Singapore enters January 2027 with an announced three-month Certificate of Entitlement (COE) quota of 19,298 for November 2026 through January 2027. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) published the quota on 26 October 2026. It is 213 certificates, or about 1%, more than the preceding August–October allocation of 19,085, but the increase is not distributed evenly across vehicle categories.
Category A remains unchanged at 7,134 COEs. Category B increases to 5,707, Category C for goods vehicles and buses to 1,873, Category D for motorcycles falls to 3,004, and the open Category E rises to 1,580. LTA says these allocations are separate from its ongoing review of car-category definitions; that review should not be described as a final rule already enacted in January 2027.
A COE quota is the number of certificates available over a defined period, not the price a buyer will pay, a guaranteed bidding outcome or the number of vehicles delivered that month. This guide explains the five categories, the monthly bidding process, quotas versus premiums, how new vehicles differ from COE renewals and what a Singapore household or business should consider before spending money.
Updated 4 November 2026. This independent eduKateSG public-information guide explains the announced COE quota and current vehicle rules. It is not a dealer quotation, COE bidding guarantee or recommendation to buy a particular vehicle. Check LTA’s latest exercise-specific details before committing money.
The confirmed COE quota and categories
- November 2026–January 2027 total quota: 19,298, up from 19,085 in August–October 2026.
- Category A is allocated 7,134 COEs during the quarter, unchanged from the preceding quarter.
- Category B is allocated 5,707 COEs, up from 5,527.
- Category C for goods vehicles and buses is allocated 1,873, up from 1,836.
- Category D for motorcycles is allocated 3,004, down from 3,065.
- Category E, open for all vehicles except motorcycles, has 1,580 COEs, up from 1,523.
- LTA generally conducts two open-bidding exercises monthly, usually beginning on the first and third Mondays.
- Quota supply reflects eligible deregistrations, permitted Category C vehicle growth and certain specified adjustments.
- The next February–April 2027 three-month quota is scheduled for announcement in January 2027.
- The announced quota is not affected by LTA’s separate review of car COE categorisation.
What the quota does not promise
- A 1% total increase does not prove the Category A quota rose or that COE premiums will fall.
- COE prices are determined through competitive bidding, not by dividing a fixed public price among the 19,298 certificates.
- A three-month quota is not the amount available in each individual monthly exercise.
- Category E can be used for several vehicle types except motorcycles; it is not an additional 1,580 mass-market car entitlement.
- An issued COE normally entitles registration for ten years, but buying a used car or renewing an existing COE follows different financial rules.
- Neither a consultation nor a proposal on COE categories is equivalent to a final classification rule.
- Quoted on-road prices can change as bidding premiums and other vehicle taxes or fees change.
Guide by question
- 1. What the 19,298 number actually counts
- 2. Why the quota only increased by about one percent
- 3. Category A remains at 7,134
- 4. Category B increases to 5,707
- 5. Category C rises for goods vehicles and buses
- 6. Motorcycle Category D falls to 3,004
- 7. Open Category E increases to 1,580
- 8. How to read category quotas correctly
- 9. The open-bidding process is not a fixed-price shop
- 10. Why the three-week November–December gap matters
- 11. The next quota announcement is due January 2027
- 12. The COE category review is a separate process
- 13. New-car registration versus renewing an old COE
- 14. What makes the actual car price different from the COE
- 15. COE premiums are not reliable investment forecasts
- 16. A practical January 2027 buyer checklist
The following examples are hypothetical explanations. An LTA three-month quota, a particular bidding round, a vehicle’s classification and its total ownership cost are separate matters. Each should be verified using the appropriate official service.
1. What the 19,298 number actually counts
LTA’s 26 October statement sets the number of COEs to be made available across five categories during the three months from November 2026 to January 2027. It does not mean Singapore has immediately registered 19,298 new cars, because the pool includes motorcycles, goods vehicles and open-category certificates as well. The quota supports bidding exercises and is calculated with adjustments to reflect the vehicle quota system. January 2027 is the final month under this specific announcement, rather than a wholly new three-month quota starting on 1 January. Keeping the period visible prevents a national total being confused with one monthly sale.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A family reads that Singapore has ‘19,298 COEs in January’ and assumes there are nearly twenty thousand family-car certificates in that month’s two auctions.
What to verify or do
That is incorrect. The figure covers five vehicle categories and three months. Use the correct category’s available quantity for the actual bidding exercise.
