Statute Details
- Title: Notaries Public Rules
- Act Code: NPA1959-R1
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Notaries Public Act (Cap. 208, Section 8)
- Current version: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key amendments (timeline highlights): Amended by S 472/1996; S 435/1998; S 460/2008; S 307/2016; S 44/2017; S 641/2019
- Key provisions: Section 2 (definitions); Section 3 (fees); Section 4 (duration of appointment); Section 5 (application procedure); Section 6 (register of notaries public); Section 7 (instrument of appointment); Section 8 (notarial certificate); Section 9 (register of documents administered)
- Schedules: First Schedule (fees; Part I and Part II); Second Schedule (certification seal pattern)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Notaries Public Rules are subsidiary legislation made under the Notaries Public Act. In practical terms, they set out the administrative and procedural framework for how notaries public are appointed, how they renew their appointments, what fees are payable, and—critically—how notarial acts must be documented and certified.
Notaries public play a specialised role in Singapore’s legal system, particularly in relation to the authentication of documents and the administration of oaths or affirmations for use in legal and administrative contexts. The Rules therefore focus on ensuring that notarial authority is properly conferred, that notarial certificates follow a prescribed form and security features, and that notaries maintain records that can be inspected by the authorities.
Although the Rules are relatively concise, they are operationally significant. For practitioners, the most consequential provisions are those governing (i) the application and renewal process, (ii) the issuance and sealing of a Notarial Certificate, and (iii) the maintenance of a register of documents administered. These requirements affect day-to-day notarial practice and can be decisive in avoiding defects that may undermine the acceptability of documents abroad.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Definitions (Section 2) establishes key terms used throughout the Rules. Notably, it defines “Academy” as the Singapore Academy of Law constituted under the Singapore Academy of Law Act, and it clarifies that “oath” includes affirmation and declaration, while “swear” includes affirm and declare. It also defines “affidavit” broadly to include affirmation, statutory or other declaration. These definitions matter because notarial acts often involve oaths/affirmations and affidavits; the Rules ensure that the procedural requirements apply consistently to these related instruments.
Fees payable to the Academy (Section 3) provides the fee framework for the notarial appointment process. Under Section 3(1), fees are payable to the Academy for: (a) an application for appointment or reappointment as a notary public, and (b) for each appointment or reappointment as a notary public. The specific amounts are set out in Part I and Part II of the First Schedule. Section 3(2) states that fees paid for an application (under Section 3(1)(a)) are not refundable. This is important for practitioners managing administrative timelines and costs, particularly where an application may be unsuccessful or withdrawn.
Duration of appointment and reappointment (Section 4) states that notaries public are appointed for one year. They may be reappointed for each subsequent year at the discretion of the Senate. This annual cycle means that notarial authority is not indefinite; practitioners must plan for renewal and ensure compliance with the procedural requirements for reappointment.
Application procedure (Section 5) is one of the most practitioner-relevant provisions. For reappointment, applications must be lodged with the Secretary two clear months before the expiry of the preceding period of appointment (Section 5(1)). For appointment or reappointment, the application must set out detailed information, including: (a) the applicant’s admission date to the roll of the Supreme Court and the number of years in practice; (b) whether the applicant is or has been an undischarged bankrupt or has made an arrangement with creditors; (c) whether the applicant has ever been convicted of any offence; (d) whether the applicant has ever been found guilty of any professional misconduct; and (e) whether the applicant has been subject to disciplinary proceedings under Part VII of the Legal Profession Act, including the date and nature of the complaint and the outcome (Section 5(2)).
From a compliance perspective, Section 5(2) effectively requires full disclosure of relevant professional and disciplinary history. Practitioners should treat this as a due diligence checklist: incomplete or inaccurate disclosure could jeopardise appointment or reappointment, and may also raise broader professional conduct concerns.
Register of notaries public (Section 6) requires the Senate to register particulars of every appointed notary public in a register maintained by the Secretary in the form determined by the Senate. This supports official oversight and provides an authoritative reference for the notarial community and stakeholders.
Instrument of appointment and stamping requirements (Section 7) sets out the formalities of appointment and the conditions of practice. Upon appointment or reappointment, a notary public receives: (i) a certificate of appointment (Section 7(1)); (ii) a notary’s stamp from the Academy specifying the expiry date (Section 7(3)); and must exercise the appointment in accordance with the conditions stated in the certificate (Section 7(2)).
