Smoking on Orchard Road

Smoking is banned in public areas along Singapore’s famous Orchard Road shopping district. Since 1 January 2019, the Orchard Road precinct has been a No Smoking Zone, where smokers may only light up inside marked Designated Smoking Areas. Offenders can be given a S$200 composition fine or fined up to S$1,000 in court.

Key facts

• Status: restricted; smoking only in Designated Smoking Areas
• No Smoking Zone since: 1 January 2019 (fines from 1 April 2019)
• Penalty: S$200 composition fine or up to S$1,000 in court
• Law: Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act
• Enforced by: National Environment Agency (NEA)

Where can you smoke on Orchard Road?

Only inside the Designated Smoking Areas, which are marked by yellow boxes and are spread along the precinct. Smoking corners at eateries in the zone were removed at the end of 2018. Some indoor smoking rooms, such as those in certain bars, remain permitted. Even a foot outside the yellow box can lead to a ticket.

Is the ban enforced?

Yes. NEA gave smokers a three-month advisory period, issuing an average of 735 advisories a day, before fines started on 1 April 2019. More than 4,000 tickets were issued in the first year of enforcement. NEA expanded the zone in February 2024 to cover more areas, including the Somerset Skate Park and parts of Exeter Road and Killiney Road.

Where else is smoking banned in Singapore?

Smoking is also prohibited in many other places, including bus stops, covered walkways, overhead bridges, HDB common corridors and void decks, hawker centres outside smoking corners, and toilets. Smoking is generally allowed in open public spaces outside the Orchard Road zone.

Can you vape in the smoking areas?

No. Vaping is illegal everywhere in Singapore, including Designated Smoking Areas; see our entry on e-cigarettes and vapes.

Visitors to Orchard Road should also know about Singapore’s 10.30pm public drinking ban. More rules are on the Singapore bans page.

General information, not legal advice.