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Criminal penalties in Singapore
Checked in October 2026 against the Penal Code 1871, Kidnapping Act 1961 and Road Traffic Act 1961, current versions as at 26 October 2026 on Singapore Statutes Online, read in English.
These are statutory ranges for a first offence, from the least to the most the law allows. A court decides the actual sentence in each case. We read the code in its original language and give the offences in plain English, with the legal term where it helps. For anything that matters, rely on the code itself. Not legal advice.
How Singapore sets penalties
- Singapore's Penal Code states most penalties as a maximum: 'imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years'. Where it says 'not less than 2 years and not more than 10 years', the lower figure is a minimum that the court must respect.
- Many sections add caning ('judicial corporal punishment') to imprisonment: for example, robbery carries caning with not less than 6 strokes, or 12 strokes if committed between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. For several offences caning is the alternative to a fine ('liable to fine or to caning'), and where a sentence is imprisonment for life the section often says the offender is also liable to caning.
- Singapore has no first and second degree murder. Section 300 lists four kinds of murder. Murder with the intention of causing death (s. 300(a)) is punished with death; the other kinds (s. 300(b), (c), (d)) with death or imprisonment for life (s. 302).
- Culpable homicide not amounting to murder (s. 304) is the nearest offence to manslaughter. Burglary is house-breaking (ss. 448 to 451), and arson is mischief by fire or an explosive substance (ss. 435 and 436).
- Kidnapping for ransom is in its own law, the Kidnapping Act 1961. Drink driving is in the Road Traffic Act 1961, not the Penal Code. This table shows first-offence ranges.
Death penalty: Yes. The Penal Code provides death for murder with the intention of causing death (s. 302(1)), and death or imprisonment for life for the other forms of murder (s. 302(2)), for kidnapping or abducting a person in order that they may be murdered (s. 364), and the Kidnapping Act provides death or life imprisonment for abducting or holding a person for ransom (s. 3). Outside the text read: other laws, such as the Misuse of Drugs Act, also provide for death.
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First-degree murder
Death (murder with the intention of causing death)
Murder within section 300(a) (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Death
Section 300 defines four kinds of murder, (a) to (d). The punishment section, s. 302, was read in full; the definitions in s. 300 were not. Murder within section 300(a), which is the case where the act is done with the intention of causing death, is punished with death (s. 302(1)). The other kinds, (b), (c) and (d), are in the next cell (s. 302(2)).
Second-degree murder
Death, or imprisonment for life and, if not sentenced to death, also liable to caning
Murder within section 300(b), (c) or (d) (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Death
Death or imprisonment for life; if not sentenced to death, also liable to caning.
Murder within section 300(b), (c) or (d) is punished with death or with imprisonment for life; an offender who is not sentenced to death is also liable to caning (s. 302(2)).
Voluntary manslaughter
Life imprisonment and caning, or up to 20 years (culpable homicide with intent to kill); up to 15 years (with knowledge only); up to 5 years (rash) or 2 years (negligent)
Causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 2 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or both
Causing death by a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or both
Culpable homicide not amounting to murder, done with knowledge that death is likely but without intention to kill (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or caning, or any combination
Culpable homicide not amounting to murder, done with the intention of causing death or likely fatal injury (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Imprisonment for life
Life imprisonment and liable to caning; or imprisonment up to 20 years and liable to fine or to caning.
Culpable homicide not amounting to murder (s. 304) carries, where the act was done with the intention of causing death or injury likely to cause death, imprisonment for life with liability to caning, or up to 20 years and liability to fine or caning; where it was done only with knowledge that it is likely to cause death, imprisonment up to 15 years, or a fine, or caning, or any combination. Causing death by a rash act is up to 5 years or a fine or both; by a negligent act, up to 2 years or a fine or both (s. 304A).
Robbery
2 to 10 years and caning of at least 6 strokes; 3 to 14 years and at least 12 strokes if between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.; 5 to 20 years and at least 12 strokes if hurt is caused
Robbery (Offence)
- Least
- 2 years
- Most
- 10 years
Also caning with not less than 6 strokes. If committed after 7 p.m. and before 7 a.m.: imprisonment of 3 to 14 years and caning with not less than 12 strokes.
Voluntarily causing hurt in committing or attempting robbery (Offence)
- Least
- 5 years
- Most
- 20 years
Also caning with not less than 12 strokes.
Robbery or attempted robbery while armed with or using a deadly weapon, or causing or attempting to cause death or grievous hurt (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- No separate term stated in the section
Caning with not less than 12 strokes, in addition to any other punishment under the Code.
