Deregistering a car in Singapore isn’t just a form you submit online. It is a step by step process that has to be adhered to strictly, and getting that order wrong is what causes most of the last-minute panic people run into.

This guide walks through exactly how deregistration works for every disposal method, what LTA requires before and after, and what happens if you miss a deadline. This guide is built using LTA’s latest OneMotoring guidelines as of September 2026. 

Understanding Car Deregistration in Singapore

What does deregistering a car mean in Singapore? 

Every car in Singapore comes with something called a COE (Certificate of Entitlement), think of it as a ticket that gives your car the legal right to be on the road. The COE usually lasts for 10 years, if you purchased a brand new car. If your car does not have a valid COE, you are not allowed to drive it in Singapore. 

Deregistration is simply the act of cancelling your car’s registration with LTA. Once that happens, the car legally cannot be kept or used here in Singapore anymore. You cannot even leave it parked in your own carpark waiting for a buyer.

Does my car get deregistered automatically?

Yes. When your COE runs out without being renewed, LTA deregisters your car automatically. You don’t have to do anything to make that part happen. But automatic deregistration only cancels the paperwork. It doesn’t get rid of the actual car for you. 

You still have to get rid of the vehicle itself, and submit proof to LTA that this actually happened. Skip this part, and you will end up having to face legal consequences not limited to a fine.

2 Ways To Dispose Of Your Car In Singapore

There are three approved ways to “get rid of your car” before or after deregistration:

1. Engaging a scrap car dealer to scrap it at an LTA-appointed scrapyard
2. Engaging a car exporter to export it out of Singapore

Can I Deregister My Car Before My COE Expires?

Yes you don’t have to wait for your COE to expire to deregister your car. Plenty of owners deregister earlier. For example, if they decide to sell the car for scrap, or sell it to an exporter, while there is still time left on the COE, they can deregister earlier. 

Some owners just continue using the car until the COE expires. Either way works, but the timing does affect how much money you get back, which we will cover further down.

PARF (Preferential Additional Registration Fee) rebate is a different rebate altogether, and it works on a completely separate basis from the COE rebate. You can read our detailed step-by-step guide on how to check your PARF rebate here.

What is a COE Rebate?

If you deregister your car before your COE has fully run out, LTA refunds you for the unused portion of your COE. Think of it as getting back the “leftover” time you paid for to use your car, but never actually used.

The rebate is worked out based on how much of your COE is left when you deregister, compared to what you originally paid for it. Deregister with half your COE left, and you’d get back roughly half of what you paid for it. Deregister right on the last day, with 0 months left, and there’s nothing left to refund.

You don’t need to calculate this yourself. LTA works it out automatically the moment you deregister, down to the exact day remaining, not just the month. You can check the COE rebate of your car here. 

What Do I Need To Do After Deregistering?

You need to submit proof of disposal to LTA once you deregister.

If you are planning to sell your car to a scrap dealer or exporter, some of this may be handled for you, but it depends on the arrangement. In some cases, the dealer or exporter buys your car outright, including its “paper value” (PARF rebate and COE rebate combined). If so, they take over ownership, deregister the car, and claim the rebates from LTA themselves.

Alternatively, you can choose to keep ownership and deregister the car yourself, claiming the PARF rebate and COE rebate on your own. In this case, the dealer or exporter only pays you for the car’s “body value,” and you’ll need to get the proof of disposal documents from them to submit to LTA yourself.

Also, take note that you generally have 1 month to submit proof of disposal to LTA after deregistering. 

Submitting it sooner means you will receive your payout faster, if you are claiming the PARF rebate and COE rebate on your end. In this case, do request your scrap car dealer to give you the disposal documents within 2 weeks of car handover if possible.

How To Deregister Your Car In Singapore (The Shortcut)

Step 1: Check Your Car’s PARF and COE Rebate Value.

For a detailed step by step guide on how to check your PARF rebate, click here.

