在购买新的车辆之前，在新加坡，潜在的车主都必需要向陆路交通管理局（LTA）先申办拥车证(Certificate of Entitlement)。

车辆配额系统 (VQS)

公式

${\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}({\text{Total COE Quota}})_{qy}=&g.({\text{Motor vehicle population}})_{y-1}\\&+({\text{Projected de-registrations}})_{y}\\&+({\text{Unallocated quota}})_{qy-1}\end{aligned}}}$

合法性

拍卖流程

COE Category Refinement in 2013

In September 2013, The COE system has been refined to include a new criterion for Category A cars. Under the change, the engine power of Cat A cars should not exceed 97 kilowatts (kW). This is equivalent to about 130 brake horsepower. This is in addition to the previous criterion of engine capacity of Cat A cars not exceeding 1600 cubic centimetres. However, cars with engine power output exceeding 97 kW will be classified under Category B in COE bidding exercises starting February 2014 despite having engine capacity below 1600 cubic centimetres. The review of the COE categories' criteria was because LTA wanted to differentiate and regulate the buying of mass market and premium cars under Cat A in a bid to control COE prices that hovered closer and closer to S$100,000.

牌照分类

最初，牌照准证(COEs)分成八大类，但该系统现已被简化为仅仅五个类别。A组、B组、与D组 是不可转让的。Taxis used to be classed under category A but issuance of COEs became unrestricted from August 2012 onwards.

Prior to May 1999

Current Categories