The Category A certificate of entitlement (COE) premium fell to S$130,001 in the Land Transport Authority (LTA) bidding exercise that closed on Wednesday (7 October), leaving it just S$99 below Category B.
Premiums fell in four of the five categories in the first October 2026 exercise. Only the Open category was unchanged, at S$137,000.
Category B, for bigger and more powerful cars, fell 2.2 per cent to S$130,100. Category C, for goods vehicles and buses, slipped 0.3 per cent to S$91,889. The motorcycle premium in Category D took the steepest percentage fall of the round, down 9.7 per cent to S$11,012.
Results by category
| Category | 7 Oct premium | 23 Sep premium | Change | Quota | Bids received | Successful bids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A (cars up to 1,600cc and 97kW; EVs up to 110kW) | S$130,001 | S$131,890 | -S$1,889 | 1,232 | 1,560 | 1,232 |
| B (cars above 1,600cc or 97kW; EVs above 110kW) | S$130,100 | S$133,000 | -S$2,900 | 945 | 1,126 | 938 |
| C (goods vehicles and buses) | S$91,889 | S$92,144 | -S$255 | 310 | 471 | 307 |
| D (motorcycles) | S$11,012 | S$12,201 | -S$1,189 | 530 | 599 | 522 |
| E (open, all except motorcycles) | S$137,000 | S$137,000 | No change | 253 | 492 | 229 |
A total of 4,248 bids came in for 3,270 certificates. The Open category was the most contested, with 492 bids for 253 certificates, or 1.94 bids for every COE on offer. Category A drew 1,560 bids for 1,232 certificates.
Category A’s quota of 1,232 was made up of 1,189 certificates from the August to October 2026 quarterly allocation and 43 left unallocated from the first September exercise.
Small and big cars now S$99 apart
This is the second straight fall for both car categories. In the 23 September exercise, all five premiums closed lower, and Category A is now S$3,008 below the S$133,009 it reached on 9 September.
Category B has fallen faster. The gap between the two car categories was S$1,992 on 9 September and S$1,110 on 23 September. It is now S$99.
Category A covers non-fully electric cars with engines up to 1,600cc and power up to 97kW (130bhp), and fully electric cars up to 110kW (147bhp). Cars above those limits fall into Category B. Owners renewing a COE this month pay the October prevailing quota premium instead of bidding: S$128,715 for Category A and S$131,616 for Category B.
Next bidding exercise
The second October exercise opens at 12 noon on Monday, 19 October, and closes at 4pm on Wednesday, 21 October. The round that just closed opened on 5 October.