Step 2: Decide Whether To Sell or Keep Ownership Of Your Car

Companies like Axpart International will collect your car directly from you. You don’t need to drive it anywhere yourself. They also give you a choice in how you get paid:

• Sell your car outright to them. They take over ownership of your car, deregister it, and claim your PARF and COE rebate from LTA themselves. In return, they pay you a single lump sum, meant to reflect your total rebate value plus your car’s body value. However, this payment comes from them (not LTA), and usually has a small cut of 1% of your car’s paper value deducted for handling everything upfront.
• Keep ownership and claim your rebate yourself. You stay the registered owner and deregister the car yourself. If you opt for this option, Axpart International pays you separately for your car’s body value after you hand over your car to them. Then, about 2 weeks after the handover of your car, they guide you through submitting your disposal documents to LTA, so you can claim your COE and PARF rebate directly into your own bank account.

Step 3: Find A Reliable Dealer You Can Trust

Whatever you decide in Step 2, the dealer or car exporter you pick matters. If you are selling outright, you are trusting them to give you a fair price for your car and explain the breakdown to you (COE rebate and PARF rebate of your car, plus body value of your car). 

If you are keeping ownership, you are trusting them to take your car, bring it to the scrapyard or arrange its export, and then hand you the disposal documents on time. Only after they hand you the documents can you submit them to LTA and claim your rebate.

Axpart International, for example, offers both options above. They can take over your car entirely and explain how they calculate your payout. Or they can just collect your car, pay you its body value and guide you to submit the disposal documents to LTA, as early as 2 weeks after you hand over the car to them.

How To Deregister Your Car In Singapore If You’re Doing It On Your Own

Assuming that you have already 

• Found a scrap car dealer or a car exporter to dispose of or buy over your car
• And the handover of your car to your scrap car dealer or exporter has been done (the car is no longer with you.)

Here are the steps you should take to deregister your car in Singapore on your own. 

Step 1: Visit Onemotoring here and click on the login button. 

Step 2: Select “For Individual Users”

Step 3: Login with Singpass

Step 4: Click on “Selling/Deregistering” and then click on “Deregister a vehicle”

Step 5: Select the vehicle you want to deregister.

Step 6: Check the “I wish to retain my vehicle number” for my next vehicle option, if you would like to retain your vehicle number for your next vehicle for a fee of $1300. Click next to proceed to the confirmation page. 

Step 7: Select whether you are sending your vehicle to a scrapyard (option 1) or exporting your vehicle (option 2). A reputable car exporter or scrap car dealer like Axpart International will guide you through either option one step at a time. 

Option 1 for Deregistration: Sending Your Car to a Scrapyard or Export Processing Zone (EPZ)

Before choosing Option 1, it is important to understand the difference between sending your car to an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and a scrapyard.

What Is an Export Processing Zone (EPZ)?

An Export Processing Zone (EPZ) is an LTA-appointed facility where vehicles can be temporarily stored while waiting to be exported from Singapore.

Depending on the vehicle’s condition and export requirements, preparation work such as repairs or paintwork may also be carried out before export.

Once the car enters the EPZ, it can be temporarily stored there while waiting to be exported from Singapore.

What Is a Scrapyard?

A scrapyard is where cars that are no longer suitable for resale or export may be dismantled for usable parts.

If a car needs extensive repairs to be sold or exported in its current condition, scrapping it may be the more practical option. The amount offered will depend on factors such as the vehicle’s condition, usable parts and scrap value.

How Does Option 1 Work?

If you choose Option 1, OneMotoring will ask you to provide the details of the authorised person who will be handling the vehicle.

This can be yourself or another authorised person who will send the vehicle to the scrapyard or EPZ.

Important

The authorised person will need to bring the car to the selected LTA-appointed scrapyard or EPZ before the deadline shown on OneMotoring. They should also bring their original ID with them. 

Option 2 for Deregistration: Export and Upload Disposal Documents

Choose Option 2 if your vehicle has been exported, and you have the required disposal documents ready.

Keep your disposal documents with you while completing the OneMotoring form. They contain the information you will need, such as the export method, destination and shipping details.

