Uber and Grab drivers can apply for a private hire car driver’s vocational license from Monday, March 13, 2017. Private hire drivers who already have a taxi driver license need not apply for the new license, Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a statement on March 9, 2017.
Applicants will have up to one year to attend and pass a ten-hour course with the Singapore Taxi Academy. During the one-year transitional period, the drivers can continue to provide private hire car services.
Those applying for the new license must hold a Class 3/3A driving license that has been valid for a continuous period of at least two years. Applicants will be subjected to background checks. They also need to undergo a medical examination.
Singaporeans can apply for the license as a self-employed driver. Non-citizens, including permanent residents, must be employees of a company providing chauffeured services to be eligible for the license.
The application form is available on the LTA website. Those who sign up after June 30 must obtain a license before they can provide private hire car services.
The application will cost S$40.
