International: Singapore

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Sea and Air Moves

This page does not identify a Singapore transport licence specific to sea or air moves. The registrations involved in those moves are customs matters and are covered in Country Guides.

Malaysia-Bound: Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) Required

Yes

Yes, where the mover drives its own Singapore-registered vehicles into Malaysia. Since full enforcement began July 1, 2025, any Singapore-registered vehicle (including moving trucks) driven into Malaysia via the Causeway or Tuas Second Link needs a VEP issued by Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ), with an activated RFID tag fitted to the vehicle. This is a one-time registration (currently around RM10, valid 5 years) tied to the vehicle, separate from any per-entry road charge.

Singapore-Bound: Goods Vehicle Permit (GVP) Required

Yes, where the mover drives its own Malaysia-registered (or other foreign-registered) goods vehicles into Singapore. Such vehicles need LTA’s Goods Vehicle Permit and an Autopass card, applied for at least two weeks in advance, in addition to valid insurance and road tax recognized in Singapore.

Enforcement Is Active on Both Sides

Yes. Vehicles without the required permit face fines (RM300 in Malaysia; up to S$1,000 or imprisonment in Singapore) and can be turned back or seized. This is an actively enforced requirement on both sides of the Causeway, not a formality.

Insurance

Yes, for vehicles crossing the border. Valid insurance recognized in both jurisdictions is a condition of both the VEP and GVP processes. This is motor insurance for the vehicle, not cover for the household goods; customers should ask what protection, if any, is offered for their goods.

OverviewOverview & Scope

For moves across the Causeway or Tuas Second Link into Malaysia, a routine part of this market given the geography, the requirement is a vehicle-level permit. Malaysia requires every Singapore-registered vehicle to hold a Vehicle Entry Permit with an activated RFID tag, a requirement that moved from announced to fully enforced only recently (July 2025). The reverse direction has its own established requirement: Malaysia-registered goods vehicles entering Singapore need LTA’s Goods Vehicle Permit and an Autopass card. Both sides enforce actively, with fines and the possibility of vehicles being turned back or seized. These permits attach to the vehicle and the company operating it. Where a mover subcontracts the cross-border road transport, the carrier’s own permits cover the transport it performs, and the mover uses carriers that hold them. For sea or air freight beyond Malaysia, the registrations involved are customs matters covered in Country Guides.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Movers that drive their own vehicles across the Singapore and Malaysia border must:

1. Obtain a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for every Singapore-registered vehicle that will be driven into Malaysia, including installing and activating the required RFID tag, before making the crossing.
2. Obtain a Goods Vehicle Permit (GVP) and Autopass card for any Malaysia-registered (or other foreign-registered) goods vehicle that will enter Singapore, applying at least two weeks ahead of the planned crossing.
3. Maintain valid, mutually recognized insurance and road tax for any vehicle crossing the border in either direction.

Movers that subcontract the cross-border road transport must:

4. Use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• Malaysian Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) obtained, with RFID tag activated, for each Singapore-registered vehicle driven into MalaysiaWhere applicable (mover operates its own Singapore-registered vehicles into Malaysia)Verified by DocumentRequired
• LTA Goods Vehicle Permit (GVP) and Autopass card obtained for each foreign-registered goods vehicle entering SingaporeWhere applicable (mover operates its own foreign-registered goods vehicles into Singapore)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Insurance and road tax recognized in both jurisdictions in force for each cross-border vehicleWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles across the border)Verified by DocumentRequired