How does the 1km school rule work for P1 registration?
For oversubscribed P1 phases, MOE gives balloting priority by home-school distance: children living within 1km of the school are ranked first, then those between 1km and 2km, then those beyond 2km. Distance is measured using MOE's SchoolFinder tool from your child's official residence. A 30-month minimum stay condition applies after registration under an address used for priority.
The full rules
How the home-school distance rule works
When a P1 phase is oversubscribed, MOE uses home-school distance to decide balloting priority. Effective from 1 July 2022.
| Distance band | Priority order |
| Within 1km | First |
| 1km to 2km | Second |
| More than 2km | Third |
Key conditions
| Condition | Detail |
| Address | Must be the child's official residence |
| Measurement | Uses MOE's own SchoolFinder tool |
| Minimum stay | 30 months after registration, under an address used for priority |
Note: The bands only matter when a phase is oversubscribed. If places are not exceeded, distance priority does not come into play.
Worked example
Worked example
A family lives 0.8km from their preferred primary school and registers using that official residence address.
- Their distance falls in the within 1km band — the first priority group.
- In an oversubscribed phase, they are balloted ahead of families living 1km to 2km away, and ahead of those more than 2km away.
- Because they used this address for priority, they must maintain it as the child's official residence for at least 30 months after registration.
If a second family lives 1.5km away, they sit in the second band and are only considered after the within-1km group.
What this means for you
Living within 1km
You are in the first priority band. In an oversubscribed phase you are balloted before all others. Remember the 30-month stay condition applies to the address you used.
Living 1km to 2km away
You are in the second band. You are considered after within-1km applicants, but ahead of those beyond 2km.
Buying near a school for priority
Distance is measured by MOE's SchoolFinder from your child's official residence, so verify the exact reading there. If you rely on this address for priority, you must keep it for at least 30 months after registration.
Related questions
How is the 1km distance measured?
MOE uses its own SchoolFinder tool to measure the distance between your child's official residence and the school. Check the reading there rather than estimating.
Does living within 1km guarantee a place?
No. The distance bands only decide balloting priority when a phase is oversubscribed. Within 1km puts you in the first group, but a ballot may still apply.
What is the 30-month stay condition?
If you use an address for distance priority in P1 registration, you must keep it as the child's official residence for at least 30 months after registration.
What are the distance bands?
Within 1km first, then 1km to 2km, then more than 2km. Priority is given in that order during oversubscribed P1 phases.
When did this rule take effect?
The home-school distance priority arrangement described here took effect on 1 July 2022.
Sources: MOE — P1 registration: home-school distance · Last verified 2026-09-08