Singapore, 7 April 2021 – From 6 April 2023, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will tighten the in-use emission standards for local motorcycles registered before 1 July 2003. These motorcycles can continue to be used until 30 June 2028 [1], as long as they meet the tightened in-use emission standards. In addition, from 1 April 2023, NEA will exclusively adopt the latest United Nations (UN) noise standards for vehicles and aftermarket exhaust systems. This announcement provides the motor industry sufficient lead time to obtain motor vehicles that are able to meet the new noise requirements.
Tightened In-use Emission Standards
2 On 6 April 2018, NEA had announced plans to tighten in-use emission standards, when launching an incentive scheme to encourage owners of older motorcycles to de-register their motorcycles early. Hence from 6 April 2023, local motorcycles registered before 1 July 2003 will be required to meet the limits of 4.5% Carbon Monoxide (CO) by Volume; and 7,800 ppm Hydrocarbons (HC) (for 2-stroke engine) or 2,000 ppm HC (for 4-stroke engine). Refer to Annex A for a summary of the changes. Local motorcycles registered on or after 1 Jul 2003 are already subjected to the same or more stringent in-use standards.
3 With proper maintenance, most motorcycles will be able to meet the tightened in-use emission standards. Owners of affected motorcycles are reminded to get their vehicles serviced and inspected to meet the tightened emission standards. Such inspections are available at VICOM Inspection Centre, JIC Inspection Services, and STA Vehicle Inspection.
4 Owners of older motorcycles who are unsure of their motorcycles’ ability to meet the tightened in-use emission standards are encouraged to tap on the early de-registration incentive of up to $3,500, which remains available until 5 April 2023 (refer to https://go.gov.sg/mtcincentive for more details). As of 31 December 2020, nearly 60% of about 27,000 eligible motorcycles have benefitted from this early de-registration incentive.
5 The early de-registration incentive and the tightening of in-use emission standards for older motorcycles are part of NEA’s set of initiatives to reduce vehicular emissions, so as to improve air quality and safeguard public health.
Standards to Apply to Both Local and Foreign Motorcycles
6 To reduce vehicular emissions and improve air quality in Singapore, foreign motorcycles, regardless of registration date, will also be required to meet the tightened in-use emission standards from 6 April 2023. This is similar to current rules requiring foreign motorcycles to adhere to the same exhaust noise limit as local motorcycles, and not to emit any smoke or visible vapour. Enforcement will be carried out through random emissions testing for CO and HC at land entry checkpoints and during enforcement blitzes. The fines imposed are the same for both local and foreign motorcycles. Foreign motorcycles with a number of outstanding fines for vehicle-related offences may also be denied entry into Singapore at the land entry checkpoints.
Temporary Scheme for Owners of Older Motorcycles
7 For owners who wish to keep their older motorcycles as a classic vehicle, NEA is exploring a temporary scheme which would allow local motorcycles that were first registered between 2 July 1993 and 30 June 2003 to be retained after 30 June 2028, until such time when they are eligible for the Classic Vehicle Scheme [2]. NEA will consult relevant industry and interest groups on the details of the scheme. The scheme, if implemented, will be open for application closer to 30 June 2028, which would be the last day that motorcycles registered before 1 July 2003 [3] can be used on Singapore’s roads. Motorcycles on the scheme will have to continue to meet the tightened in-use emission standards.
Adoption of UN Noise Standards
8 All vehicles registered in Singapore shall comply with the noise limits stipulated in the Fourth Schedule of the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations, which are benchmarked against the European Union (EU) and Japanese standards.
9 Since 2016, both the EU and Japan began adopting the latest UN noise standards and would complete adoption for passenger vehicles in 2022 and commercial vehicles in 2023. The UN standards are generally more stringent than Singapore’s current standards. They also use a test procedure which better reflects actual driving conditions and better accounts for non-exhaust noise. NEA will adopt these internationally-recognised UN standards from 1 Apr 2023. Please refer to Annex B for the implementation timeline.
In-Use Motor Vehicles
10 Vehicles registered after the adoption of UN standards (1 April 2023 for passenger cars and motorcycles, 1 April 2024 for commercial vehicles) will be subjected to the in-use vehicle noise limits stipulated by the UN standards. Existing vehicles, those registered before the adoption of UN standards, as well as foreign-registered vehicles, will continue to be subjected to the current in-use vehicle noise limits stipulated in the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations, or those stipulated by the UN standards, whichever is higher [4]. We will review the in-use standards in due course, giving the industry and the owners sufficient time to adjust to the tighter limits.
[1] Local motorcycles registered before 1 July 2003 will no longer be allowed for use on Singapore’s roads after 30 June 2028. Motorcycles on the Classic, Vintage (Restricted) and Revised Vintage Vehicle Schemes are exempted as they are already subjected to restricted usage.
[3] Motorcycles on the Classic, Vintage (Restricted) and Revised Vintage Vehicle Schemes are exempted as they are already subjected to restricted usage.
[4] A higher noise limit value means louder noise permissible
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ANNEX A
Tightened In-use Emission Standards for Local and Foreign Motorcycles
| | Local Motorcycles (registered before 1 Jul 2003) | Foreign Motorcycles (regardless of registration date) |
| Current situation | To meet in-use emission standards; - 4.5% or 6% [5] CO by Vol;
- ·no HC limit
| Not required to meet any in-use CO or HC emission limit. |
| From 6 Apr 2023 | To meet in-use emission standards; - 4.5% CO by Vol; and
- 7,800ppm HC (for motorcycles with 2-stroke engine) or 2,000ppm HC (for motorcycles with 4-stroke engine)
| Regardless of registration date of FM in home country, to meet in-use emission standards; - 7,800ppm HC (for motorcycles with 2-stroke engine) or 2,000ppm HC (for motorcycles with 4-stroke engine)
|
[5] For motorcycles registered before 1 October 1986
ANNEX B
Implementation Timeline of the UN Standards for Vehicular Noise and Aftermarket Exhaust Systems
NEA will start accepting the UN standards on vehicular noise emissions [6] and aftermarket exhaust systems [7] from 1 Sep 2021, and fully switch to the UN standards (i.e. no longer accept the EU and Japan standards currently in our regulations) according to the following timeline:
[6] UN R51-03 and UN R41-04
[7] UN R59 and UN R92
.