VEHICLE LICENCE PLATES

VEHICLE LICENCE PLATES

29.

Mr Sin Boon Ann asked the Minister for Transport in view of the fraud case involving vehicle licence plates, whether his Ministry will consider (i) limiting the number of car workshops that can make them; (ii) requiring the workshops by law to verify registration and ownership of the car before fitting them; and (iii) increasing the penalties for errant workshops and drivers.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: Currently, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) does not regulate business operators who make, install or sell vehicle licence plates. We allow the fitting of vehicle licence plates as long as they comply with our technical requirements, remain easily distinguishable at all times, and are securely mounted on the vehicles. Any person who forges a vehicle licence plate, or uses a forged licence plate, is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of up to $5,000, or a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

Licence plates are checked regularly during the periodic vehicle inspections mandated by LTA to ensure that they bear the registration numbers assigned to the vehicle. We share the Member's concern on the recent case of illegal duplication of car licence plates, and will continue to take strict enforcement action against any vehicle owners and vehicle licence plate suppliers who forge plates. LTA records show that, over the past three years, the number of illegal duplication of vehicle licence plates was consistently low at an

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average of seven per year. These statistics do not justify LTA making it mandatory for vehicle licence plate suppliers to verify vehicle registration and ownership details before fitting the plates onto vehicles. This would cause unnecessary inconvenience to the vast majority of vehicle owners and vehicle licence plate suppliers who are compliant. Similarly, the statistics do not warrant LTA raising the penalties for such offences

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Nevertheless, LTA will monitor the situation closely and re-look into the need to regulate vehicle licence plate suppliers and increase the penalties for illegal forgery of vehicle licence plates should the problem become more serious.

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