Questions you may have

A Notary Public is generally an appointed person of good standing authorized to carry out notarial acts such as the attesting of documents. A Notary Public is regarded as a credible witness and certifications by a Notary Public are by convention and treaty accepted by parties outside a country. There are Notaries Public in most countries and their powers and functions vary according to the law applicable. In Singapore a Notary Public is usually a senior lawyer in practice for at least 12 years and is appointed by the Singapore Academy of Law for periods of one year at a time.

Following attestation of a document eg. seeing a document being signed or sighting an original document and certifying true copies, the Notary will so certify and stamp the document. A notarial certificate must then be issued and authenticated by the SAL.

Since 15 February 2017 a Notary Public who attests a document is required by law to issue and secure a Notarial Certificate to the document attested (Read FAQ 3). Since 1 October 2019 Authentication by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) of every Notarial Certificate has been required by law. The SAL’s authentication fees must be paid on-line by the Notary Public to generate a Notarial Certificate. After that a Notarial Certificate must be physically submitted to the SAL for the SAL’s Authentication Certificate to be affixed onto it. An appointment is needed for this purpose. We can assist with this.

Each document to be signed (even if a duplicate) must be separately notarised and a separate notarial certificate issued and attached to each document as per SAL FAQ 9 referred to below.  However, photocopies to be certified as true copies may be bundled and attached to one notarial certificate if so required by you or permitted as per FAQ 4 referred to below.

The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) has issued FAQs regarding this to Notaries.

SAL FAQ 9 states that it is mandatory for all notaries public to issue a Notarial Certificate for each document and that a separate notarial certificate is required for each copy of the same document. This relates to documents the signing of which is being attested by the notary.

However, SAL FAQ 4 states that Subject to the requirements of the embassy/recipient country, the Board of Commissioners For Oaths and Notaries Public has agreed to allow bundling/consolidation of Certified True Copies. This relates to photocopies being certified as true copies upon the original document being produced and shown to the notary.

The above SAL FAQs are not in their entirety. Please refer to SAL or ask us if you require the full text of the same.

You shall have to pay Notary Fees + Singapore Academy of Law Authentication Fees.

Notary Fees are prescribed in the Notaries Public rules. Notary Fees are at the following rates :-

Notary Certificate $75
Witnessing signing by one person $40
Certifying a True Copy $5/$10

The Singapore Academy of Law’s Fees: $85.60 per Notarial Certificate.

We shall tell you in advance the fees payable after understanding your requirements.

Fees for consular legalisation varies depending on the consular authority concerned etc. Please contact us for a no obligation quote.

Notarisation: 30 – 45 minutes.

Singapore Academy of Law Authentication/Legalisation/Apostille: Same/Next Working Day

Full Legalisation: Varies and Subject to Consular Authority/Embassy

1. The document/s to be signed or original document

2. Government issued photo identification eg identity card, passport, work pass

3. Instructions, if any

4. Other documents as may be required and advised, if any.

Appointments can be obtained at short notice during usual office hours on either the same or next working day. Arrangements can also be made for on-site and meetings outside usual office hours. Please email info@notarysingapore.sg or call 65 63923995 or Click here to make an appointment.

These steps must still be done. Since 15 February 2017 a Notary Public who attests a document is required by law to issue and secure a Notarial Certificate to the document. Authentication by the SAL has been required by law since 1 October 2019. Every issued Notarial Certificate carries a statement that it must be authenticated by the SAL in order to be valid.

The SAL’s Authentication confirms the due appointment of the Notary Public.

The purpose is to confirm that a public document is genuine or that the copy of the public document is a true copy of a genuine document or that the document was in fact signed or issued as appears on the face of the public document. The Authority issuing Apostille Certificates in Singapore is the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL).

This depends on the requirements of the intended recipient and/or law in the destination country.

The Apostille process is shorter and replaces the full chain of Legalisation between countries that have implemented the Hague Apostille Convention. The Convention came into force in Singapore on 16 September 2021. If the destination country of the document has not signed or given force to the Convention the full chain of legalisation including consular legalisation may be required. The countries which have caused the Hague Apostille Convention to enter into force can be obtained from The Hague Conference on Private International Law’s website: http://hcch.e-vision.nl/index_en.php?act=conventions.status&cid=41

You can also call us for this information.

Public Documents: any original Public Document or a true copy of a Public Document can be Apostilled without prior Notarisation.  The Singapore Academy of Law affixes an Apostille Certificate onto such document upon submission.

Notary Certificates: A Notary Certificate which has been authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law can be Apostilled.  The Singapore Academy of Law affixes the Apostille Certificate in addition to their Authentication Certificate onto such Notary Certificate upon submission.

A document which has been issued by a Singapore Government or quasi-Government Authority (eg a Birth Certificate issued by the Singapore Registry of Births and Deaths or a Certificate of Incorporation issued by ACRA or a degree issued by NUS etc). It is a document which is part of the public record.

Yes. It is for the intended recipient to stipulate what is required.

Any document which is not a Public Document is a private document. It is a document created or issued by an individual or entity in a private capacity. Examples would be a power of attorney or a degree certificate issued by private school.

Not all documents which require notarisation require either an apostille or legalisation.  It is for the intended recipient to stipulate for this.

No. The Notary is not your lawyer and will not give you advise and will not read or explain the document to you and will not sign any certification to this effect.

No. A Commissioner for Oaths may not do so.