Important: Make sure the information entered on OneMotoring matches your disposal documents. For important reference numbers, copy and paste the details directly from the documents where possible and double-check them before continuing. Incorrect information may affect the processing of your submission. Your disposal documents should be uploaded within 1 month of deregistering the vehicle. 

Once everything is correct, upload the required disposal documents, tick the declaration and click “Next”.

You will be asked to verify with your OTP, and finally you will get an acknowledgement of deregistration. 

After Deregistering Your Car In Singapore: Encashing your PARF/COE rebate

Once your vehicle has been successfully deregistered and the PARF/COE rebate is available, you can apply to encash the rebate through OneMotoring.

Here is a quick overview of the process:

Step 1: Login to OneMotoring here, click on “selling/deregistering”. Then click on “PARF/COE rebates”.

Step 2: Select Encash PARF/COE rebate

Step 3: Click the dropdown and select your PARF COE rebate.

Step 4: Check “yes” on “encash together” if you want to encash both PARF and COE rebates together

Step 5: Agree to the terms & conditions, then continue

Step 6: Click confirm  

Step 7: Enter your OTP.  Your application to encash your PARF/COE rebate will then be accepted. 

Frequently Asked Questions Around Deregistering Your Car

What is required from me before I submit my deregistration documents to LTA?

Before you deregister, make sure you have:

• Settled all outstanding road tax, late fees, and any car loan balance
• Confirmed the vehicle isn’t under active financing (or obtained financier clearance)
• Decided your disposal route, if you are handling this yourself, since your document checklist depends on it.

Scrapping mainly requires ID documents, while exporting requires the Cargo Clearance Permit and Bill of Lading. If you are using a scrap car dealer or car exporter in Singapore instead, they will typically handle these documents for you, or provide you with the disposal documents afterward to submit yourself.

What happens if I don’t submit proof of disposal in time?

As stated on LTA’s official website here, you may be prosecuted and fined up to $2,000, or jailed for up to 3 months. Repeat offenders face up to $5,000 or 6 months’ imprisonment.

What happens if I keep or use a deregistered vehicle?

According to LTA, this is treated far more seriously than a late submission. Offenders face a fine of up to $20,000, up to 2 years’ imprisonment, or both. Repeat offenders face up to $40,000 or 4 years’ imprisonment. A deregistered vehicle also has no valid road tax (fine up to $2,000) and no valid insurance (fine up to $1,000, up to 3 months’ jail, and a mandatory 12-month driving licence disqualification).

Is there a new law on deregistered vehicles in Singapore?

Yes. In September 2026, the Ministry of Transport, LTA, and the Singapore Police Force introduced a new law to tighten rules on deregistered vehicles. According to reports, the number of deregistered vehicles found on the road jumped from 75 cases in 2024 to 245 in 2025, with authorities also noting a broader rise in the total number of deregistered vehicles overall.

Key changes proposed under the Bill include a shorter disposal window (14 days, down from the current 1 month), daily fines of up to $500 for unresolved disposal proof, registration restrictions for high-risk individuals, and a new offence for selling or supplying deregistered vehicles for road use.

The Bill also formalises the proposed Authorised Exporter Scheme (AES). Under current rules, owners remain personally liable if a third party mishandles their export paperwork, even if they never touch the process themselves. The AES is meant to shift that responsibility: once you hand your vehicle to an Authorised Person (an authorised scrapyard, EPZ operator, or exporter), you would be discharged from your disposal obligations. LTA has indicated a transition period of at least a year once the scheme takes effect, so this isn’t immediate. However, it is worth knowing before you commit to a dealer or exporter.

Can I keep my car’s registration number for a future vehicle?

Yes. If you want to reuse your car’s registration number (VRN) on a future vehicle, you need to apply for retention before or at the point of deregistration, at the scrapyard, EPZ, or LTA Customer Service Centre. You then have up to a month after deregistering to complete the retention process, and the number is held for you for up to 12 months to assign to your next vehicle.