Notary Services
Notarisation, Apostille & Legalisation of Documents in Singapore
Yuen Law offers a comprehensive range of Notary Public services, from certifying true copies of original documents, witnessing and attesting to the signing of document, to obtaining consular or embassy legalisation.
Who can Notarise Documents in Singapore?
A Notary Public, appointed by the Board of Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public, is responsible for certifying the authenticity and valid execution of documents. Typically, a Notary Public is a qualified lawyer with at least 15 years of experience.
At Yuen Law, we can notarise your documents for use abroad. After notarisation, you will need to get the documents authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL).
Apostillation of Documents
Apostille Act in force since 16 October 2021
Before Singapore joined the Apostille Convention, legalising foreign documents was a complex and expensive process. It involved visiting a Notary Public, the SAL, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and finally the consulates, embassies or high commission of the destination country to get the documents signed and sealed according to the foreign country’s legal requirements.
On 18 January 2021, Singapore acceded to the Apostille Convention, eliminating the need for legalisation of foreign public documents. Starting 16 September 2021, SAL began issuing Apostilles for all Singapore documents destined for overseas use, including:
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- Public documents issued by the Singapore government (e.g., marriage/birth certificates, education certificates)
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- Private documents (e.g., power of attorney, title deeds)
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- Commercial documents (e.g., invoices, certificates of origin, bills of sale)
For private documents, the process has been streamlined to a two-step process for documents that need to be recognized in member countries of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.
How to Apostille Private Documents
A Two-Step Process
For private documents needing authentication and apostillation for recognition in member countries of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty, the process has been simplified as follows:
Step One – Notarisation
A Notary Public who must be a qualified person under the Notaries Public Act, and is appointed to serve in this capacity. The Notary Public will affix their seal to the document and issue a Notarial Certificate. Yuen Law offers same-day turnaround for notarisation. Our office is open on weekdays from 9 am to 6 pm. Call us at +65 6536 6037 to make an appointment.
Step Two – Authentication
Bring the notarised document to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) at The Adelphi for authentication and apostillation. SAL will authenticate the Notarial Certificate by affixing an Apostille to the back of the Notarial Certificate. No appointment is necessary, SAL accepts walk-ins during operating hours from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
In addition, Yuen Law provides comprehensive services for the preparation of affidavits, statutory declarations, witnessing, and certifying true copies. Our team ensures strict compliance with the Notaries Public Act and adheres to the highest standards of legal execution. All documents are duly sealed with a seal, and our qualified persons are available to provide expert guidance throughout the process.
How to Legalise Public or Government Documents
If you need documents legalised for use in a country that is a Contracting Party to the Apostille Convention, you no longer need to have them legalised at the foreign embassy in Singapore. Simply visit SAL to have your documents legalised.
Please refer to this chart or the Singapore Academy of Law’s website for more details. Do note that you will still need to follow the usual legalisation process for documents intended to be used in non-contracting countries of the apostille convention.
Preparing for the Notary Appointment
When visiting Yuen Law for notarisation, please do not pre-sign your document as our Notary Public needs to witness its execution. Additionally, remember to bring your original identification documents.
If you require certification of a true copy of a document, please bring the original document to our office.
We also provide on-site notary services and can assist with document authentication or submissions to foreign embassies for legalisation upon request.
Notary Fees
Notarial Fees are prescribed under the Notary Public Rules.
Notary Fees for Witnessing the Signing of a Document
Individuals
| Notary Service | Fees |
| Witnessing the signing of Private Documents by an Individual | $40 for the first person signing $20 for the second person signing the same document $10 for each additional person signing the same document $10 for each exhibit attached to the document |
| Notary Certificate | $75 for one certificate $20 for each additional person in the same certificate |
| SAL Authentication Fees | $87.20 |
Companies
| Notary Service | Fees |
| Witnessing the signing of Private Documents by a Company | $150 |
Notary Fees for Certifying True Copies
| Notary Service | Fees |
| Examining and certifying as to the correctness of a document, where seal is required | $10 for the first page $2 for each subsequent page |
| Examining and certifying as to the correctness of a document, where seal is not required | $5 for the first page $1 for each subsequent page |
| Notary Certificate | $75 for one certificate |
| SAL Authentication Fees | $87.20 per notarial certificate |
Figuring out what you need and how much it will cost can be confusing. Get in touch with us with specific requirements, and we will explain everything step-by-step. We will give you a clear price before you decide to proceed.
For assistance in matters concerning Notaries Public, do contact us to make an appointment.
Who can notarise documents in Singapore?
How do I know the cost of Notarising my documents?
The costs for notarization depends on the specific requirements. To confirm the cost, kindly provide the following details:
- List of documents to be notarized and the number of copies required;
- Provide us a copy of the documents to be notarized by emailing it to inquiry@yuenlaw.com.sg;
- Confirm whether you require a (1) certified true copy of the document, or (2) attestation of due execution before a notary public;
- Specify the intended destination of the documents.
Can I get a Notary Certificate without an Apostille Certificate, and will it be accepted?
According to the Notaries Public Rules, a Notarial Certificate must be authenticated by the Singapore Academy of Law in order to be valid. A notarised document without SAL’s authentication and legalisation is considered to be invalid. With effect from 16 September 2021, a Notarial Certificate shall be deemed to be validly authenticated by the affixing of an Apostille to the back of the Notarial Certificate.
What is the difference between Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public?
Commissioners for oaths are competent to administer oaths for affidavit, swearing of executors and administrators, and taking or receiving statutory declarations. The documents are generally intended for use within Singapore.
A notary public’s duty is to attest deeds, contracts, and other instruments intended for use abroad, and to give a certificate of the due execution of such documents duly authenticated by his signature and notarial seal. Additionally, a notary public can also examine and certify/ the correctness of the copy of a document.
In general, if your document is intended for use outside of Singapore, it is likely that you need the services of a Notary Public. Conversely, if the document is to be used within Singapore, a Commissioner for Oaths is usually sufficient.
Can you notarise digital documents?
We can only notarize digital documents for which we can confirm authenticity. For instance:
- If you possess only a digital copy of an IRAS letter, we can establish its authenticity if you can log into the IRAS tax portal in the presence of the notary public and download a copy.
- Similarly, if you have only a digital copy of an ACRA document, we can confirm the authenticity of the ACRA certified PDF document by scanning the QR code of the ACRA document.
If there is no way to confirm the authenticity of the digital copy, you can request the issuing authority to provide a certified copy.
Do you require us to login to ACRA to download a copy of the ACRA documents in the presence of the Notary Public in order to confirm its authenticity?
If the document contains an ACRA-issued QR code at the bottom, we will authenticate it by scanning the QR code. Therefore, there is no need for the document to be downloaded from the ACRA portal in our presence.
Can you notarise a Certificate of Clearance (“COC”) issued by the Singapore Police Force?
We are not able to notarise a COC, but you have it legalised directly by the Singapore Academy of Law.
What are the considerations when deciding if we require one notarial certificate or separate notarial certificates?
If only one certificate is required, all documents will be bound together with the certificate and cannot be separated. This is the most cost-effective option.
However, if the documents need to be used separately, we recommend issuing a separate notarial certificate for each document. The cost per certificate is $162.20, which includes $75 for the notarial certificate and $87.20 in authentication fees payable to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL).
Please confirm the requirements with the receiving party and let us know whether you need a single notarial certificate for all documents or separate certificates for each.
How long will notarisation take?
Notarisation will take 1-2 working days after verification of the original documents, if translation is required, it will take another 5-7 working days.
