Lifestyle

The Meanings of the Colours in S’pore Public Car Park Lots for the Noob Drivers

2018-04-29 , 9:29 am

Last Updated on 2022-09-11 , 11:49 am

Okay, first of all, we all know cars in Singapore are expensive: you need to put a down-payment of at least 40% of the car, which can cost at least $90,000, and you get to drive it for only ten years.

Also, you need at least $1,000 a month to maintain the car (like petrol, ERP and the occasional summons that, to some people, aren’t occasionally but regularly).

Still think it’s not expensive? Then watch this video that we’ve done:

It’s no wonder that Singapore is the most expensive place to own a car. And then, there’s parking, which is also pretty darn expensive if you compare it to, say, Malaysia. But here’s the thing: it can get pretty confusing for new car owners as well, when you see different coloured lots in a car park.

So, if you’re a new driver or you’ve just rented a car, here’s a nifty guide to what the colours on parking lots mean, so that you won’t need to fork out any extra to pay your summons when it’s already so expensive!

White-lined lots

If you see this in an HDB or URA parking lots (those lots that, well, essentially belong to the state), you can park them at $0.60 per half an hour.

Depending on the car park, you either put a parking or let the gantry deduct from your cashcard. If you’re a season holder of that car park, you can also park there, too.

Red-lined Lots

These lots are reserved for only season parking holders, whether it’s an HDB / URA car park lots or a commercial building (e.g. shopping malls) car park lots. So, unless you’ve got a season parking ticket, don’t park there, or you’ll kana another kind of ticket: summon ticket!

The fine for parking in a season parking lot when you’ve no season parking ticket is $50.

White- and Red-lined Lots

Okay, this is the one that’ll confuse all new drivers. So basically, from Monday to Saturday (if it’s not a public holiday), 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., it’ll work like a white lined lot, whereas in other timings (Monday to Saturday, 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and Sunday + public holidays), it’ll work like a red lined lot. Get it?

Some car parks might have different timings, but they’ll be indicated on the car park itself. And should you park at the lot when it’s reserved for season parking, and you don’t have season parking ticket, it’s still a $50 fine.

Yellow-lined lots

This is the MOST confusing one. Basically, think of these as office hour lot: during office hours (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday), it will be $1.20 per half an hour. (used to be $1.00). If it’s after office hours, it will revert to $0.60 per half an hour.

So you just need to remember this: yellow is double the price of white only during office hours. But here comes the even more confusing one…

Commercial Building Lots

Most, if not all, commercial building lots in Singapore would have a gantry, and the colour of their lots can be pretty…for the lack of a better word, colourful. However, most would have white and red lots: the white lots are for everyone, while the red lots are for season parking ticket holders.

If you see a “Reserved” red lot, or a red lot with a car plate number, these lots are for specific cars, usually the bosses or some VIPs.

And here’s a lesson for people who think that they can “anyhow anyhow” park in commercial buildings as they can’t issue fines: the security guards do wheel-clamp cars that are parked in places they shouldn’t be at. And once that happens, you’ll have to pay $107 (the wheel-clamp fee is usually $100 and there’s often a $7 GST).

Take it from someone who has had experience.

*All images from hdb.gov.sg unless otherwise stated