Most importantly, Section 7(4) requires the notary to stamp the expiry date of his appointment or reappointment on every document administered in exercise of the appointment. This is a practical safeguard: it ensures that the document bears evidence that the notarial act was performed within the validity period of the notary’s appointment.
Notarial Certificate requirements (Section 8) is the core operational section for notarial practice. Section 8(1) mandates that a notary public must issue and sign a certificate (called the “Notarial Certificate”) for each document attested or for each document in connection with which an oath or affirmation is administered, in exercise of the notary’s powers and functions.
Section 8(2) specifies that the Notarial Certificate must be in the form set out on the Internet website at https://legalisation.sal.sg. This means the prescribed form may be updated administratively through the website, and practitioners should ensure they are using the current version when preparing certificates.
Section 8(3) imposes strict security and authentication requirements. A Notarial Certificate must be: (a) secured to the document with a ribbon that runs through both the Notarial Certificate and the document; (b) sealed with a seal of the pattern set out in the Second Schedule, issued by the Academy, affixed on the Notarial Certificate over the ribbon near the ends of the ribbon; and (c) authenticated in accordance with the Singapore Academy of Law Rules (Cap. 294A, R 1). These requirements are designed to prevent tampering and to provide assurance to receiving authorities that the certificate is genuinely linked to the underlying document.
Register of documents administered (Section 9) requires each notary public to: (a) keep a register of documents administered in exercise of the appointment; (b) furnish such information as the Secretary may require; and (c) make the register available for inspection by the Secretary upon request. This is a record-keeping and accountability mechanism. In practice, it supports investigations, audits, and resolution of disputes about what was done, when, and in relation to which documents.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Notaries Public Rules are structured as a short set of numbered provisions followed by schedules. The main body contains Sections 1 to 9, covering citation, definitions, fees, appointment duration, application procedures, registers, instruments of appointment, notarial certificate requirements, and record-keeping obligations. The First Schedule sets out the fee amounts (split into Part I and Part II). The Second Schedule sets out the pattern for the certification seal used on Notarial Certificates. The Rules also incorporate external procedural standards by reference, including the form of the Notarial Certificate available on the Singapore Academy of Law’s legalisation website and authentication requirements under the Singapore Academy of Law Rules.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Rules apply to persons who are appointed as notaries public under the Notaries Public Act, and to applicants seeking appointment or reappointment. Practically, they govern the relationship between the notary public, the Senate and the Secretary (through the Academy’s administrative framework), and the formal requirements for notarial acts.
While the Rules are directed at notaries public, their effects are felt by lawyers and clients who rely on notarial services. Because the Notarial Certificate must follow a prescribed form and security features, and because documents must be stamped with the expiry date, the Rules influence how practitioners prepare documents for authentication and how clients expect their documents to be accepted by foreign authorities.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Notaries Public Rules are not long, they are highly consequential for the validity and international usability of notarial documents. Section 8’s requirements—especially the ribbon attachment, the prescribed seal pattern, and the authentication step—are designed to create a tamper-evident and verifiable chain of certification. For practitioners, failure to comply with these formalities can lead to rejection by counterparties or foreign registries, or can create evidentiary problems if the notarial act is later challenged.
The Rules also establish a clear governance and oversight structure. The annual appointment cycle (Section 4), the disclosure obligations in applications (Section 5), and the register of documents administered (Section 9) collectively support accountability. For lawyers, this means that notarial practice is not merely a professional service; it is a regulated function with compliance duties that must be documented and capable of inspection.
Finally, the Rules clarify the administrative process for appointment and reappointment, including timing (two clear months before expiry for reappointment applications) and non-refundable application fees. This has practical implications for workload planning and for ensuring that a notary’s authority does not lapse inadvertently—particularly where documents must be notarised on short timelines.
Related Legislation
- Notaries Public Act (Cap. 208) — authorising framework for appointment and regulation of notaries public
- Legal Profession Act (Cap. 161) — disciplinary proceedings referenced in Section 5(2)(e)
- Singapore Academy of Law Act (Cap. 294A) — establishes the Academy referenced in the Rules
- Singapore Academy of Law Rules (Cap. 294A, R 1) — referenced for authentication of Notarial Certificates
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Notaries Public Rules for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.