2. Why the quota only increased by about one percent
The preceding August–October 2026 quota was 19,085, and the new total is 19,298, a gain of 213. Supply is constrained by the vehicle quota system because road space is scarce and the Government manages vehicle population growth. LTA uses eligible deregistrations over a trailing twelve-month period, allowed growth for certain classes and adjustments for taxis, temporary certificates, commercial-vehicle turnover and redistributions. Small changes in supply can be important, but they do not reveal how buyers will bid, how many will enter the market or what dealers will charge.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A motorist sees the 213 increase and predicts that every COE must cost exactly S$213 less in January.
What to verify or do
There is no such arithmetic relationship. Market bidding and category-level demand determine the premium, so historical quota changes cannot guarantee a price.
3. Category A remains at 7,134
Category A covers specified smaller or lower-power cars. Under the currently applicable definitions, non-fully-electric cars must have engines up to 1,600 cc and maximum power output up to 97 kilowatts; fully electric cars have a maximum power output up to 110 kilowatts. Category A’s quarterly quota remains 7,134, unchanged from the previous three-month period. This is a significant detail because a headline celebrating an overall supply rise could create the mistaken impression that the most relevant quota for a particular mass-market vehicle also increased.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A family shopping for a qualifying smaller car expects Category A supply to rise because it reads only the overall 1% increase.
What to verify or do
The specific Category A allocation is flat. Confirm the car’s actual category and view current bid results before making a binding purchase decision.
4. Category B increases to 5,707
Category B covers non-fully-electric passenger cars exceeding the Category A engine-capacity or power thresholds and fully electric cars exceeding the electric Category A power threshold. It has 5,707 certificates for the quarter, compared with 5,527 in the preceding period. That is 180 more certificates and a larger proportional gain than the overall quota increase. Yet a higher Category B supply does not guarantee that its premiums will become lower than Category A, because the groups have different demand and buyer behaviour.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A driver comparing a powerful hybrid with an electric vehicle assumes the propulsion type alone decides whether either belongs in Category A or B.
What to verify or do
Check the exact engine and power-output details against current OneMotoring classification. A qualifying model may use a different category from its marketing label.
5. Category C rises for goods vehicles and buses
Category C is for goods vehicles and buses, making it relevant to delivery companies, logistics operators, passenger transport firms and other commercial users. The quarter’s quota increases from 1,836 to 1,873. The vehicle quota framework allows an annual 0.25% growth provision for Category C, unlike the general zero growth framework for passenger cars and motorcycles during the relevant policy period. This reflects the role commercial vehicles can play in the economy. A business still needs to consider actual operational requirements and tax treatment rather than assume every commercial purchase qualifies.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A small delivery business sees more Category C supply and decides it can purchase several trucks immediately without reviewing its financing or vehicle requirements.
What to verify or do
The 1,873 is a quota across three months. Competitive bidding, commercial vehicle classification and the firm’s operating budget remain relevant.
6. Motorcycle Category D falls to 3,004
Category D covers motorcycles, and LTA reduced the quarterly quota from 3,065 to 3,004, a difference of 61. This is the only category among the five in the published table that decreased compared with the preceding quarter. The change illustrates why an aggregate national increase can conceal different results for people who rely on motorcycles for work, commuting or delivery. The actual premium will still depend on bidding demand, while riders also need to budget for insurance, maintenance, road tax, licensing and appropriate safety equipment.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A rider reads an article saying COE supply increased in Singapore and assumes the motorcycle category must have become easier to win.
What to verify or do
Category D’s stated supply actually fell. Use the current motorcycle bid results and calculate all ownership expenses rather than extrapolate from the total.
7. Open Category E increases to 1,580
Category E covers the open class, usable for all types of vehicles except motorcycles under the current rules. Its quota rises from 1,523 to 1,580. Although open COEs are commonly associated with car dealers and registrations, the category is not simply a second dedicated supply bucket for every Category A household car. The applicable transfer and registration rules matter, and Category E’s premium can differ substantially from premiums in Categories A or B. Dealers may use the category as part of their business planning, but buyers should examine the registration’s actual class and quoted price.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A dealer tells a customer that Category E’s increase guarantees the cheapest COE for any vehicle because its rules are more flexible.
What to verify or do
That does not follow. Compare the actual applicable quota premiums and dealer contract before accepting the claim.
8. How to read category quotas correctly
Adding the published amounts gives 7,134 plus 5,707 plus 1,873 plus 3,004 plus 1,580, which totals 19,298. This is a useful cross-check when reading news graphics or dealer messages. Each amount represents the three-month period, not six identical individual auction allocations. Actual monthly and round-specific availability can also include carryovers and adjustments from unallocated or expired certificates. A buyer cannot simply divide the category’s quarterly total by six and call the result an exact reserve for every bidding round.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A finance spreadsheet predicts precisely 1,189 Category A COEs in every round because 7,134 divided by six equals 1,189.
