New COE quota for 2026 November to 2027 January gives more to Cat B and Cat E but adds nothing to Cat A
LTA (Land Transport Authority) has announced a COE (certificate of entitlement) quota of 19,298 for the three-month, six-bid tender period of November 2026 to January 2027.
This new figure is 213 higher than the previous quota of 19,085 COEs for 2026 August to October, which had a much smaller increase of 33 certificates compared to the 2026 May-July quota of 19,052.
Counting the latest quota more closely, “big cars” actually get more COEs (7,287 pieces) than their “smaller” Cat A counterparts (7,134 pieces) if we lump Category B together with Category E (open Cat), since Cat E COEs are almost always used to register Cat B cars.
“Big cars” as defined by LTA are petrol passenger cars with engine capacity above 1,600 cc or engine power above 130 bhp, and fully-electric passenger cars with motor output of more than 110 kW. “Smaller cars” under COE Category A are petrol passenger cars with up to 1,600 cc of engine capacity or up to 130 bhp of engine power, and fully-electric passenger cars with up to 110 kW of battery-motor output.
Category A getting the same 7,134 COEs as before means a halt to the continual reductions in the Cat A car quota for three quarters straight since February this year.
LTA's three-month, six-bid COE quota calculations for the period of 2026 November to 2027 January.
The Motorist editor interrupted the dinner of several motor traders to seek their views on the new COE quota for 2026 November to 2027 January. It seemed that digesting the news from LTA was less satisfying than whatever they ate that night.
“The new quota won’t make much of a difference for Cat A,” said Chong Kah Wei, Eurokars MD for BMW and MINI.
“Thirty more Cat B COEs at each of the coming six tender exercises is insignificant and the market will absorb this minimal increase in Cat B supply without a blink,” said Raymond Ng, Eurokars MD for IM Motors and MG.
“Increase in deregistrations spread over 12 months equals no increase,” said Vincent Ng, commercial director of Vincar Group.
“The new quota for the next three months does not address the supply issue. Cat A has no changes, while Cat B and E will have an increase in supply of 30 and 10 COEs respectively per bid. The mainstream buyers will continue to pay high COE premiums, while those buying larger or higher-power cars are paying COE of about the same price. The system has broken down,” lamented Ng Choon Wee, Hyundai commercial director of Komoco Motors:
One senior executive, however, looked on the bright side. Adelene Tan, Vantage Automotive MD for BYD and DENZA, told Motorist: “The incremental is relatively low, (but) based on the EEAI and VES changes, we will expect buyers to buy now before 31 December.”
Read More: Category A gets fewer COEs and Category B gets more COEs in new quota for 2026 August-October
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