Cat A COE Hits Record High of $139,001 in November 2026 Bidding Exercise

Car buyers in Singapore now face the highest cost ever to put a mass-market vehicle on the road: the Category A Certificate of Entitlement premium closed at an all-time high of $139,001 in the first November 2026 bidding exercise, eclipsing the previous record of $133,009 set on Sept 9 and, for the first time, outstripping the open Category E premium. Motorist reported the print on Nov 4, and Channel News Asia confirmed the same figure, noting the premium rose 5.3 percent from $132,004 in the previous exercise. For everyday drivers, the consequence is immediate: the right to own a small car or a qualifying electric vehicle for ten years now costs more than at any point in the scheme’s history.

The Bottom Line:

Category A COE closed at a record $139,001, up $6,997 (+5.3%) from the Oct 21 exercise, on 2,018 bids against only 1,189 available COEs — a 70 percent oversubscription.
Category B edged up just $433 to $132,334, meaning smaller, less powerful cars now cost more to register than larger ones — the fourth time this year Cat A has closed above Cat B.
Policy deadlines are pulling demand forward: the EEAI’s $7,500 EV rebate ends Dec 31, 2026, combined EV rebates drop from $30,000 to $20,000 in January 2027, and a COE system review could merge Cat A and B by the first half of 2027.

The Record Print: $6,997 in a Single Bidding Round

The alpha metric here is the $6,997 jump in the Category A premium — the largest single-round move in the data provided and the reason this print matters beyond the headline number. Motorist reported that Cat A, covering cars up to 1,600cc and 130bhp plus EVs up to 110kW, drew 2,018 bids for 1,189 COEs. The Straits Times noted this was the first time Cat A has outstripped Category E, which closed at $135,998.

Category	4 Nov 2026	21 Oct 2026	Change
A — cars up to 1,600cc & 130bhp; EVs up to 110kW	$139,001	$132,004	+$6,997
B — cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp; EVs above 110kW	$132,334	$131,901	+$433
C — goods vehicles and buses	$92,000	$92,200	–$200
D — motorcycles	$10,689	$10,778	–$89
E — open category (all except motorcycles)	$135,998	$135,790	+$208

A total of 4,722 bids were received against a quota of 3,259 COEs, CNA reported. The Land Transport Authority said prices remain elevated, likely due to strong demand for mass-market electric vehicles qualifying under Cat A, and added that a car expo held on Oct 24 and 25 may have contributed to the spike. “We urge buyers and dealers to be prudent in bidding for COEs,” an LTA spokesperson said.

Why Cat a Now Costs More Than Cat B

The inversion — where the category meant for smaller, cheaper cars commands a higher premium than the one for larger, more powerful vehicles — is the structural signal in this data. Yahoo News Singapore noted Cat A has now outpaced Cat B for the fourth time this year. Chong Kah Wei, managing director of BMW and MINI distributor Eurokars, told The Straits Times the record came as a surprise but attributed the spike to the Car Expo, with 2,018 bids placed for 1,189 available COEs. He added that the looming COE review likely pushed buyers to rush in ahead of possible changes: “I don’t think prices are going to come down significantly, but we might see people shifting from Category A to Category B in the next exercise, considering the difference in prices.”

Dealers are split on whether the premium breaks $140,000 in the next round. Komoco Motors commercial director Ng Choon Wee told Motorist: “With excess bids of 829 compared to the previous round of 383 for Cat A, it wouldn’t be surprising that Cat A will go past $140k this year.” Motorway Group managing director Anthony Teo agreed, pointing to December dealer target-chasing. Others pushed back: Raymond Ng, managing director of Eurokars EV, told The Straits Times buyers were also swayed by the upcoming rollback of EV incentives starting January 2027 — combined rebates fall from up to $30,000 to $20,000 — and said, “After today, there’s going to be only three COE bidding exercises left… All this is just driving people to buy now because there’s more certainty, and they also know they can save $10,000 if they opt for an EV.”

Cat A COE Hits Record High of $139,001 in November 2026 Bidding Exercise — Photo: The Straits Times

The Policy Cliff Behind the Bidding Frenzy

First, the Electric Vehicle Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) ends on Dec 31, 2026, eliminating its $7,500 rebate off the additional registration fee for new electric cars. Second, from January 2027 the combined EV rebate drops from up to $30,000 to $20,000. Third, LTA closed its public consultation on COE categorisation on Nov 2; Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow told Parliament on Nov 3 that most feedback backed merging Categories A and B under a five-band rebate and surcharge system based on open market value, with the review expected to conclude by the first half of 2027, Yahoo News Singapore reported. Volvo Car Singapore managing director Corinne Chua told Motorist new Cat A launches such as the Xpeng L03 and Zeekr 7X were adding pressure, noting Cat A is oversubscribed by 70 percent.

Supply Response and the Liquidity Picture

LTA has signaled a modest supply increase: the COE quota for November 2026 to January 2027 rises 1.1 percent to 19,298, with Category B’s quota up about 3.3 percent and Category E’s up about 3.7 percent, while Cat A’s quota stays unchanged, CNA reported. The motorcycle quota under Cat D falls about 2 percent. The underlying constraint is the vehicle population freeze in place since 2017 for all categories except commercial vehicles, with current rates maintained until Jan 31, 2028. In market terms, that is a vehicle population freeze meeting strong demand, with premiums at record levels in a city where the Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2022 ranked Singapore cars as the most expensive in the world.

What This Means for the Everyday Buyer

A COE grants the right to register and use a vehicle in Singapore for ten years, obtained through an online open auction held twice a month, according to the LTA’s OneMotoring page. At $139,001, the entitlement alone now exceeds the sticker price of many mass-market cars it attaches to. Adelene Tan, managing director of Vantage Automotive BYD and DENZA, put it plainly to Motorist: “It’s already at $139k now.”

Raymond Ng, managing director of Eurokars EV, told The Straits Times buyers were swayed by the upcoming rollback of incentives for EV adoption, starting in January 2027. Ng said that after the latest exercise, there would only be three COE bidding exercises left, with dealers dangling EV rebates and the LTA dangling COE recategorisation, driving people to buy now for certainty and to save $10,000 on an EV.

Smart Money Positioning Ahead of the Nov 16 Round

Kah Motor Honda CEO Nicholas Wong told Motorist, “One thing is for sure, due to the pressure to deliver before end of the year, COE prices will not drop.” Tan Chong Motor’s Ron Lim added that with the huge backlog and aggressive dealer bidding, cracking $140,000 is “definitely possible.” Against that, Lee Hoe Lone of Premium Automobiles told Motorist the madness may be event-driven, pointing to the Car Expo and a loan clampdown by LTA, and judged a further big rise unlikely. The next bidding exercise is the market’s next price-discovery event, and the open question is whether Cat A premiums rise further before the EEAI expires on Dec 31.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and market analysis purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult with a certified financial professional before making investment decisions.