When Selling Your Car in Singapore: A 10-Step Checklist

The worst time is the week before a COE bidding exercise when dealers are sitting on excess inventory. The week after a high COE result is also slow because the new COE price devalues all older cars. The best time to sell is 30-60 days before your COE expires, or during the Lunar New Year lull (late January to mid-February) when dealer demand is highest because supply is lowest.

Privately, expect 2-8 weeks. You will need to photograph the car, list it on sgcarmart/Carousell, respond to enquiries, screen out time-wasters, arrange viewings, negotiate, handle the LTA transfer, and chase payment. Most private sellers give up after 3-4 weeks and sell to a dealer at a lower price than they would have got by waiting.

Vehicle log card (original), NRIC, latest road tax disc, valid insurance certificate, LTA payment confirmation for any outstanding fines, service history book (if available), and any spare keys. If the car has an outstanding loan, also bring the loan agreement and latest statement.

Only if the service is overdue. A fresh service costs $200-500 and adds $100-300 to the offer (dealers factor in service history). If your car is already within service interval, skip the pre-sale service and let the buyer see the car as it is. Honesty about service history builds trust and speeds up the sale.

No. The log card is the legal proof of ownership and is required for the LTA ownership transfer. If you have lost the log card, apply for a duplicate at LTA (cost $25, takes 1-2 weeks). You cannot legally sell a car in Singapore without a valid log card.

You are responsible for all traffic fines incurred before the sale date. The LTA will block the transfer if there are unpaid fines. Clear them first, then proceed with the sale. Wheeley offers a free fine clearance check before the handover appointment.

Yes, but you must declare the accident history. Non-disclosure can lead to civil liability after the sale. Accident history typically reduces the offer by 5-15% depending on the severity. Cars with major structural damage (engine, transmission, chassis) may only be eligible for scrap value.

Yes. Remove all personal items including the child seat, dashcam memory card, phone mount, custom floor mats, and any loose items in the boot. Wheeley inspectors will check the glove box, centre console, and boot as part of the inspection. Anything left behind is donated to charity.

Selling to a dealer means a direct cash transaction — they buy your car, pay you, and resell it. Trading in is when you apply the value of your old car as credit against the purchase of a different car from the same dealer. Trade-in offers are usually 5-10% lower than cash offers because the dealer is locking you in as a buyer.

Yes, transfers to immediate family members (parents, children, spouse, siblings) are exempt from the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) and COE charges. The LTA transfer form requires proof of relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate). You still need to handle the log card transfer and road tax.

Meet buyers at a public place with CCTV (Wheeley's Woodlands showroom offers this for free). Never accept cheques, only PayNow/bank transfer. Verify the buyer's identity with NRIC. Use a proper LTA transfer form. Avoid buyers who want to pay extra and have the car shipped overseas — this is a common scam.

The COE rebate is the refund you receive from LTA when you deregister the car before COE expiry, prorated for the remaining COE period. For PARF-eligible cars (under 10 years), the rebate is 50-70% of the remaining COE value. This rebate is paid to the registered owner on the deregistration date and is included in Wheeley's offer.