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A guide to Off-Peak Car (OPC) and Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC) schemes
04 Jan 2013|162,530 views
Singapore has three kinds of off-peak car schemes, all of which were introduced to help ease peak hour traffic and road congestion. Drivers who reduce the usage of their cars will enjoy various benefits (depending on which scheme they opted for). These are the three types of off-peak car schemes in Singapore:
1. Weekend Car (WEC)
2. Off-Peak Car (OPC)
3. Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC)
As of 2020, most cars would be of ROPC and OPC. Since the ROPC was recently implemented in the last ten years, there are still some cars under the OPC plan.
Now, let's look at the differences between OPC and ROPC.
Off-Peak Car (OPC)
The OPC scheme was replaced by the ROPC scheme in January 2010. Drivers that wish to apply for the OPC scheme can no longer do so, and must purchase or convert to the ROPC scheme instead.
However, cars under the OPC scheme can still continue enjoying its benefits, unless they convert their existing OPC scheme to an ROPC scheme.
The restricted hours of OPC are as shown in the table:
| Restricted Days | Hours that apply for OPC cars |
| Weekdays (excluding public holidays) | 7:00am to 7:00pm |
| Saturdays (excluding public holidays) | 7:00am to 3:00pm |
| Sundays (excluding public holidays) | No restrictions |
| Eves of five Public Holidays: - Eve of New Year's Day - Eve of Chinese New Year - Eve of Hari Raya Puasa - Eve of Deepavali - Eve of Christmas Day | 7:00am to 3:00pm |
| Public holidays in Singapore | No restrictions |
Here are the monetary benefits of being registered under OPC:
- Earn rebates up to $17,000 to offset your Quota Premium for Certificate of entitlement (COE) and Additional Registration Fee (ARF). This amount will be deducted off your new car price, and consequently cause your car's paper value to decrease accordingly.
- Receive a discount of $800 on your annual road tax, but you’re subjected to a minimum sum of $50 for your road tax each year.
Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC)
In effect since January 2010, the ROPC scheme allows drivers to save on road tax and earn rebates while driving with less time restriction - restricted hours are only on the weekdays.
| Restricted Days | Hours that apply for ROPC cars |
| Weekdays (excluding public holidays) | 7:00am to 7:00pm |
| Saturdays (excluding public holidays) | No restrictions |
| Sundays (excluding public holidays) | No restrictions |
| Eves of five Public Holidays: - Eve of New Year's Day - Eve of Chinese New Year - Eve of Hari Raya Puasa - Eve of Deepavali - Eve of Christmas Day | No restrictions |
| Public holidays in Singapore | No restrictions |
Lesser restrictions mean higher road taxes, so don’t be surprised that you’ll be getting fewer discounts under ROPC.
If you're registered under ROPC, you can:
- Earn up to $17,000 rebates to offset your Quota Premium for COE and ARF. As mentioned earlier, this rebate will be deducted off your new car price and affect your car's paper value.
- Receive a discount of up to $500 on your annual road taxes, but you're subjected to a minimum sum of $70 road tax each year.
Getting an Electronic Day (e-day Licence)
You can purchase them for $20 at:
- SingPost Outlets
- The Automobile Association of Singapore
- One Motoring's Digital Services
- AXS (m-Station, e-Station and kiosks)
Without an e-Day Licence, you cannot use your car on the roads during restricted hours. If you've driven your car during restricted hours without an e-Day Licence, you have until 11:59pm of the following day to purchase one.
Should you fail to do so, you only have three days to make a declaration to LTA and pay a fine of $30. Any failure to declare your car's usage using restricted hours, within five days of usage, can cost you up to $5,000 for your first offence and $10,000 for the subsequent one.
Can I choose which Off-peak car scheme to register my car for?
Even though there are three off-peak schemes in Singapore, you can only register and convert to ROPC. The OPC scheme, while applicable to existing drivers, is longer valid for registration or conversion.
Can I convert my normal car to an ROPC?
When you convert your normal car to the ROPC scheme, you won't get to earn the $17,000 of rebate as you would have, had you registered your car under the ROPC scheme when it was brand new. You will, however, earn up to $1,100 off-peak car cash rebate for every six months that the car remains under ROPC until the car reaches 10-years old.
