How I Got My Singapore Driving License as a Foreigner (Part 4): The TP Tests and Getting the License

Introduction

This is a continuation from Part 3, where I covered Module 3 and the extras. In this final part, I'll share my two attempts at the Traffic Police (TP) practical test, how I got my license after passing and the full cost from start to finish.

Just like before, this is based on my own notes at ComfortDelGro Driving Centre (CDC) while learning a manual car (Class 3). The info is almost 2 to 3 years old, so please check with CDC or your instructor when in doubt.

Let's get started!

The whole journey at a glance

In total, it took 6 months and 14 days from registering to my second TP test, with 25 practical lessons.

Warm-up and TP test day

Before the TP test, you have a warm-up session. This is how both sessions work at CDC Ubi:

1. About 10 to 15 minutes before the warm-up, go to the warm-up office on the right side of the building (if you enter from Gate 1). They'll ask for your training booklet and your ID. I showed my ID and PDL too
2. Wait until the person in charge explains the process, then wait for the warm-up instructor to call your name
3. The warm-up car is the same car you'll use for the TP test. The warm-up instructor is only a guide and won't teach you
4. After you set your seat and mirrors during the warm-up, they won't change for the actual test
5. After the warm-up, return the car to the yellow box in front of the building near the main entrance. Put it in neutral and engage the handbrake. The instructor then briefs you on your mistakes and gives you advice
6. For the TP test, wait at the waiting area on the left side of the building near the main entrance. The tester calls your name when ready
7. After the test, you go to the 2nd floor with the tester. No matter whether you pass or fail, you must go back to the warm-up office to get your booklet back

Some things I learned from the warm-ups:

• Signal left when you come out of the parking lot of the test cars
• For parallel parking, don't reverse too much or you may hit the kerb
• On the slope, release the handbrake fully
• When turning right at a green light without an arrow, check for incoming traffic and give way
• Signal when there are obstructions in your lane
• Build a habit of checking even when you're relaxed. The tester may panic about time. Stay calm and check for safety

My instructor also reminded me that a manual car's clutch can feel different from car to car, so use the warm-up to get familiar with it.

First attempt: 6 March 2024 (failed)

I had a lesson that morning, then the warm-up and the TP test. I didn't pass. These were my mistakes:

• Directional change: I lost 4 points for failing to confirm safety
• Vertical parking: I mounted the kerb when going out of the lot. This was an immediate failure (IF). I should have let my shoulder pass the kerb before full locking the steering wheel to the left
• Reversing again: I should have done my checks when I reversed again after a correction
• Changing lanes: Check the rear mirror first, then the side mirror, then your blind spots
• Steering while stationary: I lost 2 points for steering the wheels when the car wasn't moving

Right after the test, I went with the tester to a room on the 2nd floor. The tester went through each point on the result paper and explained it, then told me to practise more and try again. I went back to the warm-up office to collect my booklet. The staff told me I could book my next TP test right away.

I had been told by my instructor that I'd need 2 revision lessons before I could book again. I asked the person in charge. He said that revision lessons were not necessary, just optional. I was able to confirm this because I booked my next TP test through the CDC app on the same day.

Between the tests

My second test was about 6 weeks later, so I took 2 more lessons right before it: on 13 April (my 24th) and 14 April (my 25th). The tips I picked up:

• When the car is on a hill or an elevated area, press the accelerator immediately when releasing the brake so the engine doesn't stall, especially outside the circuit
• At a filter lane, inch your body out to look for speeding drivers going straight, or reconfirm it's safe before going
• When swinging the car during parking or a directional change, check the front before checking your mirrors again
• When the car is almost straight in the lot during a directional change, check behind once more before you fully reverse
• For vertical parking, if the car is already slanted, go straight first. It gives more space against the kerb before you straighten the car

Second attempt: 15 April 2024 (passed)

This time it was a Monday. I did the warm-up then the TP test. The order may differ from one test to another, but this is what I got:

1. Inside the circuit: the S course, the slope, the directional change, parallel parking, the crank course and vertical parking
2. Out on the road: turning right and left at junctions, changing lanes whenever there were parked cars, a filter lane, a U-turn and several traffic light junctions
3. Back to the school, then parking at the shelter

Some notes about the road part:

• The tester may change the plan on you. At one point I tried to move to the left lane, but the tester asked me to do a U-turn later, so I went back to the right lane. Listen carefully
• If a space opens up and you can return to the left lane, take it
• Signal even when you need to merge. If other cars block your merge lane, stop and wait

The tester asked me to follow to the 2nd floor and sit outside the office. After a few minutes, the tester told me I passed and handed me the result paper. I had 18 demerit points, but I passed!

After passing

1. Apply for the license: the tester told me to go to the Singapore Police Force website the next morning to see the video of my test and apply for my license (QDL). The e-QDL application costs S$50
2. Close the account: I went back to the warm-up office and showed the result paper. The staff asked if I had booked more lessons. I said yes, for the next month. They told me those would be cancelled automatically. I'm not sure what happens for lessons that are too close to cancel, so ask the staff
3. Verify your details: they asked me to verify my address and my PayNow number for the refund of my remaining balance

My timeline after that:

• 16 April 2024: applied online for my license
• 17 April 2024: my license showed up on Singpass, one working day later
• 18 April 2024: I received my refund of S$490.49, about 3 working days after the test
• 23 April 2024: the physical license was delivered, but I wasn't home
• 24 April 2024: I collected it from the nearest SingPost branch

What it cost in this part

All amounts are in Singapore dollars (S$) and include GST, taken from my own spreadsheet. The last two lessons were charged at the 2024 rate:

The full cost from start to finish

Here is every fee from the spreadsheet, grouped by category:

On top of that, I paid S$25 for the PDL separately, which brings the whole thing to S$3,422.71. The 25 lessons worked out to about S$86 each, including the One Team fee.

The S$490.49 refund I received on 18 April 2024 was my unused CDC balance, so it isn't counted in the totals above.

What I'd tell you if you're starting out

• Book your lessons and the extras early. The VPC, LDCS and FTT can stop you from booking the TP test if you leave them late
• Watch the lesson videos online before each lesson, so you can spend your time practising
• Practise the 1, 2, 3 checks (rear mirror, side mirror, blind spot) until they become a habit
• Don't steer when the car isn't moving. Don't rush
• Keep calm. Failing the first time isn't the end. Learn from the mistakes the tester explains and try again
• Revision lessons after a failed test are optional. You can rebook the next TP test on the same day

Keep an eye on CDC with SG Alerts

If you want to keep up with new slots and news from the driving centre, my free SG Alerts service has alerts for ComfortDelGro Driving Centre:

• CDC Practical Lesson Slots for new manual and auto car lesson slots
• CDC Appointment Slots for new eyesight test and counter services dates
• CDC Announcements for new announcements on the CDC news page

Wrapping up

Getting my license in Singapore as a foreigner took me 6 months and 14 days, 25 lessons, 2 TP test attempts and S$3,422.71. I set myself a goal to learn how to drive before I turn 30 and I'm glad I did it. If you are a Singapore-based foreigner in the same position, I hope this series helped. Good luck with your lessons!

Thanks for reading!