How to check the COE expiry of a vehicle
Whether you own the vehicle or you're sizing up a used car someone else is selling, checking the remaining COE is one of the most important data points to confirm. Here are the four common ways to do it.
1. OneMotoring vehicle enquiry (your own vehicle)
For vehicles you own, log in to OneMotoring with your Singpass. Under "My Vehicles", select the vehicle and look for "COE expiry date". The exact date and remaining months are displayed.
2. The LTA MOBILES@SG app
LTA's mobile app shows the same vehicle information as OneMotoring, including COE expiry. Useful if you want to check on the go without opening a laptop. Singpass login is required.
3. The windscreen tag
Every Singapore-registered vehicle carries a small round tag on the inside of the windscreen, on the driver's side. The tag shows the vehicle plate number, the year and month of COE expiry, and the inspection cycle. It's the fastest visual check if you're standing next to a vehicle and want to know roughly when its COE runs out. The tag won't tell you the original registration date or the renewal history, just the expiry month.
4. Vehicle history report (used cars)
For a vehicle you don't own, the cleanest way to check is to ask the seller or dealer for an LTA Vehicle Registration History Report. This shows full registration details: original registration date, COE category, COE expiry, paid PARF rebate eligibility, and any past de-registration / re-registration events. Dealers can pull this directly through OneMotoring; private sellers can request it on your behalf.
Many used-car platforms (sgCarMart, Carousell Cars, Carro, Motorist) surface the COE expiry on each listing because it's such a key part of the asking price. If a listing doesn't show it, ask the seller before viewing.
Why the expiry date matters so much
A used car's value is heavily anchored to how much COE life is left. A car with seven years left on a Cat A COE is worth dramatically more than the same car with one year left, because the new owner effectively avoids paying a fresh COE premium for those extra years. When comparing prices on a used-car listing, divide the asking price by the months remaining; that's the cost per month of usable life.