- Two routes: from scratch or converting a foreign licence
- Glossary
- The process from scratch
- My timeline: 11 days from enrolment to PDL
- Choosing a coaching scheme
- Booking tools: CDC web portal and app
- Enrolment and the eyesight test
- Induction Programme and IE (Internal Evaluation)
- The BTT
- Photo and PDL
- Costs
- Tips
- What’s next: lessons, FTT and the driving test
- Converting a foreign licence
- FAQ
- Official links
I’m learning to drive in Singapore from scratch. I enrolled for Class 3A (automatic) at CDC, the ComfortDelGro Driving Centre, and it took 11 days to go from enrolment to passing the Basic Theory Test and getting my Provisional Driving Licence.
This post covers everything up to the PDL. I’ll add the practical lessons, the Final Theory Test and the driving test once I’ve done them. If you already hold a licence from another country and want to convert it instead, there’s a short section on that near the end.
The rules here are checked against the Traffic Police pages, linked at the bottom. Rules change, so check the official pages before you apply.
Two routes: from scratch or converting a foreign licence
| From scratch | Converting a foreign licence | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | No licence yet, or a foreign licence that can’t be converted | A valid licence issued in another country |
| Tests | BTT, FTT and the practical driving test | BTT only |
| What takes effort | Many steps, and every one needs a booking slot | Getting the documents right, including an official translation if the licence isn’t in English |
Foreigners who have lived in Singapore for less than 12 months can drive on a valid foreign licence. After 12 months, you need a Singapore licence.
Glossary
| Term | Stands for | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| TP | Traffic Police | The part of the Singapore Police Force that runs driving tests and issues licences |
| SPF | Singapore Police Force | You apply for the PDL on its e-Services website |
| CDC, BBDC, SSDC | ComfortDelGro Driving Centre, Bukit Batok Driving Centre, Singapore Safety Driving Centre | Singapore’s three driving centres. You can learn to drive at any of them, and they also host theory tests |
| BTT | Basic Theory Test | The first theory test. Everyone takes it, including people converting a foreign licence |
| FTT | Final Theory Test | The second theory test. For Class 3 or 3A you must pass it before the practical driving test |
| IE | Internal Evaluation | CDC’s in-house mock test. First-time learners at CDC must pass it before they can book the BTT |
| Induction Programme | CDC’s introduction session covering the whole learning journey. It can’t be cancelled or rescheduled | |
| PDL | Provisional Driving Licence | The learner’s licence. It’s digital, valid for 2 years, and required for practical lessons |
| Practical lesson | Driving on the road with an instructor. A CDC lesson is 100 minutes | |
| Practical driving test | The on-road test, conducted by a TP-appointed examiner | |
| Class 3, 3A | Class 3 is manual; Class 3A is automatic and only covers cars without a clutch pedal | |
| Standard, One Team, Elite Team | CDC’s coaching schemes, compared below | |
| PRM | Premium fee | The per-lesson surcharge for One Team and Elite Team |
| Stored Value | Your prepaid CDC account. All CDC fees are deducted from it | |
| VPC | Vehicular Pre-operative Check | An item in the practical lesson stage, charged separately in CDC’s fee list |
| LDCS | Learner Driver Competency Screening | An item in the practical lesson stage, charged separately in CDC’s fee list |
| Slot | A bookable time. Eyesight tests, IEs, BTTs and lessons all need one, and they go fast | |
| Booking Portal | CDC’s online booking system, on the web and in the mobile app | |
| My Learning Journey | Your progress in the CDC app: what you’ve completed and what comes next | |
| Singpass | Singapore’s government digital identity, used to log in when applying for the PDL | |
| GST | Goods and Services Tax | Singapore’s consumption tax, currently 9% |
The process from scratch
- Enrol at a driving centre
- Eyesight and colour-vision test
- Induction Programme and IE (for CDC learners)
- BTT
- Photo and PDL application
- Practical lessons
- FTT
- Practical driving test
- Get your licence
My timeline: 11 days from enrolment to PDL
| Date | Step | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Sep | Enrolled online at CDC for Class 3A | 0 |
| 2 Oct | Eyesight test on site, passed | 4 |
| 3 Oct | Induction Programme on Zoom, then the IE on site, passed | 5 |
| 7 Oct | Booked practical lessons after refreshing for slots every day since 3 Oct; the earliest slot was 24 Nov | 9 |
| 9 Oct | BTT on site, passed; photo taken at CDC; applied for the PDL online | 11 |
The main reason it went this fast is that I kept getting early slots for each step.
