Starting 1 July, all vehicles from Singapore entering Malaysia by land must display a valid Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP), as the Malaysian government moves from an advisory phase into full enforcement of the regulation.
According to The Star, the announcement was made by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who confirmed that from this date onwards, any foreign-registered vehicle found entering Malaysia without a VEP will be fined in accordance with the Road Transport Act 1987. The penalty, set at RM300, applies to both private and company-owned vehicles, and offenders will not be allowed to exit the country without settling the fine and completing the necessary registration process.
The VEP system, initially introduced in October last year, was rolled out with a soft enforcement approach focused on public awareness. Since its launch, no fines have been issued during this preliminary phase. However, the government will now transition to active enforcement under Section 66H(7) of the Road Transport Act, which makes it an offence to drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Malaysia without a valid permit.
Each VEP is issued in the form of an RFID tag linked to a Touch ‘n Go eWallet account. The registration process can be completed via the official portal at vep.jpj.gov.my, with the RFID tag itself costing RM10 and a service fee of RM30 for collection through appointed agents. Vehicle owners may either collect their RFID tag from the VEP Tag Collection Centre in Danga Bay, Johor, or opt for delivery by post.
To date, over 231,000 VEP RFID tags have been issued, though approximately 36,500 of these remain inactive or have not been installed. In anticipation of the new enforcement phase, the government has allowed a four-week grace period for vehicle owners to activate and install their tags ahead of the 1 July deadline.
While enforcement checks will not take place directly at border checkpoints, so as to prevent traffic congestion, they will be conducted at strategic locations beyond the entry points.
Private vehicles that are found to have entered Malaysia without an activated VEP but were previously registered will be issued with fines, which must be paid before they are allowed to leave. For company vehicles in a similar situation, reminder notices will be issued, though these vehicles may still exit the country.
Minister Loke clarified that Singaporean vehicles will still be permitted to enter Malaysia even if they have yet to secure a VEP. However, those drivers will be subject to enforcement procedures, including the issuance of a summons and a requirement to register for the permit before departure.
Malaysia’s move mirrors a similar system in Singapore, where Malaysia-registered vehicles must possess an Autopass card, valid insurance, road tax, and a Vehicle Entry Permit approved by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority before entering the republic.
All fines for non-compliance with the VEP requirement must be settled through cashless payment methods at Road Transport Department (JPJ) counters, mobile service units, or via the MyEG platform.
With this transition to full enforcement, Malaysian authorities aim to ensure compliance while promoting efficient and secure cross-border travel.
