Yes, a new company or a sole proprietor can usually apply to lease a van in Singapore. The van leasing requirements, though, are set by each provider, and most do not publish them. On 19 October 2026 we read the websites of 12 Singapore commercial-vehicle leasing providers. Only 3 of 12 list the documents a business must bring, and only 1 of 12 says whether sole proprietors or new businesses can apply.
So do not wait for a document list before asking for a quote. Bring the proof of business that LTA asks company vehicle owners for, check that your drivers hold the right licence class for the vehicle, and ask a short set of questions before you sign.
Key takeaways
- Eligibility is the provider's call. The leasing company decides whether to approve a new company or a sole proprietor, and few say in public how they decide.
- Get a fresh ACRA Business Profile. You can buy it on Bizfile with your business name or UEN, and ACRA says processing is within 15 minutes.
- Bring ID for the person signing, plus an authorisation letter if that person is not named in the ACRA profile. This mirrors what LTA asks company vehicle owners for.
- Check licence class against unladen weight. Class 3 covers petrol and diesel goods vehicles up to 2,500kg unladen, and, since 15 June 2026, electric light goods vehicles up to 3,000kg.
- A sole proprietor signs as themselves. GoBusiness notes that a sole proprietor is personally responsible for what the business owes and for legal claims against it.
Can a new company or sole proprietor lease a van in Singapore?
Often yes, but only the provider can say. The one provider in our check that addresses it says sole proprietors and companies, including new businesses, may lease subject to its own assessment. A lease is a private contract, and each leasing company sets its own approval criteria, such as company age or whether it needs a guarantor. What your business structure changes is who carries the commitment.
GoBusiness, the government's business portal, draws the line clearly. The owner of a sole proprietorship is personally responsible for the business's debts and for any legal action against it. A company is a separate legal person: it can hold assets and take or defend legal action under its own name. In practice, that means:
- Sole proprietorship: the lease is in effect your personal commitment, because you are personally responsible for the business's debts.
- Private limited company: the company signs in its own name. If the company is young, ask the provider before you apply whether it needs a director or someone else to act as guarantor.
In one Singapore forum thread asking whether you can get a van without a company, one user argued that a company costs more to run and a sole proprietorship is enough. Another warned that tying a vehicle to a sole proprietorship can lead to serious legal trouble after a bad accident.
Both are right. A sole proprietorship can be enough to get a van, but it leaves you personally exposed. If that worries you, speak to your accountant before you choose a structure, not after you sign a lease.
This article does not cover ABLINK's own criteria, such as documents, deposit or who can apply. Ask for them when you enquire on ABLINK's leasing page.
What we found on 12 leasing providers' websites
On 19 October 2026 we read the public pages of every leasing business that appeared in the top 10 search results for three leasing searches, plus the providers that AI answer engines named for the same searches. Twelve offered commercial van or lorry leasing to businesses. Two other sites were left out: one leases cars only, and the other is a blog.
| What the provider's website says | Providers |
|---|---|
| Names at least two documents a business must bring | 3 of 12 |
| States whether sole proprietors or new businesses can apply | 1 of 12 |
| States a deposit amount or the rule that sets it | 3 of 12 |
| States a specific driver rule (licence class, minimum age or experience) | 4 of 12 |
Two things stand out. First, nine of the twelve providers leave the document question unanswered, so a business waiting for a published list will usually end up making a phone call instead. Second, the few lists that do exist overlap: identification, a driving licence and, when the lease is in a company's name, ACRA company details. The next section prepares you for that common core.
A provider that publishes nothing may still give a clear list on request. How we checked, and the limits of the check, are at the end of this article.
Documents to have ready before you ask for a quote
Because most providers do not publish a list, the most reliable model is the one LTA publishes for businesses that register a goods vehicle themselves. A company owner brings three things: an ACRA business profile printout no older than 14 days; the identity card or pass of the person acting for the company; and, if that person is not named on the profile, an original letter of authority signed by a manager or someone more senior. An individual owner brings an NRIC or an MOM/ICA pass card.
Even if you never register the van yourself, the leasing company still needs to know exactly who it is contracting with and who may sign for the business. Having the same set of papers ready saves a round of back-and-forth.
| Document | Where to get it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| ACRA Business Profile (dated within the last 14 days) | Bizfile, using your entity name or UEN; ACRA's guide says processing is within 15 minutes | Proves the business exists, who owns it and who its officers are |
| NRIC, or MOM/ICA pass, of the person signing | The signer | Matches the signer to the business profile |
| Authorisation letter | Signed by a manager or more senior officer | Needed when the signer is not named in the ACRA profile |
| Driving licences of every named driver | Each driver | Confirms the licence class covers the vehicle's unladen weight |
| Anything else the provider asks for in writing | Ask at your first enquiry | One provider we checked also asks for a guarantor's ID and a company stamp; get the list before you collect papers |
A tip for brand-new companies: buy the Business Profile once your officers and address are final. A profile bought before a change will be out of date by the time the provider reads it.
Which driving licence do your drivers need?
Licence class follows the vehicle's unladen weight, not its maximum laden weight. Under the Singapore Police Force's licence class table, Class 3 covers petrol and diesel goods vehicles up to 2,500kg unladen, and electric light goods vehicles up to 3,000kg unladen.