What to verify or do
The arithmetic is informative, but actual round quantities can differ due to adjustment rules. Use LTA’s exercise-specific quota notice.
9. The open-bidding process is not a fixed-price shop
LTA conducts COE open bidding exercises twice a month in general, commonly from Monday noon to Wednesday 4pm, subject to public holidays and the official calendar. Bidders set a reserve price and the clearing price responds to the number of available COEs and bids. Successful bidders within one category generally pay the same final quota premium for that exercise. A buyer’s willingness to pay and a dealer’s commercial arrangements matter, so bidding is not an ordinary public sale with a guaranteed advertised ticket price.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A driver assumes the lowest bid they can submit will always win if the quota rises by 1%.
What to verify or do
Demand can outstrip supply. Understand reserve prices and the dealer’s actual bidding agreement before committing money.
10. Why the three-week November–December gap matters
The October LTA announcement notes a longer-than-usual three-week interval between the second November bidding exercise and the first December one. The standard first- and third-Monday pattern can produce such scheduling gaps because of how weeks and months align. A person expecting bidding precisely every fourteen days may therefore miss the next opportunity or assume a delay is caused by a policy cancellation. The relevant deadlines are those listed in the official COE bidding schedule, not a homemade calendar approximation.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A vehicle buyer arranges a delivery around an imagined bidding round that falls on the wrong Monday.
What to verify or do
Check LTA’s actual opening and closing schedule, then confirm the dealer’s contract conditions for a successful or unsuccessful bid.
11. The next quota announcement is due January 2027
LTA says the next three-month quota, for February through April 2027, will be announced in January 2027. This is a distinct publication from the November–January quota. The 19,298 total should not be assumed to continue automatically through April. The newer announcement may reflect changes in deregistration data or other adjustments. It is sensible for buyers who can wait to compare the confirmed current figures with the next official release, but there is no reliable guarantee that waiting lowers premiums.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A household planning a March 2027 car registration budgets based on January’s 19,298 total without reading the February–April announcement.
What to verify or do
The later quarter has its own quota. Check the new LTA release when available and avoid treating old statistics as permanent.
12. The COE category review is a separate process
LTA has been reviewing car COE categorisation to reflect differences between more mass-market and higher-value models. The public consultation and any subsequent recommendations are separate from the published quota for November 2026–January 2027, which LTA expressly says is unaffected. A consultation is not the same as enacted policy. Buyers should distinguish an idea under review, a recommendation announced for the future and a rule already in force. A proposed category merger or surcharge should never be treated as a fixed result before the competent authority publishes it.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A dealer predicts that Category A and B must merge in January and raises a quotation based on a proposed system.
What to verify or do
Require actual current rules and a clear contract. Do not accept a speculative consultation outcome as binding policy.
13. New-car registration versus renewing an old COE
A buyer registering a vehicle for the first time needs the appropriate valid COE, usually through bidding or a dealer’s allocation. An owner whose existing ten-year COE is approaching expiry can instead consider renewal by paying the Prevailing Quota Premium (PQP) for the appropriate category, without bidding for a fresh COE. The PQP reflects a moving average of recent quota premiums and changes monthly. Renewal conditions, vehicle age, maintenance, road tax and registration history matter. A renewal is not necessarily cheaper overall simply because there is no new auction bid.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A family whose car is nearly ten years old assumes it must bid in the next Category A exercise to keep using the vehicle.
What to verify or do
Check the COE renewal option and PQP, then compare the vehicle’s remaining reliability and ownership costs.
14. What makes the actual car price different from the COE
The COE is only one part of Singapore vehicle ownership costs. A new-car buyer may also face open market value, Additional Registration Fee, excise duty, GST, road tax, insurance, dealership charges and any applicable rebates or surcharges. Prices and rebates can change with vehicle specification and policy. A dealer’s advertised ‘COE included’ amount needs detailed terms: whether the COE is guaranteed, how many bids are included, what happens if bidding fails and which taxes or equipment are excluded. A national quota announcement cannot settle these commercial details.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A buyer compares two showroom advertisements, one with a non-guaranteed COE package and one with a different guaranteed-bid price.
What to verify or do
The cheaper headline may not describe the same risk. Obtain an itemised and signed quotation before deciding.
15. COE premiums are not reliable investment forecasts
COE prices depend on supply, demand, dealer behaviour and the broader cost of vehicle ownership. A single high or low auction result does not establish a permanent trend, and a 1% quota increase does not prove a future premium reduction. Commentary can use historical results and plausible scenarios, but it should not advertise a guaranteed January price. For households, the safest financial approach is to budget for a range of possible total ownership costs and decide whether public transport or a different vehicle meets the need.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A family sees a viral chart predicting Category B premiums will fall by S$20,000 precisely because 180 more certificates were allocated.
