Laws in Singapore
How Singapore is classified on 41 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- No specific ban There is no specific legal ban on FGM.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
- Online Gambling
- Illegal The government introduced a bill to counter online gambling, implying it is currently prohibited or targeted for restriction.
Daily Life
- Jaywalking
- Offense / fined Jaywalking is an offence in Singapore with fines for crossing outside designated areas.
- Drinking in Public
- Restricted areas/times Public drinking is legal but restricted during specific nighttime hours.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban Smoking is banned in most public places, but designated smoking rooms are permitted in certain establishments.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Legal Homeschooling is legal.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- No ban No ban on testing cosmetics on animals.
- Dog Meat
- Banned The sale of dog meat is prohibited in Singapore.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Taxed / charged Plastic bags are legal but carry a mandatory charge or tax.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 19+ The voting age is 21.
- Compulsory Voting
- Compulsory (enforced) Singapore has enforced compulsory voting since 1959, with penalties for non-compliance.
- Minimum Working Age
- Under 14 Minimum working age: 13.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Decriminalized / unregulated Selling sex is not illegal in Singapore, but related activities like brothel maintenance are criminalized.
- Pornography
- Illegal Selling, distributing, or producing obscene objects is punishable by imprisonment or fines.
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted Divorce is legal but requires a long period of separation.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Limited (step-child / single) Joint adoption is not open to same-sex couples; step-child or single-person adoption is.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 21.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Desecrating the national flag is illegal under the National Symbols Act and Regulations.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Legal The government encourages caning for male students in schools.
- Military Conscription
- Active conscription
- Jury Trials
- Not used The jury system was fully abolished in 1969.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Illegal Cannabis is illegal for all purposes.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 19+ Minimum age to buy tobacco: 21.
- Salvia Divinorum
- Illegal Possession of salvia divinorum is a criminal offence.
- Khat
- Illegal Khat is prohibited in Singapore by the Central Narcotics Bureau.
- E-Cigarettes
- Sales banned E-cigarette sales are prohibited.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.