The electric limit is recent. On 14 June 2026 the Traffic Police announced that from 15 June 2026, Class 3 and 3A holders may drive all electric light goods vehicles with an unladen weight of up to 3,000kg, up from 2,500kg. Petrol and diesel goods vehicles stay at 2,500kg.
Before you sign, ask the provider for the exact unladen weight of the vehicle and compare it with the licences your drivers actually hold. A van that suits your cargo can still be the wrong van for your drivers. Our Class 3 vs Class 4 licence guide and light goods vehicle guide cover this in more detail.
Do the rules change if you lease a lorry instead of a van?
Yes. A new business often starts with a van and later needs something bigger, and several LTA rules change as the vehicle gets heavier.
Vehicle type. LTA classes a goods vehicle by its maximum laden weight. A light goods vehicle (LGV) is up to 3,500kg, and a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) is 3,501kg to 16,000kg.
Overnight parking. Under LTA's Vehicle Parking Certificate scheme, any heavy goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight above 5,000kg must have an LTA-licensed parking space. A light goods vehicle, at 3,500kg or less, falls below that line. If you plan to lease a lorry, ask early who arranges the parking certificate. Our Vehicle Parking Certificate guide explains the scheme.
Side markings on vans. LTA requires both sides of a light goods vehicle to show the registered owner's name, the business address, and either a business registration number or a hawker, farm or food retail licence number. In our reading, this is one reason a van is treated as a business vehicle: the markings assume a registered business or a licensed trade behind it. Ask the provider whose name and details will appear on the van you lease.
Five questions to ask before you sign
- "Can you send your document list in writing?" It turns an open-ended call into a checklist, and it is the one thing most providers do not publish.
- "Do you accept sole proprietors and newly registered companies, and would you need a guarantor?" Better to hear the answer before you gather paperwork.
- "How is the deposit held, and when is it returned?" This is not a formality. After creditors of a Singapore car-rental firm repossessed cars rented to private-hire drivers, the Senior Minister of State for Transport said in January 2026 that those drivers would find it hard to get their deposits back, because they were unsecured creditors, The Business Times reported. That was a car rental, not a van lease, but the same risk can apply to a deposit paid to any lessor that fails, so ask how yours is held.
- "What insurance comes with the lease, and what is my excess?" LTA requires motor insurance on every vehicle used on Singapore roads, and the policy must at least cover third-party claims for death and bodily injury. Any cover above that minimum is a term to compare. Our commercial vehicle insurance guide explains the layers.
- "Who can drive the van?" Named drivers, licence class and any age or experience rule should be written into the agreement, not agreed by phone.
If you are still deciding whether to lease at all, our guides on leasing versus buying and renting, leasing or buying as an SME compare the options. If you need a van for only a few weeks, short-term van hire or monthly van rental may be simpler.
Leasing through ABLINK
ABLINK offers short-term and long-term lease packages on vans, lorries and electric vans, with full maintenance and support. Leasing at ABLINK is arranged with its leasing partner, Rentgo Pte. Ltd., and the terms, inclusions and early-exit conditions are set in each individual agreement.
To request a customised leasing quote, use the ABLINK leasing page. Include your business name or UEN, the vehicle you need, how long you need it and who will drive it. In the same message, ask for ABLINK's document list and who can apply, so you only gather papers once.
How we checked the 12 providers
Method
On 19 October 2026 we drew up a fixed list of 14 candidate sites. It covered every leasing business in the top 10 results for "commercial vehicle leasing singapore", "van leasing singapore" and "lorry leasing singapore" on one metasearch engine, plus providers that three AI answer engines named for the same question. For each site, a script fetched the entry page, the homepage and up to eight leasing, rental, FAQ or terms pages.
We then read every site by hand. Twelve were eligible; ABLINK and its leasing partner were excluded in advance. One provider's server limited the script's requests, so two of its pages were fetched a second time.
Limits
This counts what was on public websites on one day. A provider may give a document list on request, by phone or in a PDF we did not reach, and the script may have missed content that only loads with JavaScript. The list comes from one search engine and three AI answers, so it describes these 12 providers, not every lessor in Singapore. It says nothing about approval standards or price.
FAQ
Can I lease a van for personal use in Singapore?
A van in Singapore is registered as a goods vehicle, and LTA requires a light goods vehicle to display a company or business registration number, or a hawker, farm or food retail licence number, on both sides. That assumes a business behind the vehicle. Whether a provider will lease one for personal use is up to that provider, so ask before applying.
How quickly can a new company get its ACRA Business Profile?
ACRA says a Business Profile bought on Bizfile is processed within 15 minutes. All you need is your business name or UEN, plus an email address to receive it. Buy it once your officers and registered address are final. A provider may ask for a recent profile, and LTA's own rule for company owners accepts a printout up to 14 days old.
Does a leased van need a Vehicle Parking Certificate?
Usually not. LTA's Vehicle Parking Certificate scheme applies to heavy goods vehicles with a maximum laden weight above 5,000kg, which need a licensed overnight parking space. A light goods vehicle is 3,500kg or less, so it falls below that line. If you lease a lorry, check its maximum laden weight and ask who arranges the certificate.
