Driving Permit for Singapore
Driving in Singapore on a foreign licence? If your licence is not in English you need an IDP or a certified English translation. Full IDP Singapore rules, the ASEAN exemption and rental tips.
- Drive on
- Left
- Convention
- 1949 Geneva
- IDP validity
- 12 months
- Processing time
- 24 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Singapore?
Singapore drives on the left, and visitors can generally drive on a valid foreign driving licence, as set out by the Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Police Force. Whether you also need an International Driving Permit (IDP) comes down to one thing: the language on your licence. Under the Police Force's published rules, if your foreign licence is not printed in English you must carry your valid foreign licence together with an IDP issued by an authorised body in your home country, or an official English translation of your licence if an IDP is not available. If your licence is already in English, it can generally be used on its own without an IDP.
There is one clear exemption worth knowing. Nationals of ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) do not need an IDP and may drive on a valid national licence alone. Drivers holding English-language licences from countries such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland are typically accepted without an IDP because the licence itself is already in English, though individual rental companies may still ask for one. Everyone else driving on a non-English licence should carry an IDP or an official English translation to satisfy both police checks and rental-company policy. Note that the IDP is a translation document that only works alongside your original licence, and it must be obtained in your home country before you travel; it is not issued in Singapore for a foreign licence.
On the ground, carrying an IDP smooths two friction points. Car-rental companies commonly ask non-English-licence holders for an IDP before releasing the keys, and some may request one regardless, so carrying it helps avoid disputes at the counter. Singapore traffic police can also ask to see your driving documents, and an IDP paired with your licence makes roadside checks straightforward. If you stay in Singapore longer term or become a resident, you will eventually need to convert to a local Singapore driving licence rather than continue indefinitely on a foreign one.
Singapore recognises the IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention.
Singapore is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention. In practice, an IDP issued by another signatory country is recognised for your permitted visitor stay — in Singapore, plan on 12 months.
What you need to drive in Singapore
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Valid license (English or with IDP).
If your foreign licence is not in English, you must carry it together with an IDP issued by an authorised body in your home country, or an official English translation of the licence if an IDP is not available.
Nationals of ASEAN member states are exempt from the IDP requirement and may drive on a valid national licence alone.
An IDP is a translation of your national licence: it must be obtained in your home country before you travel, is not issued in Singapore for a foreign licence, and is not valid on its own without the original licence.
The minimum driving age in Singapore is 18, but car-rental firms commonly set a higher minimum (often 21 to 23) and may add a young-driver surcharge.
English translations of a foreign licence can be obtained from the relevant Embassy or High Commission, or from a registered translation company in Singapore, if you do not hold an IDP.
Foreigners residing in Singapore longer term are eventually required to convert their foreign licence to a Singapore driving licence rather than continue on the foreign one.
What to know before you turn the key
Singapore drives on the left — the driver sits on the right, and roundabouts flow clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Expensive rental/ERP tolls.
Drive on LEFT.
Singapore enforces driving laws strictly: the drink-drive limit is a blood alcohol concentration of 80mg per 100ml of blood (or 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath), and driving without a valid licence or a required IDP or English translation can lead to fines and prosecution.
Local rules to watch in Singapore
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
Singapore uses Electronic Road Pricing (ERP): gantries on busier roads and expressways charge a fee at certain times, deducted automatically via the in-car ERP device and a stored-value card - confirm the device and payment-card arrangement with your rental company before you set off.
Parking across much of the island uses electronic or coupon-based schemes; check signage carefully, as illegal parking and unpaid road charges are actively enforced.
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Singapore keeps.
Common questions about driving in Singapore
Drive Singapore, confidently.
Apply online in minutes and get instant digital access to your IDP translation — with an IDP PVC card option if you want one in your wallet.