COE premiums mainly rise, Category B crosses S$129,000 to hit six-month high
Category A prices fell for the first time after six consecutive increases to S$124,229.
Vehicles on a highway in Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
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SINGAPORE: Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums closed mostly higher in the latest bidding exercise on Wednesday (May 20), except for Category A prices, which fell for the first time after six consecutive increases.
Premiums for larger and more powerful cars in Category B rose 2.59 per cent to S$129,501 (US$101,075) from S$126,236, representing a six-month high. The last time such premiums crossed the S$129,000 mark was in November last year, when Category B closed at S$129,890.
For Category A cars, or those 1,600cc and below with horsepower not exceeding 130bhp, premiums fell 0.45 per cent to close at S$124,229, down from S$124,790 in the last exercise.
COEs for commercial vehicles, which include goods vehicles and buses, climbed 5.42 per cent to S$92,223 from S$87,479 in the previous bidding exercise.
Motorcycle premiums closed at S$9,689, up 2.51 per cent from S$9,452 in the last exercise.
Open category COEs, which can be used for any vehicle type but end up being used mainly for large cars, closed at S$130,000, up 1.8 per cent from S$127,700.
A total of 5,244 bids were received, with a quota of 3,180 COEs available.
In a statement after the bidding exercise on Wednesday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said: "COE prices have remained elevated, likely due to seasonal demand arising from the recent Car Expo.
"For Cat C in particular, we have seen an increase in eHGV and e-bus registrations since January 2026, which may be due to the increasing take-up of the Heavy Vehicle Zero Emissions Scheme (HVZES). We urge car buyers and dealers to be prudent in bidding for COEs."
Under the Heavy Vehicle Zero Emissions Scheme, owners who register a zero-tailpipe emission heavy vehicle or bus – which includes goods or passenger vehicles with a maximum laden weight above 3,500kg – will receive a S$40,000 incentive.
