In Singapore, new subscriptions from 28 February 2026 are limited to 10 postpaid SIM cards per individual across all telcos. Existing subscribers already above 10 may keep those lines but cannot add another. Corporate plans and data-only SIMs that cannot call or send SMS are excluded.
IMDA postpaid SIM limit announcement: IMDA’s announcement gives the 28 February 2026 start, ten-card across-telco cap, existing-line treatment and exclusions. IMDA anti-scam and SIM safeguard guide: IMDA’s anti-scam page explains the across-telco safeguard and Singpass self-check route.
Count lines across every telco
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 10 personal postpaid lines across telcos | A new line may fit, subject to telco checks |
| Already more than 10 before 28 February 2026 | Keep existing lines but do not expect another registration |
| Line is on company or corporate plan | The personal cap does not apply in the stated way |
| Data-only SIM cannot call or send SMS | It is excluded from the cap |
Which SIMs are outside the cap
Count across every telco. List main phone, watches, tablets, family-member lines and spare voice-capable SIMs registered under the same ID. The old per-telco mental model is wrong.
Separate subscriber from user. A parent may register a line used by a child, but it still counts against the parent’s personal total. Record whose ID owns each line.
Existing subscribers above ten
Do not cancel blindly. Existing lines above the cap can remain. Review contract dates, device instalments, number dependencies and two-factor authentication before terminating anything.
Do not cancel before moving dependencies
Never register a line for someone who will control it. A request framed as quick cash or a harmless favour can attach criminal activity to the subscriber.
A family account at the limit
A parent has four phone lines, three watch lines and three voice-capable tablet SIMs registered personally: 10 total. A new child line would exceed the cap, so the family checks whether an existing unused line can be cancelled after moving its number and authentication dependencies.
Create a complete SIM inventory
- List all personal postpaid lines
- Count across telcos
- Identify voice and SMS capability
- Separate corporate subscriptions
- Review contract obligations
- Move authentication dependencies
- Register only through the telco’s official channel
Avoid these unsafe shortcuts
- Counting ten per telco
- Ignoring wearables or tablet voice SIMs
- Cancelling a number tied to bank access
- Registering a line for a stranger
- Sending ID through an unofficial seller
Postpaid-cap questions
When did the new limit start?
28 February 2026 for new subscriptions.
Must existing users above 10 surrender lines?
No, but they cannot add another.
Do corporate plans count?
IMDA lists company or corporate subscriptions as unaffected.
Count the subscriber, not the person holding the device
Create one inventory across all telcos with mobile number, telco, device, voice/SMS capability, subscriber identity, contract end date and important uses. A child may carry a phone or watch, but the line counts against the adult whose identity registered it. Voice-capable tablet and wearable SIMs should not be forgotten.
Separate company or corporate subscriptions and data-only SIMs that cannot make calls or send SMS, because IMDA identifies exclusions. Existing subscribers who were already above ten can retain those lines, but should not assume they can add another. Use the official self-check or telco process where the ownership count is uncertain.
Before cancelling, move bank authentication, messaging recovery, school contacts and device instalment obligations. An unused-looking number may still protect an account. Never register a line for a stranger or for quick payment; the subscriber can be tied to scam activity even if someone else controls the physical SIM.
For a family plan, assign each line to its real user in the inventory even when the billing account is centralised. That makes it possible to spot a spare line, a watch subscription or an old tablet SIM without confusing user and legal subscriber. Recheck the total after a port, replacement or corporate-plan change; a device upgrade does not necessarily close the previous subscription.
After the inventory is complete, compare it with bills from every telco and the official self-check result. Investigate any number nobody recognises rather than simply excluding it from the count. A discrepancy can point to an old subscription, a family line registered under the wrong person or a line that needs immediate telco and anti-scam attention.
The cap applies across telcos, so porting a number is not the same as creating extra capacity until the old subscription is properly closed in the records. Ask the telco how a port, replacement SIM or eSIM conversion will appear. Keep cancellation confirmation for an unused line and recheck the official count before signing the next contract.
A line registered for a domestic helper, child or elderly relative may be used responsibly but still belongs to the subscriber count of the person whose identity was used. Families should plan future needs rather than consuming all ten slots casually. Corporate and data-only exclusions should be documented from the plan terms, not inferred from the device in which a SIM happens to sit.
The ten-line ceiling is a safeguard, not a recommended household target. Most people need far fewer. Review why each subscription exists and whether shared devices, dormant numbers or promotional lines still serve a purpose. Reducing unnecessary lines can simplify bills and scam exposure, but cancellation should follow the dependency check rather than a rush to create room under the cap.
Related reading: Further reading: How ScamShield helps with scam prevention for the main path, and How to recognise another mobile-message scam pattern for the neighbouring decision.
