Singaporeans, PRs and some work pass holders to get priority for Class 4 driving lessons to cut wait times
Class 4 refers to the driver's licence for motor vehicles, defined by an unladen weight exceeding 2,500kg.
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SINGAPORE: From Monday (Sep 15), Singaporeans, permanent residents (PR) and work pass holders employed as full-time drivers will be given priority for Class 4 driving lessons to manage high demand.
This is part of new measures introduced by the traffic police (TP) to reduce waiting periods for these lessons, with wait times expected to "gradually drop", police said on Sunday.
Class 4 refers to the driving licence for motor vehicles defined by an unladen weight exceeding 2,500kg.
According to the police, the average waiting time for such lessons has "grown significantly", reaching about 13 months. Nearly 3,900 people were on the waitlist as of end-July 2025, they added.
Police noted that before May 2023, only Singaporeans, PRs and work pass holders employed to drive heavy vehicles could enrol for these lessons, with new enrolments then averaging under 200 learners per month.
The occupational requirement was removed in May 2023 "in response to industry requests to give employers more flexibility in the deployment of their workers", they said.
Its removal meant that all drivers with a valid Class 3 or Class 3C driving licence could sign up for Class 4 driving lessons.
"Since then, enrolment figures for Class 4 driving lessons have risen sharply, reaching a peak of more than 1,000 new learners in the month of September 2024 alone, and averaging about 650 new learners per month in the first half of 2025," said police.
They also noted that the passing rate for the Class 4 driving test has dropped to about 30 per cent, down from over 40 per cent in 2022 and 2023.
"A good number of the failures are Work Permit and S Pass holders. They had converted their foreign driving licence to a Singapore Class 3C licence, but seemed to lack the proficiency to drive even Class 3 vehicles competently," said police, adding that this has led to higher demand for Class 4 driving retests and related lessons.
They also said that some of the demand is driven by workers who want to apply for a Class 4 driving licence even though their company may not require them to drive related heavy vehicles.
The issue of long waiting times for Class 4 driving lessons has prompted the authorities to implement various measures, including allowing driving schools to hire foreign instructors to address the shortage of slots.
Private bus operators that CNA spoke to in October last year also said the shortage of slots had resulted in problems including lost revenue.
PRIORITISATION
Currently, learners are generally allocated Class 4 driving lessons on a first-come-first-serve basis.
But from Monday, priority will go to Singaporeans and PRs, as well as to work pass holders who are employed as full-time drivers according to their declared occupation with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
Work pass holders enrolling in the lessons must provide an official declaration of support from their employers, confirming that the company operates Class 4 vehicles and intends to assign them to drive such vehicles for work.
Learners from companies which have installed speed limiters on their lorries will also be given priority over those whose firms have not done so despite being required to by TP. In June, TP said fewer than 10 per cent of lorries had been fitted with mandatory speed limiters ahead of the January 2026 deadline.
While wait times are expected to fall over time for Singaporeans, PRs and work pass holders employed as full-time drivers under the new measures, those not given priority face longer waits, police said.
RETAKERS
In addition, those retaking the Class 4 driving test will be deprioritised.
"Our records show that some learners take up to as many as a dozen Class 4 driving tests before they pass. This imposes a significant strain on lesson and testing capacity," said police, adding that the Singapore Safety Driving Centre (SSDC) currently allocates about 40 per cent of lesson slots to retest learners.
"To optimise the limited capacity, learners who fail the Class 4 driving test after three attempts will not be allowed to register for another retest for at least six months."
This will reduce the number of retest learners, and allow SSDC and TP to allocate a higher proportion of the driving lessons and tests to new learners, said police.
On the deprioritisation of learners who have failed the Class 4 test three times, police said that while there is currently no limit on the number of test attempts, this will free up more lessons for new learners.
They noted that in 2024, three learners did not pass the test despite more than 12 attempts, and urged companies to verify the driving abilities of prospective driver hires before employing them.
Class 4 driving lessons
In the first phase, prioritised learners will be contacted from November to confirm their lesson slots. For work pass holders, they will be prioritised based on their occupation declared to MOM as of Oct 1.
On the requirement for work pass holders to get their employer's declaration of support, employers can submit the declaration once the worker's foreign identification number is available.
SSDC will then tentatively allocate lessons based on the prioritisation framework. The employer or worker should book the Basic Theory Test (BTT) at least three months before the allocated lesson slot.
After the worker enters Singapore, takes the BTT and converts his or her foreign driving licence to Class 3 or Class 3C, he or she will then follow through the respective pathway, including the new road assessment for Class 3C holders.
NEW ROAD ASSESSMENT
Work permit and S Pass holders with a valid foreign driving licence currently can convert it to a Singapore Class 3C driving licence by passing the Basic Theory Test, allowing them to drive Class 3 motor cars here.
Class 3 refers to the driving licence for motor cars of unladen weight not exceeding 3,000kg, with a maximum of seven passengers excluding the driver.
From Monday, all Class 3C driving licence holders who want to take Class 4 driving lessons must also pass a road assessment before they can do so.
This new measure is expected to improve Class 4 passing rates and reduce the demand for lessons and retests, said police, adding that those who fail the road assessment will have their Class 3C driving licence revoked. They also cannot undergo Class 4 driving lessons.
According to TP, the road assessment evaluates the participant’s overall competency to drive a Class 3 motor car in actual traffic conditions, with key competencies such as basic vehicle control and junction navigation assessed.
It operates on a point system where serious mistakes result in immediate failure, while minor errors accumulate points. Candidates must demonstrate smooth driving, the ability to safely handle various road situations and follow traffic rules in order to pass.
Participants will also need to pay separate fees for the road assessment and vehicle rental. Further details on the fees will be released at a later date.
