From getting a driving licence in Singapore to converting your foreign licence, our guide will get you (or your teen!) behind the wheel in no time
Looking for a step-by-step guide to getting yourself or your teen a driving licence in Singapore? Parenting a teenager is a minefield for sure. They require constant feeding, are endlessly bored despite a ton of cool things for teens to do, they’re prone to growth spurts, and they sometimes lose the ability to communicate beyond the odd grunt. But the moment they reach 18, it’s all about one thing: getting a driving licence in Singapore! So if you have a teenager desperate to start learning to drive, or you’re looking for refresher lessons yourself, you’ll need our guide to getting behind the wheel.
Read on for the best places in Singapore to learn how to drive, how much it costs and how you can convert your international drivers licence if you are new to town!
Getting a Singapore Driving Licence: Minimum age & first steps
18 is the legal age for learning how to drive in Singapore and getting a drivers licence. But here’s how to get started for safe driving success.
Step 1: Study for the Basic Theory Test (BTT)
The first step in getting a drivers licence is to study for and pass the Basic Theory Test. Grab a copy of the BTT Book and the Highway Code, and go online to try some mock tests before you attempt the real deal. Once the rules of the road have sunk in, book a BTT test at one of the three driving centres. The test fee is $6.50, and you can book it online or in-person. Book your test early, as slots fill up very quickly in advance.
Step 2: Apply for a Provisional Driving Licence (PDL)
It’s driving licence time (well, kinda)! You will now need a Provisional Driving Licence (PDL). Apply online and follow the steps given.
Step 3: Driving school or private instructor?
Now comes the learn-to-drive part. You’ve got two sensible options: driving lessons with a private instructor, or driving lessons at a driving centre.
Beep, beep: Driving school, here we come
Singapore has three official driving schools: Bukit Batok Driving Centre, Comfort DelGro Driving Centre and Singapore Safety Driving Centre. Driving schools have a fixed syllabus to follow, and often have a minimum number of lessons that need to be taken before being allowed to go for the test. The good news is, you won’t have to book to use the circuits. You can use them anytime when your instructor lets you.
Lessons generally cost between $69 and $86 per 100-120-minute lesson. Students are expected to need around 20-25 lessons to complete the task at hand. So, expect to part with around $2,000 if your teen manages to pass the first time. Lesson costs are also bumped up slightly (around $9 more per session) if you want to book a specific instructor.
Here are the three driving centres in Singapore:
Bukit Batok Driving Centre
815 Bukit Batok West Ave 5, Singapore 659085
T: 1800 666 8888
ComfortDelGro Driving Centre
205 Ubi Ave 4, Singapore 408805 (branches at Kovan and Tampines)
T: 6841 8900, 6848 0617
Singapore Safety Driving Centre
2 Woodlands Industrial Park E4, Singapore 757387 (branch office at Ang Mo Kio)
T: 6482 6060
Honk, honk: Private driving lessons, here we come
There are literally hundreds of driving instructors around Singapore. Word of mouth is always a good bet when it comes to finding a great fit. Online reviews are also helpful for finding the right instructor for you. Budget-wise, you’re looking at around $25-$60 per hour with a private teacher. And, because lessons are generally shorter than at driving schools, expect to need around 20-30 driving lessons, depending on how quickly you gets to grips with it. There’s no strict syllabus to follow if you go the private route. Plus, this choice is generally more flexible with timings, too.
Step 4: Final Theory Test (FTT)
Once driving lessons are going well, and your teen (and instructor) are feeling confident, it will be time to book the Final Theory Test (FTT). Procedures for this are much the same as with the BTT and you’ll need to book through the driving centres once again. The test fee is also $6.50, and once passed you have two years to complete your Practical Driving Test.
Step 5: The Driving Test
With the BTT and the FTT passed, it’s almost time to get onto the PIE, ECP, AYE or even the CTE (start memorising all those acronyms!). All that hard learn-to-drive graft and outpouring of money will end with ‘The Test’, aka, the Practical Driving Test (PDT). Your driving school or private instructor will know when you are ready to go for your drivers licence and will make the booking for you. The test costs $33 to sit and, once booked, you will get a receipt with the time, date and venue for the moment that determines whether you can officially hit the road.
The PDT will be conducted by a Driving Examiner (appointed by the Traffic Police), and consists of two parts. First is a test of skills on a driving circuit. The second part on the public roads will test your abilities in interacting safely with other road users, and compliance with traffic rules and regulations. We’re not going to lie, we feel nervous just writing about it! Serious mistakes will result in an immediate fail, whereas minor errors will be recorded as a series of penalty points along the way. Score too many points and it’s back to the driving lesson drawing board (but you can apply for a re-test as soon as you’ve booked two compulsory revision lessons). Pass? Celebrate by forking out another $50 for the drivers licence, which you apply for at the driving centre, and then creep away quietly before the demands for a car begin.
New to Singapore? Convert that international drivers licence!
If you hold an international drivers licence that was issued outside of Singapore, you will need to convert your foreign licence to a Singapore licence within 12 months, or you’ll need to pass the Practical Driving Test.
To convert your foreign drivers licence or international drivers licence to a Singapore licence, you’re going to have to pass the Basic Theory Test (BTT). Sadly, all that hard work to pass your overseas theory test doesn’t count. Once you are ready, register at one of the three driving schools previously mentioned, and book your test.
When you have passed (well done!), you then need to apply for a drivers licence conversion in person. Head to the Traffic Police Test Centre counters located in the three driving centres in Singapore. Psst, need help remembering what to bring? Use our handy checklist to make sure you have everything you need to take with you on Conversion Day. And then, voilà, you are free to get behind the wheel and explore Singapore!
See you on the Singapore roads!
