How to Bid for COE (Without a Dealer)
You can bid for a COE yourself through a participating bank (DBS/POSB, OCBC or UOB) during the twice-monthly open bidding. You place a bid deposit — S$10,000 for cars (Cat A, B, C and E) or S$1,500 for motorcycles — and set a reserve price, the most you'll pay. The price clears at the highest unsuccessful bid plus S$1, which all winners pay.
Most buyers let a car dealer place the COE bid for them, but you can bid yourself. It is the same open-bidding system either way. Here is how it works and what you need. For the basics of what a COE is, see what is COE and how it works.
When bidding happens
COEs are released through open bidding exercises held twice a month, usually starting at 12pm on the first and third Monday and closing at 4pm on the Wednesday of the same week (three working days, barring public holidays). Before each exercise, LTA announces the quota — how many COEs are available in each category.
What you need to bid yourself
- To be an individual aged 18 or above (you may submit one bid per exercise).
- A bank account with a participating bank — you bid through the bank’s ATM or internet banking (DBS/POSB, OCBC or UOB).
- The bid deposit:
Deposit required to place a bid. Source: LTA OneMotoring.
| Category | Bid deposit |
|---|---|
| A, B, C and E | S$10,000 |
| D (motorcycles) | S$1,500 |
Setting your reserve price
When you bid, you enter a reserve price — the most you are willing to pay. During the exercise the current COE price moves as bids come in and you can see it. If your reserve price falls below the current price, you have been outbid and can revise your reserve upward to stay in the running. You can revise as many times as you like before the exercise ends, but:
- A submitted bid cannot be withdrawn.
- You cannot revise your reserve price downward.
So treat your reserve as a firm ceiling you have genuinely decided on.
How the price clears
Bidding is for a uniform price. At the close, the quota premium is set at the highest unsuccessful bid plus S$1, and every successful bidder pays that same amount — not their own reserve. If you win, your deposit goes towards the premium and you pay the balance; if you lose, your deposit is refunded.
Quota premiums from the 21 October 2026 exercise. Source: LTA via data.gov.sg.
For reference, the premiums from the 21 October 2026 exercise were S$132,004 (Cat A) and S$131,901 (Cat B). Premiums move every exercise with demand and quota — we do not predict them.
After a successful bid
A COE won in your name is non-transferable (except where a dealer bids in an authorised temporary arrangement), and you must register a vehicle under it within the COE’s validity. Plan your car choice and budget before you bid, because the commitment is real once the bid is in.
Related
General information on the COE bidding process, not financial advice. Confirm current procedures, deposits and timings on the LTA OneMotoring website before bidding.
Sources
- Certificate of Entitlement (COE) — bidding procedure — Land Transport Authority (OneMotoring) (as of October 2026)
- COE Open Bidding results (latest premiums) — Land Transport Authority (OneMotoring) (as of 21 October 2026)