If you’re planning on travelling to Singapore by car sometime in the future, you may want to ensure you have a valid Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP). The nation’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has declared that starting from 6 October 2026, foreign-registered vehicles attempting to enter the country via land checkpoints without valid permits will be turned back to Malaysia.
As outlined in a statement posted to the government agency’s Facebook page, the requirement applies to travellers passing through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. Therefore, travellers must make sure their vehicles have a valid VEP before submitting their SG Arrival Card (SGAC).
For those unaware, the SGAC is a mandatory pre-arrival declaration that all travellers must submit before arriving in Singapore. When the SGAC is submitted, an advance verification system will verify the car’s VEP status. Without a valid VEP, travellers cannot complete their SGAC submission. They will then be prompted to apply for a permit before they can proceed. The ICA’s statement went on to note that this system will alert travellers if they do not have a valid VEP, so motorists have the opportunity to rectify the issue and avoid being turned around at checkpoints.
According to the organisation, a valid permit ensures that the vehicle has the requisite motor insurance in Singapore, since insurance covering the vehicle’s entire period of stay is a requirement for acquiring a VEP. With the system in place, travellers can make sure that their vehicles are adequately insured in the event of a road accident. In Singapore, a VEP cannot be issued without motor insurance. The ICA also noted that it will progressively extend this verification system to cover other vehicle types at land checkpoints. Further details on VEP applications can be found on the LTA OneMotoring website.
