How Singapore Lorry Sizes Are Written: ft, feet, foot and footer
One of the most common sources of confusion when comparing lorries in Singapore has nothing to do with the vehicle itself. It is how the size is written down. The same truck is advertised as a 10ft lorry, a 10 ft lorry, a 10 feet lorry, a 10 foot lorry and a 10 footer lorry, depending on who wrote the listing. Dealers, workshops, classified sites and transport companies all spell it differently, and none of them are wrong.
The number always refers to the approximate length of the cargo deck, never the overall length of the vehicle. A 14 feet lorry is therefore noticeably longer than 14 feet from bumper to bumper once the cab is included. This distinction matters the moment you start checking whether a vehicle will clear a carpark height limit, reverse into a loading bay, or turn into a worksite access road.
Is a "10 ft lorry" the same as a "10 feet lorry"?
Yes. "10ft lorry", "10 ft lorry", "10 feet lorry", "10 foot lorry" and "10 footer lorry" all describe the same class of light goods vehicle in Singapore. If you are searching listings, it is worth trying each spelling. Inventory that does not surface under one spelling often surfaces under another.
Is a "14 ft lorry" the same as a "14 feet lorry"?
Yes. "14ft lorry", "14 ft lorry", "14 feet lorry", "14 foot lorry" and "14 footer lorry" all point to the same size class. The same is true one step up: a "14ft truck" and a "14 ft truck" are the same vehicle, since "lorry" and "truck" are used interchangeably in Singapore.
What about 18 feet and 24 feet lorries?
The naming convention holds at the larger end too. An 18 ft lorry or 18 feet lorry in Singapore generally refers to the 17ft to 19ft class, which sits between the common 14ft body and the heavy 24ft body. A 24 ft lorry, 24 feet lorry or "24 footer" is the heavy end of the range, and the licence class and parking requirements change accordingly.
Which size guide should you read next?
- 10 ft lorry Singapore: dimensions, payload and who it suits
- 14 feet lorry Singapore: models, specifications and licence class
- 18 ft lorry Singapore: the 17ft to 19ft class explained
- 24 feet lorry Singapore: the heavy end of the range
Related guides: Fuso Canter FEB21 vs FEB71 · Hino Dutro, new and used · Forland S1 and the licence class
Lorry sizes in Singapore at a glance
Four size classes cover almost everything on Singapore roads. The number is the approximate cargo deck length — not the overall vehicle length — and it is the deck that decides what fits. What changes between classes is not just capacity: the licence class your driver needs, whether you owe a monthly parking certificate, and whether the vehicle clears a covered carpark all move together.
| Size class | Typically used for | Licence usually needed | In ABLINK stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft | Light delivery, renovation, first lorry for an SME | Often Class 3 / 3A — confirm the log card | 8 models |
| 14ft | Island-wide general freight, events, cold chain | Usually Class 4 | 8 models |
| 17ft–19ft (the "18ft" class) | Between a 14ft body and a heavy 24ft | Class 4 | See the class guide |
| 24ft | Heavy operations, bulk and pallet volume | Class 4 or 4A | 5 models |
Browse by size: 10ft stock · 14ft stock · 24ft stock. Prices move with every COE bidding round, so they live on the listings rather than in this guide.
Which licence does each lorry size need?
Singapore ties the licence class to the vehicle's unladen weight (ULW), not to its deck length. Deck length is simply a good proxy, because a longer body almost always weighs more.
The thresholds set by the Traffic Police:
- Class 3 / 3A — diesel and petrol goods vehicles with ULW up to 2,500 kg
- Class 3 / 3A, electric — electric light goods vehicles up to 3,000 kg ULW, operationalised from 15 December 2025 via an Exemption Order, with full legislative amendment planned for 2026
- Class 4 — above those ceilings, which is where most 14ft and all 24ft bodies land
One correction worth making, because it circulates widely: Class 3A is not a higher class than Class 3. It covers exactly the same vehicles and only restricts the holder to automatic transmission. Moving up a size class needs Class 4, never 3A.
The full class-by-class breakdown is in the Class 3 vs Class 4 licence guide, and the official table is published by the Traffic Police.
Why the licence question decides your size before the cargo does
Class 3 and 3A holders vastly outnumber Class 4 holders in Singapore. The moment a vehicle crosses into Class 4, your hiring pool shrinks, and cover for leave, shift rotation and last-minute absence gets harder to arrange.
The timing is the part that costs money. A vehicle can be ready in days; a licence upgrade takes weeks. A 14ft lorry sitting in the yard waiting for a driver still accrues loan instalments, insurance and road tax while earning nothing. If you already know you are moving up a class, start the driver's upgrade before the vehicle arrives, not after.
Will it fit? Height, not length, is usually the blocker
Most buyers size a lorry by deck length and get caught by height instead.
Singapore's HDB multi-storey covered carparks are commonly limited to around 2.0–2.1 metres. A box body or a canopy will normally exceed that. If your delivery points cluster in housing estates, or your own parking is covered, vehicle height quietly removes a large part of the shortlist before capacity is even discussed.
Do this before comparing models: measure the actual clearance at the three to five places you visit every week. Buying first and discovering the limit afterwards is not a recoverable mistake.
Does your lorry need a Vehicle Parking Certificate?
