ERP 2 launch on 1 January 2027: what changes for drivers as gantries come down

The ERP 2 launch on 1 January 2027 is seven weeks away, and the first thing drivers will notice is what is missing: the gantries. LTA says gantry-based ERP charging ends on 31 December 2026, and the satellite-based system takes over the next day. If your car is registered in Singapore, the one thing you must have is an ERP 2 on-board unit (OBU) in the vehicle.

LTA says more than 98 per cent of eligible Singapore-registered vehicles have already been fitted. If you are in the last 2 per cent, sort it out before the year ends.

ERP 2 launch on 1 January 2027: the key dates

• October 2026: new road markings and signs roll out progressively across the 33 operational ERP locations, and gantry removal begins.
• Mid-November 2026: the next quarterly ERP rate review.
• 31 December 2026: gantry-based charging ends.
• 1 January 2027: ERP 2 starts charging using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology.
• June 2027: all 95 gantries are expected to be modified or removed.

The shift matters because the road itself becomes the cue. For years, the gantry was both the warning and the charging point; from January the charging happens wherever LTA has marked a charging location, and you will rely on markings, signs and your OBU instead. That is a small change in habit, but it is the sort of thing that catches people out in the first week.

LTA’s 28 September 2026 release says there is no change to the congestion pricing framework. Rates continue to be reviewed every quarter, so the charge at a given spot and time still depends on traffic. It does not publish new charge amounts in that release, so watch for the mid-November announcement.

What you will see on the road

Without a gantry overhead, LTA is using paint and signs to tell you when you are entering a charging location. These complement the notifications from your OBU, which detects when you pass a charging location and works out the charge.

• Arterial roads and slip roads: two oval blue “ERP” symbols painted on each lane.
• Expressways: three symbols on each lane, because speeds are higher and drivers need more warning.
• A new “ERP Charge Zone” sign at the start of each charging location.

The oval blue symbol was the preferred option in LTA’s user study, which ran from March to July 2026. It performed well across traffic and weather conditions. The markings warn you before a charging location, show the prevailing charge, and indicate the amount charged once you have passed.

What happens to the gantries

The removal is in two stages. In the first phase, 62 non-operational gantries come down. The remaining 33 operational ones are removed after charging by gantry ends on 31 December 2026.

Not every frame will vanish. LTA says some gantry frames may be kept and repurposed with roadside units (RSUs), the kit that supports the new system. If you drive past one in 2027 with grey units attached, that is why.

A short checklist before 1 January

1. Check that your OBU is the ERP 2 type and powers on properly when you start the car.
2. Check that your payment method linked to the OBU is in order, so charges do not catch you by surprise.
3. Learn the oval blue markings on your regular route. The first few passes are where most drivers will hesitate.
4. Look out for the mid-November rate review, since it sets the charges you will see in the first weeks of ERP 2.
5. If you manage a company fleet, confirm that every vehicle has been fitted, since the OBU is required to drive on public roads.

What else ERP 2 is used for

ERP 2 is designed mainly for payment and charging, but LTA says it will also help manage traffic. It will be used to enforce vehicle-related offences, such as illegal cross-border taxi services. We covered the cross-border taxi quota rising to 500 a side from 16 November if you use those rides.

LTA says ERP 2 could later be used for speeding enforcement, but only after further enhancements. Data access is limited to authorised purposes, with safeguards.

Singapore’s road tech is moving fast on other fronts too. See our report on LTA pausing some Grab self-driving tests, and the free self-driving shuttles coming to Sentosa in early 2027.

For the latest details, check LTA’s ERP 2 release.