What to verify or do
The figure is speculation unless backed by actual auction data. Do not make a large commitment using an invented premium.
16. A practical January 2027 buyer checklist
Start by identifying the exact vehicle category and whether the decision is for a new registration, a resale vehicle or renewal of an existing COE. Review the latest LTA quota, actual auction schedule and prevailing premium or PQP rather than a saved promotional screenshot. Compare total vehicle costs, permitted use and household needs. Check the separate COE classification review only after its official outcome is published. Finally, remember that the February–April quota will be announced in January, so financial estimates for later purchases must be updated.
An illustrative Singapore buyer situation
Example: A working couple is planning a January car purchase and compares an electric model, a conventional car and an existing COE renewal.
What to verify or do
Use each option’s applicable category, contract and realistic ownership costs. Convenience and affordability should be assessed together, without treating a quota number as a guaranteed price.
Compare the actual November–January quota categories
| Category | Aug–Oct 2026 | Nov 2026–Jan 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| A — qualifying smaller cars | 7,134 | 7,134 | 0 |
| B — larger/higher-power cars | 5,527 | 5,707 | +180 |
| C — goods vehicles and buses | 1,836 | 1,873 | +37 |
| D — motorcycles | 3,065 | 3,004 | −61 |
| E — open except motorcycles | 1,523 | 1,580 | +57 |
| Total | 19,085 | 19,298 | +213 |
A practical COE buyer checklist
- Identify the exact vehicle category and whether it is an EV, hybrid, combustion car, commercial vehicle or motorcycle.
- Read the category’s quota rather than only the total quota.
- Use the live bidding calendar and note exceptional week intervals.
- Understand the difference between reserve bid, final Quota Premium and PQP.
- Check whether the dealer’s COE arrangement is guaranteed or non-guaranteed.
- Budget for tax, insurance, road tax, maintenance, loan interest and depreciation.
- Distinguish new registrations from resale and COE renewal.
- Treat the pending car-category consultation as a proposal until a final decision appears.
- Read the next February–April quota when LTA releases it in January.
- Do not accept a promised future bidding premium as guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
How many COEs are available November 2026–January 2027?
LTA announced 19,298 across five categories during the quarter.
How much bigger is that than the previous quarter?
213 COEs, approximately 1% more than 19,085.
Did Category A increase?
No. It remains at 7,134 for the quarter.
What is the Category B quota?
5,707 for the November–January period.
How many are allocated to commercial vehicles and buses?
1,873 Category C COEs.
What happened to motorcycle supply?
Category D falls from 3,065 to 3,004 in the published comparison.
What is Category E?
The open category, generally usable for vehicles other than motorcycles, with a quota of 1,580.
When is the next quota announcement?
LTA expects to announce the February–April 2027 quota in January 2027.
Does a higher quota make the COE price fall?
Not necessarily. Prices depend on competitive bidding demand as well as supply.
How often does bidding occur?
Usually twice monthly, with exact opening and closing dates on LTA’s official schedule.
Can I renew an old COE without entering an auction?
Yes, eligible owners can use the applicable Prevailing Quota Premium process.
Did LTA’s car category consultation change this quota?
No. LTA explicitly said the current November–January quota is unaffected by that review.
Official transport sources
These original LTA and OneMotoring pages establish the current quota, bidding mechanism and rules. For a real transaction, check the latest exercise and any later classification changes.
- LTA: 26 October 2026 November–January quota announcement
- LTA: August–October 2026 preceding quarter quota
- OneMotoring: COE categories, bidding and quota system
- OneMotoring: COE open bidding details and results
- OneMotoring: COE renewal and prevailing quota premium
- LTA: Vehicle statistics and COE policy
Related eduKateSG guides
- Singapore 2027 | EV Rebates, Surcharges and HDB Charging
- Singapore 2027 | ERP 2 Road Pricing and OBU Changes
- Singapore 2027 | Driving Demerit Points and Licence Suspension
Conclusion: a COE quota is not a price promise
The 19,298 certificates allocated across November 2026 and January 2027 are useful market information, but only when read by vehicle category and date. A modest overall increase is not an assurance of lower premiums for family cars, and a three-month quota is not the number available in every individual auction.
A responsible buying decision compares the actual vehicle category, COE or PQP, complete ownership cost and household need. That is more useful than trying to predict a guaranteed future bid from a national supply headline.