A Vehicle Parking Certificate (VPC) is required for vehicles with a maximum laden weight above 5,000 kg. Whether a given 14ft model crosses that line depends on the specific unit, and 24ft bodies are comfortably above it.
This is a recurring monthly cost, not a one-off, so it belongs in the comparison from the start. Details are in the VPC guide.
COE Category C applies to every size
Every goods vehicle in Singapore — 10ft, 14ft, 18ft or 24ft — bids in the same Category C pool. LTA sets a 10-year COE for goods vehicles with a maximum vehicle lifespan of 20 years, renewable once.
Two consequences follow. First, moving up a size class does not move you into a different COE category, so the COE component of your budget does not scale with deck length. Second, the body price and the COE premium are separate numbers and must be budgeted separately — the premium is re-set at every fortnightly bidding exercise.
Which lorry size should you actually buy?
Size the vehicle to the trip you make most often, not to the heaviest trip you made last year.
| If this is your situation | Look at |
|---|---|
| Loads fit a van today, but rain and security are a problem | 10ft, or a goods van if height is tight |
| A 10ft is forcing a second trip more than occasionally | 14ft — and budget for the Class 4 driver |
| Volume fills the deck but weight stays moderate | The 17ft–19ft class before jumping to 24ft |
| Pallets and bulk, weight-limited rather than space-limited | 24ft, sized on tonnage rather than length |
| Crew plus tools, open deck, tarmac routes | A double-cab pickup |
Buying one class too large is not a safe hedge. You pay for capacity you never use, in body price, fuel, and — if you cross a threshold — in a scarcer driver and a monthly VPC.
What to check on the log card before you commit
Every rule above keys off numbers printed on the vehicle's registration document, not off the model name.
- Unladen weight — decides the licence class, against the 2,500 kg / 3,000 kg lines
- Maximum laden weight — decides whether a VPC is owed
- Vehicle height — decides which carparks you can enter
- Modification record — a tail-lift, chiller unit or toolbox raises unladen weight and can push a vehicle across a licence threshold after registration
That last point catches people regularly. A unit that left the factory at 2,4xx kg can sit above 2,500 kg once fitted out, and the owner usually discovers it while rostering drivers. Read the current figure on the log card, not the manufacturer's brochure, and re-check after any significant modification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the size of a 10ft lorry in Singapore?
The "10ft" refers to the approximate cargo deck length, so the overall vehicle is noticeably longer once the cab is included. Exact deck dimensions, payload and height vary by model — check the figures on the specific listing, and confirm height against the carparks you use before committing.
What is the size of a 14ft lorry?
The deck is approximately 14 feet long, with the vehicle again longer overall. The 14ft class is the most common island-wide freight size in Singapore. Most 14ft bodies exceed the 2,500 kg unladen weight ceiling, which is why they usually require a Class 4 licence.
Is a 10 feet lorry the same as a 10ft lorry?
Yes. "10ft", "10 ft", "10 feet", "10 foot" and "10 footer" all describe the same class of light goods vehicle. When searching listings it is worth trying more than one spelling, since inventory that does not appear under one often appears under another.
Can a Class 3 licence holder drive a 14ft lorry?
Usually not. Class 3 and 3A cover goods vehicles up to 2,500 kg unladen weight (3,000 kg for electric light goods vehicles from 15 December 2025), and most 14ft bodies sit above that. Confirm the unladen weight on the log card for the exact unit.
What is an 18 feet lorry in Singapore?
It generally refers to the 17ft to 19ft class, which sits between the common 14ft body and the heavy 24ft body. It suits operations that fill the deck by volume before they run out of permitted weight.
Which lorry sizes fit into an HDB carpark?
Covered HDB carparks are commonly limited to around 2.0–2.1 metres, which most box bodies and canopies exceed regardless of deck length. Height, not size class, is the deciding factor — measure the clearance at the locations you actually visit.
Do all lorry sizes use the same COE category?
Yes. Every goods vehicle bids in Category C, with a 10-year COE and a 20-year maximum vehicle lifespan. Body price and COE premium are budgeted separately, and the premium changes at each fortnightly bidding exercise.
Next step: measure first, then shortlist
The two numbers that settle most of this decision are the unladen weight on the log card and the height clearance where you park and deliver. Fix those, and the size class usually picks itself.
Tell us your regular route, your heaviest routine load and your drivers' licence classes, and we will match deck size, unladen weight and licence class for you — including which configurations would push you into Class 4 or a monthly VPC. Visit the Tagore showroom or message us on WhatsApp.
View ABLINK stock and current prices →
Address: 421 Tagore Industrial Avenue, #02-13, Tagore 8, Singapore 787805
Phone / WhatsApp: +65 8946 8228
Email: sales@ablink.sg
Disclaimer: Licence classes, weight thresholds, VPC and COE rules in this guide are compiled from material published by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Singapore Police Force, captured August 2026. This guide does not state vehicle prices — body price and COE premium are budgeted separately and the premium changes at every fortnightly bidding exercise; see the live listings. The Class 3 electric ceiling of 3,000 kg was operationalised from 15 December 2025 by Exemption Order, with full legislative amendment planned for 2026. Carpark height limits are typical ranges only — confirm the posted limit at each location. Deck dimensions, unladen weight and maximum laden weight vary by model and configuration and must be confirmed on the vehicle's registration document; modifications change those figures. General reference only, not legal or financial advice.