Choosing a coaching scheme
At Ubi, CDC offers three coaching schemes for Class 3A. They differ in whether you keep the same car and instructors, and in the surcharge per practical lesson (GST included):
| Scheme | Extra per lesson | Training car | Instructors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | S$0 | Not fixed | Not fixed |
| One Team | S$13.08 | Same car | A team of up to 6 instructors |
| Elite Team | S$16.35 | Same car | A team of up to 4 senior instructors |
The enrolment fee is S$185.30 for Standard and S$201.65 for One Team and Elite Team, each including a one-year membership, plus a refundable S$10 deposit. I chose Elite Team on an electric vehicle (EV). The EV course is only available at Ubi.
Booking tools: CDC web portal and app
Everything at CDC, from booking and cancelling to topping up and finding receipts, happens in its online Booking Portal. The web home page has ten sections. These are the three I use most:
- My Bookings: lessons and tests you’ve already booked.
- Lesson Booking: book the Induction Programme, theory lessons and practical lessons.
- Test Bookings: book tests such as the IE and the BTT.
The others come up too: Top-Up Store Value to add money to your account, Cancel Booking, Account Statement / Receipt for your transaction history (the costs below come from there), and Online Learning.
Install the CDC mobile app as well. It shows My Learning Journey, so you can see at a glance which step you’re on and what’s next, and booking from it is easy.
Enrolment and the eyesight test
After enrolling online, you’ll get an email telling you how to book the eyesight test. Check your spam folder if you don’t see it.
The test covers eyesight and colour vision. Under Singapore’s Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules, you must be able to:
- read, at 25 metres, a series of six white letters and numbers on a black background, the same size and layout as a vehicle number plate. If you wear glasses, you can wear them for the test.
- tell red, amber and green apart at 25 metres.
Eyesight test slots are hard to get. From what I saw, bookings open at around 9:30 am each day and close at around 6:30 pm, and you can keep refreshing while it’s open. I booked whatever I could get first, then kept checking and rescheduled whenever an earlier slot appeared.
The order matters: you can only book the IE after passing the eyesight test, and only book the BTT after passing the IE. All three are on site and need a slot, so book the next one as soon as you pass.
Induction Programme and IE (Internal Evaluation)
The IE is CDC’s in-house mock test, in the same format as the Traffic Police test. First-time learners at CDC have to pass it in person before they can book the real BTT.
The Induction Programme introduces CDC’s learning journey. I took it on Zoom. CDC says it can’t be cancelled or rescheduled.
I booked both on the same day: the Induction Programme online first, then the IE on site. The IE started before the Induction Programme ended, so I had to leave early. It still counted as completed, but I wouldn’t plan it that way. Leave a proper gap between the two.
The BTT
The IE and the BTT have the same format: 50 multiple-choice questions, 45 correct answers to pass, 50 minutes. The BTT is available in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. I took it in English.
The two systems look very different. The IE runs on CDC’s own system, which feels modern. The BTT system looks like an old Visual Basic application and takes a moment to get used to. It’s being upgraded, so hopefully it’ll be friendlier soon.
Read the buttons carefully during the test. Some learners have clicked End Test after a single question, which ends the test on the spot and wastes a slot that was hard to get.
I used two things to prepare:
- The official Basic Theory of Driving handbook from SPF. I read the English and Chinese editions side by side.
- The app “BTT, FTT, RTT - Theory Test SG”. It has plenty of practice questions, but a few answers in its mock tests are wrong. When it disagrees with the handbook, trust the handbook.
CDC also runs free online theory classes on Zoom, where the instructor goes through the key topics and the questions people often get wrong. They’re worth joining.
After passing the IE and booking the BTT, I started refreshing for practical lesson slots. It took four days of checking before I got any, on 7 October, and the earliest slot was already 24 November, about seven weeks away. So you can start booking lessons as soon as you pass the IE; there’s no need to wait for the BTT.
There’s no fixed time when lesson slots open. CDC’s website says there is “no session opening date” for any of its Ubi schemes and asks learners to check online regularly. I got both of my slots by refreshing in the morning, and I’ve heard that slots are released at irregular times. CDC also announced a booking limit in July 2024: at Ubi, automatic-car learners can book at most 5 practical lessons per month, and manual-car learners 8.
Photo and PDL
Right after passing the BTT, I had my photo taken at CDC, and the staff emailed me the digital photo. Doing this on the day of the BTT saves a separate trip.
Then I applied for the PDL on the SPF e-Services website, logging in with Singpass. It costs S$25, and it was approved as soon as I paid. The PDL is digital, valid for two years and renewable, and instructors can verify it online. Taking practical lessons without a valid PDL is an offence.