Burglary
Up to 3 years or a fine (house-breaking); up to 10 years (house-breaking to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment); up to 15 years (to commit an offence punishable with life or death, or life)
Theft (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 3 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or both
Theft in a building, tent or vessel used as a human dwelling or for the custody of property (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 7 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
House-breaking (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 3 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or both
House-breaking in order to commit any offence punishable with imprisonment (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
House-breaking in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment for life (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
House-breaking in order to commit an offence punishable with death (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Imprisonment for life
Imprisonment for life, or up to 15 years; if not sentenced to life, also liable to a fine.
Singapore's Code speaks of house-breaking (s. 442) and punishes it in ss. 448 to 451 according to the offence the house-breaker meant to commit. Theft is s. 379, and theft in a building used as a dwelling or for keeping property is s. 380.
Arson
Up to 7 years (mischief by fire); life imprisonment or up to 10 years (to destroy a building such as a dwelling, a place of worship or a public building)
Mischief by fire or an explosive substance, intending or knowing it likely to cause damage to property (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 7 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
Mischief by fire or an explosive substance, intending or knowing it likely to destroy a building used for worship, justice, public affairs, education, art or public use, or as a dwelling or to keep property (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Imprisonment for life
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment up to 10 years.
Aggravated assault
Up to 3 years or a fine (hurt); up to 7 years (hurt by a weapon); up to 10 years (grievous hurt); life or up to 15 years and caning (grievous hurt by a weapon)
Voluntarily causing hurt (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 3 years
- Fine
- Or a fine of up to $5,000, or both
Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 7 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or caning, or any combination
Voluntarily causing grievous hurt (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine or to caning
Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Imprisonment for life
Imprisonment for life, or up to 15 years, and also liable to caning; or, if not sentenced to life, liable to a fine.
The Code speaks of hurt and grievous hurt. Hurt by dangerous means, such as an instrument for shooting, stabbing or cutting, fire, poison, a corrosive or explosive substance, or an animal, is punished more heavily.
Rape and sexual assault
Up to 20 years and a fine or caning (rape); 8 to 20 years and at least 12 strokes of the cane (rape with hurt or fear, of a child under 14 without consent, or in an exploitative relationship)
Rape (penetration without consent, or of a person below 14) (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine or to caning
Rape with the aggravating factors of s. 375(3): causing hurt or putting a person in fear in order to commit it; against a person below 14 without consent; or against a person below 14 in an exploitative relationship (Offence)
- Least
- 8 years
- Most
- 20 years
Also caning with not less than 12 strokes.
Rape (s. 375) is a man penetrating the vagina of a woman with his penis without her consent, or, with or without consent, when she is below 14; section 375(1A) covers the anus or mouth of another person in the same circumstances. Under section 375(4) a man is not guilty of the 'below 14' limb for a consensual act with his wife.
Kidnapping
Up to 10 years and a fine or caning (kidnapping); death or life imprisonment (kidnapping to murder, and for ransom)
Kidnapping from Singapore or from lawful guardianship (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine or to caning
Kidnapping or abducting in order that a person may be murdered or put in danger of murder (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Death
Death or imprisonment for life; if not sentenced to death, also liable to caning.
Abducting or wrongfully restraining or confining a person with intent to hold them for ransom (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- Death
Death or imprisonment for life; if not sentenced to death, also liable to caning (Kidnapping Act 1961).
Embezzlement
Up to 7 years (criminal breach of trust); up to 15 years (by an employee); up to 20 years (by a public servant, banker, agent, director, partner, key executive or fiduciary)
Criminal breach of trust (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 7 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or both
Theft by a clerk or servant of property in the possession of the master (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 7 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
Criminal breach of trust by an employee (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
Criminal breach of trust by a public servant, or by a banker, merchant, agent, director, officer, partner, key executive or fiduciary (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
Forgery
Up to 4 years or a fine (forgery); up to 15 years (a valuable security, will or receipt)
Forgery (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 4 years
- Fine
- Or a fine, or both
Forging a document that purports to be a valuable security, a will, an authority to adopt a child, or an authority to receive or transfer money or property, or a receipt (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- Also liable to a fine
Drunk driving, first offence
A fine of $2,000 to $10,000 or up to 12 months in prison or both; disqualification from driving for at least 2 years
Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink or drugs, or over the prescribed alcohol limit (Offence)
- Least
- No minimum term set by the statute
- Most
- 12 months
- Fine
- A fine of $2,000 to $10,000, or imprisonment, or both
Disqualification from driving for at least 2 years (first offender).
Driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drink, a drug, a psychoactive or an intoxicating substance, or with more alcohol in the breath or blood than the prescribed limit, is an offence under the Road Traffic Act (s. 67(1)). For a second or later conviction the fine is $5,000 to $20,000 and imprisonment up to 2 years. The court must disqualify a first offender from driving for at least 2 years, and a repeat offender for at least 5 years, unless it finds special reasons. A person convicted on two or more earlier occasions is disqualified for life, again unless there are special reasons (s. 67(2) and (2A)).
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