On 17 June 2026, the Ministry of Law (“MinLaw“) announced that Phase 3 of the Maintenance Enforcement Process (“MEP“) commences from 1 July 2026.
In this next and final phase of implementation, Phase 3 makes the MEP applicable to all applications to enforce maintenance orders made under the Women’s Charter 1961, the Guardianship of Infants Act 1934, the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966, and the Maintenance of Parents Act 1995. Previously, only repeat applications, or first-time applications involving arrears of at least S$10,000, were eligible.
For background, following the passing of the Family Justice Reform Act 2023 in Parliament on 8 May 2023, the MEP was introduced to deter non-payment of maintenance, make enforcement easier when there is non-payment, facilitate sustainable maintenance outcomes, and increase access to justice for applicants, especially those who are self-represented. In Phase 1 and Phase 2, the MEP was made available to: (i) eligible repeat maintenance enforcement applications; and (ii) eligible first-time applications involving maintenance arrears of at least S$10,000, respectively. Phase 3 expands this to cover the remaining forms of maintenance enforcement applications. For more information on Phase 1 and Phase 2, please refer to our December 2024-January 2025 NewsBytes article titled “Commencement of Phase 1 of New Maintenance Enforcement Process (w.e.f. 16 January 2025) to Deter Non-Payment and Facilitate Enforcement” and our September 2025 NewsBytes article titled “Maintenance Enforcement Process Phase 2 Commences on 1 October 2025 to Include First-Time Enforcement Applications for Arrears of Min. S$10,000 under Maintenance Orders“.
Under the MEP:
- Applicants who wish to enforce their maintenance orders can file their applications directly with the Family Justice Courts (“FJC“) or through an authorised agency, i.e. (i) Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations; and (ii) ServiceSG Centres at Our Tampines Hub and OnePunggol.
- Maintenance enforcement applications made at the FJC are referred to Maintenance Enforcement Officers (“MEOs“) from the Maintenance Enforcement Division sited in MinLaw. If the application is not eligible for the MEP, the FJC’s existing maintenance enforcement process will apply.
- The MEOs will conduct conciliation to facilitate amicable and sustainable settlement between parties. In conciliation, which replaces mediation, the MEOs play a more active role in seeking information and recommending solutions to parties. To ensure that the resolution of the application is based on parties’ true financial circumstances, the MEOs are empowered to obtain information from parties and, if necessary, banks and other third parties such as public agencies (including the Central Provident Fund Board, the Housing & Development Board, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, the Singapore Land Authority and the Land Transport Authority).
- The MEOs will then submit a report to the FJC, with which the FJC can more accurately determine parties’ financial circumstances and make more targeted and effective enforcement orders to recover maintenance arrears.
- Respondents referred to the MEP because of their failure to pay maintenance as ordered by the courts will have to pay a fee of S$180 for the follow-up undertaken by the MEO.
Click on the following link for more information:
- MinLaw Press Release titled “Third Phase of the Maintenance Enforcement Process to Commence on 1 July 2026” (available on the MinLaw website at mlaw.gov.sg)
If you have any queries on the above, please reach out to our team set out on this page.
For regional Private Client disputes, please see Rajah & Tann Asia’s Dispute Resolution Practice for more information.
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