed with an opaque and a transparent rain cover.

Rain cover not required to be installed.

Rain cover must be installed.

The front passenger seat(s) in the lorry's cabin must first be occupied according to the passenger capacity reflected in the vehicle registration details (i.e. log card) before workers can be ferried on the rear carriage deck based on the following requirements:
- Workers ferried on the rear carriage deck of lorries must be properly seated under the canopy and in a manner that would not cause them to fall off the vehicle.
- No part of the seated worker can be more than 1.1m above the carriage deck.
- The lorry must not carry an excess number of workers based on the minimum deck space requirement of 0.372m² (4 square feet) per seated worker.
- If goods or equipment are also transported, the number of workers that can be ferried is reduced according to the remaining floor area available.
- Any goods transported must be properly secured so that they will not endanger the workers or other road users.

Determining Maximum Passenger Capacity

When determining the maximum passenger capacity of a lorry's rear carriage deck, the usable deck area should not include the area occupied by permanent fixtures such as toolboxes.

Example

A lorry with a permanent toolbox secured on the rear carriage deck has the following dimensions:

Lorry total deck area = 3.1m (Length) x 1.6m (Width) = 4.96m²

Area occupied by permanent toolbox = 1.6m x 0.65m = 1.04m²

Note: The maximum passenger capacity above is determined based on a lorry with an empty rear carriage deck with full canopy coverage.

Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label

If you use your lorries to carry workers, you must display a Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label on the right side of the lorry's rear tailboard, showing the maximum number of workers that can be transported when the lorry is not carrying any goods.

Lorries registered before 1 January 2010 should continue to display an MPC label with white characters on a black background:

Black 13 pax decal

Lorries registered on or after 1 January 2010 should display an MPC label with black characters on a yellow background:

Yellow 13 pax decal

LTA and the Traffic Police may impose fines as well as demerit points for breaches of safety regulations for transporting workers on lorries.

For more information on the measures initiated by the government, please click here.

MOM had also published a set of tripartite advisory to provide practical guidance for the different stakeholders on the safe transportation of workers. Please click here for more information.

Driving on expressways

The following vehicles are generally excluded from expressways, including expressway tunnels:

Bicycles
Power-assisted bicycles
Tricycles
Trishaws
Motorcycles with side cars attached
Motorcycles for which the designed maximum speed is less than 50 kilometres per hour
Invalid carriages
Three-wheeled vans
Low trailers
Road rollers
Ready-mix concrete trucks
Mobile cranes
Forklifts
Excavators
Road pavers
Tractors
Dumpers
Wheel loaders
Bulldozers
Graders
Mobile concrete pumps
Hydrant dispensers
Motor vehicles with any of the wheels fitted with neither a pneumatic tyre nor a solid rubber tyre
Any other motor vehicle where the maximum speed at which it may be driven on any road under the Road Traffic (Regulation of Speed) Rules (R 13) is less than 50 kilometres per hour.

You are required to apply for a permit if you need to drive an expressway-excluded vehicle on an expressway due to route constraints or where there are no alternate routes to get to your destination without the use of expressways.

You can submit the permit application via LTA's online feedback form (attention to: Vehicle Approval and Control Division):

Application form (XLS, 33kB)
Endorsed scanned copy of the completed application form
Supporting documents as listed in the application form

The processing time for the application may take about 14 working days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays).

Even if you are granted a permit, you are not allowed to travel on expressways during the following peak hours, unless special authorisation is granted:

From 7.00 am to 9.30 am
From 5.00 pm to 9.30 pm

You must comply with the approval details and conditions stated in LTA's approval letter and ensure that the approval letter is available in the vehicle for checks by LTA at all times.

Driving in tunnels

The following vehicles are not allowed to drive in all tunnels, including expressway tunnels.

Bicycles, tricycles or trishaws
Tankers carrying diesel fuel
Trailers hauling standard containers
Vehicles higher than 4.5m
Vehicles wider than 3m
Vehicles longer than 13m
Vehicles transporting dangerous goods such as explosives, flammable gases or radioactive substances

In addition, these vehicles are not allowed to drive in the Sentosa Gateway Tunnel:

All buses and goods vehicles
Vehicles higher than 3.5m

For vehicles wider than 3m, you can apply for an oversized vehicle movement permit to drive them in tunnels.

This list is not exhaustive. For more details on vehicle restrictions in tunnels, refer to the Road Traffic (Expressway Traffic) Rules.

Driving an oversized heavy vehicle

Oversized heavy vehicles which are used to carry large and heavy cargo slow down traffic. They may also affect road structures due to their large size and heavy weight. The movement of these vehicles is therefore regulated for the safety and convenience of other road users.

You need to apply for an oversized vehicle movement (OVM) permit 3 days in advance via LTA.PROMPT for these vehicles:

Overall width (unladen/laden) exceeds 3m (or 2.6m if you travel on controlled roads)
Rear overhang of the load exceeds 40% of the vehicle length or 1.8m, whichever is less
Overall weight exceeds the vehicle type's laden weight limits

In addition to applying for an OVM permit, you must engage an auxiliary police escort for these vehicles:

Overall width (unladen/laden) exceeds 3.4m
Overall height (unladen/laden) exceeds 4.5m
Overall weight (unladen/laden) is 80,000kg or more

Driving an over-height vehicle

Plan your route in advance to ensure that your vehicle height does not exceed the height limit of any road structure along the way. Before moving off, if there is a crane fitted on your lorry, check that it is adequately retracted.

Adequately Stowed Crane Position

inadequately stowed

Inadequately Stowed Crane Position

When driving a vehicle exceeding the height limit, follow these rules:

Obey height limit signs
Drive safely within the vehicle speed limit
Stop and seek advice on an alternative route if:
- You were diverted from your planned route
- You are lost or become disoriented
- You come across in your route a road structure that is lower than the height of your vehicle

Brochure: Prevent Road Structure Collision in 2 Steps!

Plan your route and drive carefully to avoid colliding into buildings or structures. The penalties include disqualification from driving for up to 2 years, a fine up to $10,000, and imprisonment up to 5 years.

Audio warning system for lorries with cranes

From 2017, all lorries with cranes must have an audio warning system that detects whether cranes are properly stowed. This is to reduce the risk of collision with overhead road structures.

Such audio warning systems feature an audio buzzer in the driver’s cabin which is linked to a limit switch installed at the base of the crane. The buzzer is supposed to sound whenever the limit switch detects that the crane is not fully stowed.

For cranes that are unable to be fully stowed due to operational reasons, an angle sensor can be installed on the crane’s inner boom, instead of having a limit switch. When the sensor detects that the crane is above its maximum stowed height, the audio buzzer will sound to alert the driver.

New lorries with cranes must be equipped with an audio warning system before LTA will approve them for use on roads. Existing lorries with cranes must meet the requirement to pass their periodic vehicle inspections, and there may also be checks on the road.

Owner of lorries with cranes can approach their crane agent or supplier for advice on installing or retrofitting an audio warning system.

More details on the limit switch and angle sensor warning systems can be found below.

Access your dashboard

Commercial Vehicles