Buying a Motorcycle in Singapore with a Foreign License

[ivar_rs]

Hey Guys,

 

Need some advice on getting a bike in Singapore with a foreign license. It's a slightly complicated case - so let me spell it out as briefly as I can.

 

I came around Sep last year and converted my car license to a Singapore car license right away. Then, went back to convert my motorbike license too (I had forgotten it in my home country & it took me a while to get here) and the TP lady told me only one conversion per person is allowed - not per license category. They asked me to start from scratch to get a 2B license by joining ComfortDelgro Driving Center. So I got my PDL and am midway through that excruciating process (I will spare the anguish of describing that course here!). Now, it looks like it'll take me another 6 months to acquire a license that way (keeping in mind the 3 month delay for Traffic Police test as well).

 

Now, i read is some posts here that one can but a bike using their international license for the first 12 months - can I? My 12 month expires in Sep 2013 only. Hopefully, I will have my 2B till then and I can continue. If not, I'll park it till the time I can... Is that allowed? And will I get insurance on my international license? (which btw is 10 years old and I'm about 30 - so I do have a decent amount of riding experience).

 

Any suggestions/instructions are highly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Rgds,

Ivar

 

P.s; I only wish I had found out abt the single conversion rule - I wouldn't have to jump through these hoops now! Interacting with the bike class guys is extremely frustrating, and unless I get a bike soon I might lose interest midway through that course.

[feriosi]

It's best that u check with the traffic police. I've got a few expat friends that bought their vehicle with their international license, but was told to get hold of their Singapore license with 1 year from the date they registered the vehicle. Insurance is not an issue though.

[krocozkid]

yes u can bro, i did juz that. pls contact this agent http://www.wttins.com to buy ur insurance, because NTUC or those main insurance company wont sell their policy to u unless u have sg license.

process will be as follows.

 

1. Find bike u want

2. Get the bike number plate

3. Buy insurance from http://www.wttins.com/ (muz head down to their office)

4. Transfer of ownership at LTA

 

be reminded that u can only use ur foreign license 1 yr upon issuance of ur visa.

hope that helps

[andrivall]

Its good and useful information for me.Thanks for updates.

[feriosi]

Buy a Class2B (

[fransisco]

Hi... i've heard from other foreigner experience that owning and riding bike above class 2b within period 12month is not enough to get your international driving license to convert to full class 2/2a. Other docs require is proff of proper training riding bike above class 2b and ownership docs of bike with higher capacity outside SG. so, anyone can confirm this, seems the rule has changed or its matter of which and who you approach at driving centre?

[di_andrei]

The rules have not changed - they have always been as you outline them above.

 

"Conversion for a higher capacity or open category motorcycle licence is normally not granted unless there are documentary proof of training, testing, ownership of bigger motorcycle and insurance policy indicating that you have gone through proper training and testing regime and have had at least one year riding experience on the road."

 

The way this is applied has always varied, but generally riding a 2A/2 bike in Singapore on a foreign licence has been sufficient to grant conversion. Try one of the other TP offices if you are not successful the first time. Alternatively try to provide evidence from your home country as well - insurance papers are pretty useful. Even if it's hard to get these papers, it's nowhere near as hard as getting a licence through the normal, non-conversion route.