Category A Gets Fewer COEs While Category B Supply Increases for August to October 2026

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has set the COE quota for August to October 2026 at 19,085 certificates, covering the next three-month, six-bid tender period.

This is only 33 COEs more than the previous quota of 19,052 certificates for the May to July 2026 period, representing a marginal increase in overall COE supply.

Source: The Land Transport Authority (LTA)

Category A COE Supply Falls for the Third Consecutive Period

While the overall COE quota has edged up slightly, the supply picture differs across the various categories.

Category A COE supply has fallen for the third consecutive quota period since February 2026. In contrast, Category B has continued to see its quota increase over the same period.

For August to October 2026, Category A has been allocated 7,134 COEs. Meanwhile, Category B receives 5,527 COEs, while Category E, also known as the Open Category, receives another 1,523 COEs. As Category E COEs are commonly used to register larger Category B-type passenger cars, combining Categories B and E gives a total pool of 7,050 COEs. This means the latest quota brings the supply of Category A and the combined Category B/E pool surprisingly close, at 7,134 and 7,050 COEs respectively.

Category C COE Quota Increases

Commercial vehicle buyers will see a more noticeable increase in COE supply. For Category C, which covers commercial vehicles including vans, the quota rises from 1,742 to 1,836 COEs for August to October 2026. That represents an increase of approximately 5.4 per cent compared with the previous quota period.

COE Quota at a Glance

COE Category	August–October 2026 Quota	Key Change
Category A	7,134	Lower supply for the third consecutive period
Category B	5,527	Continued increase
Category E (Open)	1,523	Often used for Category B-type cars
Category B + E	7,050	Nearly matches Category A
Category C	1,836	Up 5.4% from 1,742

What This Could Mean for Singapore Car Buyers

The relatively small increase in total COE supply means the overall market is unlikely to see a dramatic change in available certificates. However, the continued reduction in Category A COEs could be particularly relevant for buyers considering smaller and more affordable cars.

At the same time, the growing supply of Category B COEs, together with Category E certificates commonly used for larger cars, could provide comparatively more supply for buyers shopping in the premium and higher-powered car segments. With Category A and combined Category B/E supply now almost level, the upcoming COE bidding exercises will be worth watching closely as buyers and motor dealers assess demand and pricing.

Information based on the stated LTA COE quota figures for the August–October 2026 tender period.