You will also get to enjoy a discount of $500 on your annual road tax (minimum fee of $70 per year). You could also enjoy lower insurance premiums, but that depends on your insurer.
To convert a normal car to an ROPC, there will be an administrative fee of $100 charged by LTA.
Can I convert my OPC to an ROPC?
Yes, if you'd like fewer restrictions on your driving hours. However, your annual road tax discount will be reduced from $800 to $500; the minimum fee will be increased from $50 to $70.
To convert your OPC to an ROPC, there will be an administrative fee of $100 charged by LTA.
Can I change my mind and convert my ROPC back to its initial OPC scheme?
No, you cannot revert your car scheme to OPC because the scheme has been discontinued as of 2010.
Can I convert my ROPC to a normal car?
Other than the administrative fee of $100, you will also lose your road tax discount. However, the largest cost will be the top-up fee which is charged on the unused upfront rebate ($17K) from the off-peak car scheme.
The formula used is produced in the caption on the right:
Basically, the younger your car, the higher the top-up fee. The only silver lining here is that the top-up fee goes back to your paper value - meaning that you’ll get a higher rebate when you deregister your car, as opposed to deregistering it as an ROPC car.
What happens when my OPC or ROPC car reaches 10 years of age?
When your OPC or ROPC car reaches 10 years of age and you choose to renew the COE, your car will automatically continue to stay under the OPC or ROPC scheme. You will still continue to enjoy discounts on the road tax. However, many people will choose to convert it to a normal car because there would be no more top-up fee imposed on the conversion. When your OPC or ROPC car reaches 10 years of age and if you choose to renew your car’s COE, your car will automatically continue to stay under the OPC or ROPC scheme.
You will still get to enjoy discounts on the road tax. However, many drivers choose to convert it to a normal car because there would be no more top-up fee imposed on the conversion - if you’re thinking of converting your car to a normal one, this is probably the best time to do it.
Here are some articles you might be interested in
Types of car number plates in Singapore
Six obsessive-compulsive car plate rules
A guide to finding a bidded car number plate
*This article was updated on 20th August 2020.
Singapore has three kinds of off-peak car schemes, all of which were introduced to help ease peak hour traffic and road congestion. Drivers who reduce the usage of their cars will enjoy various benefits (depending on which scheme they opted for). These are the three types of off-peak car schemes in Singapore:
1. Weekend Car (WEC)
2. Off-Peak Car (OPC)
3. Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC)
As of 2020, most cars would be of ROPC and OPC. Since the ROPC was recently implemented in the last ten years, there are still some cars under the OPC plan.
Now, let's look at the differences between OPC and ROPC.
Off-Peak Car (OPC)
The OPC scheme was replaced by the ROPC scheme in January 2010. Drivers that wish to apply for the OPC scheme can no longer do so, and must purchase or convert to the ROPC scheme instead.
However, cars under the OPC scheme can still continue enjoying its benefits, unless they convert their existing OPC scheme to an ROPC scheme.
The restricted hours of OPC are as shown in the table:
| Restricted Days | Hours that apply for OPC cars |
| Weekdays (excluding public holidays) | 7:00am to 7:00pm |
| Saturdays (excluding public holidays) | 7:00am to 3:00pm |
| Sundays (excluding public holidays) | No restrictions |
| Eves of five Public Holidays: - Eve of New Year's Day - Eve of Chinese New Year - Eve of Hari Raya Puasa - Eve of Deepavali - Eve of Christmas Day | 7:00am to 3:00pm |
| Public holidays in Singapore | No restrictions |
Here are the monetary benefits of being registered under OPC:
- Earn rebates up to $17,000 to offset your Quota Premium for Certificate of entitlement (COE) and Additional Registration Fee (ARF). This amount will be deducted off your new car price, and consequently cause your car's paper value to decrease accordingly.
- Receive a discount of $800 on your annual road tax, but you’re subjected to a minimum sum of $50 for your road tax each year.
Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC)
In effect since January 2010, the ROPC scheme allows drivers to save on road tax and earn rebates while driving with less time restriction - restricted hours are only on the weekdays.
| Restricted Days | Hours that apply for ROPC cars |
| Weekdays (excluding public holidays) | 7:00am to 7:00pm |
| Saturdays (excluding public holidays) | No restrictions |
| Sundays (excluding public holidays) | No restrictions |
| Eves of five Public Holidays: - Eve of New Year's Day - Eve of Chinese New Year - Eve of Hari Raya Puasa - Eve of Deepavali - Eve of Christmas Day | No restrictions |
| Public holidays in Singapore | No restrictions |
Lesser restrictions mean higher road taxes, so don’t be surprised that you’ll be getting fewer discounts under ROPC.
If you're registered under ROPC, you can:
- Earn up to $17,000 rebates to offset your Quota Premium for COE and ARF. As mentioned earlier, this rebate will be deducted off your new car price and affect your car's paper value.
- Receive a discount of up to $500 on your annual road taxes, but you're subjected to a minimum sum of $70 road tax each year.
Getting an Electronic Day (e-day Licence)
You can purchase them for $20 at:
- SingPost Outlets
- The Automobile Association of Singapore
- One Motoring's Digital Services
- AXS (m-Station, e-Station and kiosks)
Without an e-Day Licence, you cannot use your car on the roads during restricted hours. If you've driven your car during restricted hours without an e-Day Licence, you have until 11:59pm of the following day to purchase one.
Should you fail to do so, you only have three days to make a declaration to LTA and pay a fine of $30. Any failure to declare your car's usage using restricted hours, within five days of usage, can cost you up to $5,000 for your first offence and $10,000 for the subsequent one.
Can I choose which Off-peak car scheme to register my car for?
Even though there are three off-peak schemes in Singapore, you can only register and convert to ROPC. The OPC scheme, while applicable to existing drivers, is longer valid for registration or conversion.
Can I convert my normal car to an ROPC?
When you convert your normal car to the ROPC scheme, you won't get to earn the $17,000 of rebate as you would have, had you registered your car under the ROPC scheme when it was brand new. You will, however, earn up to $1,100 off-peak car cash rebate for every six months that the car remains under ROPC until the car reaches 10-years old.
You will also get to enjoy a discount of $500 on your annual road tax (minimum fee of $70 per year). You could also enjoy lower insurance premiums, but that depends on your insurer.
To convert a normal car to an ROPC, there will be an administrative fee of $100 charged by LTA.
Can I convert my OPC to an ROPC?
Yes, if you'd like fewer restrictions on your driving hours. However, your annual road tax discount will be reduced from $800 to $500; the minimum fee will be increased from $50 to $70.
To convert your OPC to an ROPC, there will be an administrative fee of $100 charged by LTA.
Can I change my mind and convert my ROPC back to its initial OPC scheme?
No, you cannot revert your car scheme to OPC because the scheme has been discontinued as of 2010.
Can I convert my ROPC to a normal car?
The top-up fee charged on the unused upfront rebate is calculated as followsOther than the administrative fee of $100, you will also lose your road tax discount. However, the largest cost will be the top-up fee which is charged on the unused upfront rebate ($17K) from the off-peak car scheme.
The formula used is produced in the caption on the right:
Basically, the younger your car, the higher the top-up fee. The only silver lining here is that the top-up fee goes back to your paper value - meaning that you’ll get a higher rebate when you deregister your car, as opposed to deregistering it as an ROPC car.
What happens when my OPC or ROPC car reaches 10 years of age?
When your OPC or ROPC car reaches 10 years of age and you choose to renew the COE, your car will automatically continue to stay under the OPC or ROPC scheme. You will still continue to enjoy discounts on the road tax. However, many people will choose to convert it to a normal car because there would be no more top-up fee imposed on the conversion. When your OPC or ROPC car reaches 10 years of age and if you choose to renew your car’s COE, your car will automatically continue to stay under the OPC or ROPC scheme.
You will still get to enjoy discounts on the road tax. However, many drivers choose to convert it to a normal car because there would be no more top-up fee imposed on the conversion - if you’re thinking of converting your car to a normal one, this is probably the best time to do it.
Here are some articles you might be interested in
Types of car number plates in Singapore
Six obsessive-compulsive car plate rules
A guide to finding a bidded car number plate
*This article was updated on 20th August 2020.
Photos by Editorial Team
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