One of the most daunting task of driving in Singapore is firstly finding a parking lot but even after so, you have to abide by the bounteous of parking laws Singapore has in place. The need to equip yourself with the knowledge of these laws is critical and essential to avoid a hefty fine. So if you are one of those who has fallen trap, you have come to the right place. We are here to rescue you and mending that hole in your wallet!
Like everything else, let's start with the basic knowledge.
4 colour codes generally used on parking lots.
The typical and omnipresent white parking lot, the safest of the safe. Short-term visitors can park in these white-lined lots during the operating hours of the car park. This is stated on the signboard situated at the entrance of the car park.
Yellow lots can be found in car parks within the Restricted Zone. These parking lots incur a higher parking fee of $1.20 per half hour if parked between the time period of 7:00am and 5:00pm, Mondays to Saturdays. The normal parking fee of $0.60 per half hour is charged after 5:00pm, including Sundays and public holidays. Again, the parking charges are clearly listed on the signboard at the entrance of the car park.
These bi-coloured lined parking lot serves as a vivid visual illustration for visitors to avoid them as these parking lots are generally reserved for season parking holders from 7:00pm to 7:00am, Mondays to Saturdays, and whole day on Sundays and public holidays.
However, car parks may differ slightly in terms of reserved days/ time. Short-term visitors are highly advised take reference to the information sign plates near the reserved parking lots or the wordings painted in front of these parking lots (if any), before parking.
For example, the supplementary sign plate may indicate:
- "Reserved for Season Parking from 7pm to 7am, Mondays to Saturdays & Whole Day on Sundays and Public Holidays",
or- "Red-With-White Lot Nos. XXX to XXX, No parking for visitors for these periods, Mon to Sat : 7pm to 7am, Sun & public holidays : Whole day",
Meaning to say, you can only park in these reserved parking lots from 7:00am to 7:00pm, Mondays to Saturdays.
Red Line Parking Lot
Red lots are reserved strictly for season parking holders all day, including Sundays and public holidays. Short-term visitors cannot park in these lots.
If you are parking at a car park which utilises the coupon system, and you do not possess a valid season parking ticket, display of valid parking coupons are required to pay for the parking charges there. Here are the varying parking coupons available in the country:
The coupons are available in booklets:
| Denomination | No. of Coupons | Value per Booklet |
| $0.60 | 20 | $12.00 |
| $1.20 | 10 | $12.00 |
| $2.40 | 5 | $12.00 |
These coupons can be used when you park your vehicle in HDB/ URA coupon car parks during designated parking hours. These coupons can only be used to park at a specific car park, and cannot be used in a different car park. Read the individual car park's signboard carefully to determine if the charges are $0.60 or $1.20 per half hour.
Here are samples of the coupons:
You can buy a Whole Day Parking Coupon if you wish to park for an entire day.
| Denomination | No. of Coupons | Value per Booklet | Valid for use in |
| $12.00 | 5 | $60.00 | HDB/ URA coupon car parks that are outside the restricted zone, and charge $0.60 per half hour during coupon operational hours
|
| $20.00 | 5 | $100.00 | HDB/ URA coupon car parks that are outside and within the restricted zones during coupon operational hours
|
You can use a Whole Day Parking Coupon for short-term parking, in a specific car park, but not at different car parks.
Here are samples of the coupons:
Some car parks have the Night Parking Scheme, where you can park between 10:30pm and 7:00am and pay
You can check the location of car parks with the Night Parking Scheme. The signboards of these car parks also state the time and charges.
Here is a sample of the night parking coupon:
There are 2 types of HDB/ URA Monthly Parking Coupons:
With this coupon, you can park in HDB/ URA coupon car parks where parking charges are $0.60 per half hour and coupon parking is allowed.
With this coupon, you can park in HDB/ URA coupon car parks (outside and within restricted zones) where coupon parking is allowed.
Both types of coupons are valid for overnight parking in car parks with the Night Parking Scheme. Monthly Parking Coupons can only be purchased from our HDB Branches (except Tampines Branch) or the URA Centre.
3. Temporary Parking Ticket for Bereaved Family Members
For those mourning the death of a loved one, attending funerals can be a lengthy affair. If the wake is held at an HDB estate, immediate family members of the deceased can get a Temporary Parking Ticket (TPT) to park their vehicles at a car park nearby.
| Temporary Parking Ticket | Timing | Charge |
| Whole Day Parking | 7am to 7am the next day | $10 per day |
| Overnight Parking | 10.30pm to 7am the next day | $4 per night |
Application for the TPT can be done at any HDB Branch or Service Centre during office hours, from 8am to 5pm, and requires the Death Certificate of the deceased and documents to prove the relationship between the applicant and deceased.
4. Expired and Wrongly Torn Coupons
Not only do you save time, you can also save a trifle of money from coupon parking too!
If you have an expired stash of coupon parking, rejoice as you can exchange them for new ones (as long as at least 1 segment of the tabs are intact and there are no irregularities). These include old tickets that have expired validity dates or wrongly torn coupons. Head down to any HDB branch or the service counter at the URA Centre and exchange those old coupons for new ones.
