Total COE supply to climb by 1.2% in upcoming quarter

COE premiums may have been soaring upwards in the past weeks, but it looks like some relief is finally at hand.

The LTA has announced that the total COE supply for the upcoming quarter from May to July 2026 is set to rise. A total of 19,052 COEs will be available in the period, a 1.2% increase from the previous quarter's total of 18,824 COEs.

But if you've been eyeing something affordable, there's no need to rush into the showrooms or ask your partner to come along with you to the upcoming The Cars Expo just yet.

The available COEs for Cat A cars is set to drop by close to 2.0%, while the available COEs for Cat B cars is set to climb by close to 7.0% in the coming quarter

Unfortunately, the COE supply for Cat A cars is set to drop in the coming quarter. A total of 7,434 COEs for the category will be available, a drop from the 7,585 that were available in this outgoing quarter.

Those looking to purchase cars that don't qualify for registration with a Cat A COE are luckier. A total of 5,205 COEs are being made available in Cat B, a jump from the 4,864 COEs that were available this quarter.

Cat E, meanwhile, will see a total of 1,526 COEs being available for bidding in the coming period, also more than the 1,435 COEs that were available in this quarter.

Only a total of 1,119 COEs were injected into Cat A from identified guaranteed deregistrations for the upcoming period, a drop from the total of 1,822 COEs that were injected into this outgoing quarter. No COEs are being added into Cat B for the upcoming quarter.

A table compiling the numbers is available here:

But what does this all mean to a potential new car buyer such as yourself?

One of the key pieces of advice we think is worth offering is that if you've been thinking about buying that more powerful or premium Cat B COE car, this could well be the time to sign on the dotted line. The COE supply for Cat B cars is set to expand while the supply for Cat A cars is obviously set to shrink. But this supply change also now comes after premiums for Cat A have yet again reached above those for Cat B. 

With this new change in available COE supply, we don't imagine the COE premiums for Cat A will drop dramatically relative to premiums for Cat B in the coming months. So, it could well be prime time to purchase a Cat B car instead.

Of course, you'll also want to set your eyes on the offers that will be available from the various car dealers at the upcoming The Cars Expo event, but to all those eyeing a new set of wheels, we'd also advise some financial prudence.

Note that COE premiums have seen significant gains in the past months (especially so for Cat A and Cat E), and could well continue to climb in the weeks between today and when you do finally purchase your new vehicle. And then there's also the fact that where petrol prices may be headed in the near future is now anybody's guess thanks to the instability over that strait. These both mean it would be wise to ensure your finances are in order before you commit to any big purchases.

The next quota announcement for the bidding period of August 2026 to October 2026 will be made in July 2026.