LTA to Cease Hardcopy Letters for Motoring-Related Transactions

(Photo Credit: Straits Times)

From as early as June 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will cease hardcopy letters for motoring-related transactions. This is part of Singapore’s push to become a “Smart Nation”.

Instead of hardcopy letters, car owners will receive notifications and updates via SMS (short message service), or electronic letters through their One.Motoring account. According to LTA, this will apply to all transactions, except for summonses.

For car owners who wish to continue receiving hardcopy letters, they will have to inform LTA by the end of May next year. Besides being part of Singapore’s push to become a “Smart Nation”, LTA added that it wanted to develop citizen-centric solutions.

“Vehicle owners will enjoy the flexibility to perform a wider range of vehicle-related transactions online, anytime and anywhere,” said LTA in a statement. “This move will bring greater convenience to the public while enhancing LTA’s operational efficiency.”.

Under the upcoming system, an SMS will be sent to a driver when their vehicle’s road tax is up for renewal. The motorist can then use their SingPass or CorpPass account to log into the One.Motoring website to get their electronic letter. After which, they can carry out the payment transaction on the website.

This announcement comes after LTA allowed car buyers to purchase and accept vehicle transfers online as of July this year.

From this month onwards, a transition period of six months will be set in place to allow car owners to adapt to the new online system. During this transition period, the LTA will continue sending out hardcopy letters, alongside the new online notification methods.

Car owners with a SingPass or CorpPass accounts will also receive hardcopy letters notifying them about the upcoming change.

Other New Features

Besides the transfer of vehicle ownership, car owners will also be able to complete three new digital services online. These three services include the transfer of COE/PARF rebates, the transfer of Temporary COEs, and vehicle deregistration. To complete these services car owners will need to use their SingPass/CorpPass 2-Factor Authentication (2FA).

With regards to vehicle deregistration, a Transaction Pin (TPIN) will no longer be needed with the use of a SingPass or CorpPass account.

According to LTA, “the use of SingPass/CorpPass will make it easier for owners to deregister a vehicle themselves, or to authorise a third party to help them dispose of their vehicle without the need to apply separately for a TPIN”.

LTA’s Effort to Improve its Services

At LTA’s office at Sin Ming, more digital kiosks will be installed at the e-lobby for those who require access to digital services. Service ambassadors will also be present to assist users who are unfamiliar with the system.

LTA will also implement an appointment-based system for counter services by 2020. It is doing this in an attempt to improve service delivery and reduce waiting times.

Lastly, LTA will be rolling out more features next year to allow its users to complete more services online. These include allowing users to update their vehicle insurance records and pay for both their vehicle entry permits and Autopass cards.

Read more: Going to Malaysia? You May Need a Vehicle Entry Permit Soon

Download the new Motorist app now. Designed by drivers for drivers, this all-in-one app lets you receive the latest traffic updates, gives you access to live traffic cameras, and helps you manage LTA and vehicle matters.