Costs
Here’s what I actually paid up to the PDL (S$, CDC fees include 9% GST):
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| CDC enrolment fee (Elite Team, one-year membership) | 201.65 |
| Deposit (refundable) | 10.00 |
| Eyesight test | 1.96 |
| Induction Programme | 23.98 |
| IE (Internal Evaluation) | 7.63 |
| BTT test fee | 7.20 |
| BTT administrative fee | 2.94 |
| CDC online theory classes (2 sessions) | 0 |
| Digital photo | 7.09 |
| PDL application fee (paid to SPF) | 25.00 |
| Total | 287.45 |
Excluding the enrolment fee and deposit, everything from the eyesight test to the PDL came to S$75.80.
Later costs, at CDC’s current prices:
- Practical lessons: 100 minutes each. Weekdays 8:30–10:10 am and 12:45–4:15 pm are off-peak at S$79.57; other times and weekends are S$89.38. Add your scheme’s surcharge. Both of my lessons are at peak times, so each costs 89.38 + 16.35 = S$105.73 on Elite Team.
- FTT: S$7.20 test fee + S$2.94 administrative fee = S$10.14.
- Practical driving test: S$40.00 test fee + S$2.94 administrative fee + S$317.19 for the test vehicle and warm-up = S$360.13.
- Membership: after the first year, a six-month extension costs S$65.40.
All CDC fees come out of your prepaid Stored Value account, so you need to top up before you can book.
Tips
- Install the CDC app as soon as you enrol.
- Join CDC’s free online theory classes before you sit the IE and the BTT.
- The eyesight test, IE and BTT are all on site, and each unlocks the next. Book the next one the moment you pass.
- Grab any slot first, then keep checking for earlier ones and reschedule.
- Read the buttons carefully in the IE and the BTT. Clicking End Test by mistake ends the test and wastes the slot.
- Get your photo taken at CDC on the day of your BTT.
- Start booking practical lessons once you pass the IE. Slots can be more than a month out, and they’re released at no fixed time, so keep checking. I got mine in the morning.
- If your schedule allows, book off-peak lessons. Each one is almost S$10 cheaper.
- The Induction Programme can’t be cancelled or rescheduled, so don’t book it too close to your IE.
What’s next: lessons, FTT and the driving test
I’m in this stage now. I’ll update this post after the test.
My Learning Journey in the app shows what’s still ahead: Traffic Police simulator training (3 modules); three practical lesson modules, which include items such as VPC, LDCS and ATC; and finally a warm-up lesson and the Traffic Police practical test. The app also lists the BTT’s expiry as Lifetime, so a pass doesn’t run out.
Converting a foreign licence
If you hold a valid licence from another country, you only need to pass the BTT in Singapore; the FTT and the practical test aren’t required. Foreigners need to convert after living in Singapore for 12 months. New citizens and PRs have three months from the change in status. Work Permit and S Pass holders receive a Class 3C licence after converting.
The Traffic Police publishes document checklists, one for China licences and one for all other foreign licences. The main items are a recent passport-size photo, your identity documents and passes, and your licence. A few points are easy to miss:
- If your licence isn’t in English, you need an official translation from a translation company registered in Singapore. Your own translation won’t be accepted.
- If your licence doesn’t show the date it was first issued, bring an extract of your driving record.
- If you got your foreign licence after receiving your first Singapore pass (WP, EP, student pass and so on) or PR, or you’re a Singapore citizen applying with a foreign licence, you must also prove you lived in the issuing country for one year, with at least six months of physical residence. Passports, employment documents, education certificates or tax documents can be used. This is to show you didn’t go abroad just to get a licence.
- The Traffic Police page lists extra documents for some countries. For example, Malaysian licences need a letter from the Road Transport Department showing the licence classes, and Indian licences need an endorsement letter of validity from the Indian embassy.
To apply, fill in the online pre-assessment form, book an appointment at Traffic Police Headquarters yourself, and bring the originals and photocopies of your documents. The counter decides on the spot whether you’re eligible, and the Traffic Police may ask for more documents.
FAQ
Can I take the BTT in a language other than English?
Yes. It’s available in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.
How long is the PDL valid?
Two years. You can renew it online.
How long does it take to get from enrolment to the PDL?
It took me 11 days, but it depends on how quickly you get slots for the eyesight test, the IE and the BTT.
Official links
- Singapore Driving Licence (Traffic Police)
- Provisional Driving Licence (Traffic Police)
- Apply for a PDL (SPF e-Services)
- Document checklist: China driving licence (PDF)
- Document checklist: other foreign driving licences (PDF)
- Foreign licence conversion pre-assessment form
- Basic Theory of Driving handbook (PDF)
- CDC Class 3/3A course
- CDC session opening dates
- CDC practical lesson booking limit
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (eyesight requirements)
Costs are based on CDC’s published prices in October 2026. Last updated: 9 October 2026.
