Statute Details
- Title: Notaries Public Rules
- Act Code: NPA1959-R1
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Notaries Public Act (Cap. 208), section 8
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key amendments (timeline highlights): Amended by S 307/2016 (w.e.f. 1 Jul 2016); S 44/2017 (w.e.f. 15 Feb 2017); S 460/2008 (w.e.f. 15 Sep 2008); S 641/2019 (w.e.f. 1 Oct 2019)
- Principal provisions discussed: Sections 2–9; First Schedule (fees); Second Schedule (certification seal pattern); First Schedule includes Part I (Academy fees) and Part II (notary fees)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Notaries Public Rules are subsidiary rules made under the Notaries Public Act to regulate how notaries public in Singapore are appointed, how they administer notarial acts, and what administrative and documentary requirements they must follow. In practical terms, the Rules set out the “operating system” for notarial practice: who can apply, what information must be disclosed, what fees apply, how long appointments last, and—critically—how notarial certificates must be issued and sealed.
The Rules also create a compliance framework through record-keeping and oversight. Notaries public must maintain a register of documents they administer, provide information to the Secretary when required, and make their register available for inspection. This supports accountability and helps ensure that notarial acts are performed consistently and traceably.
While the Rules are not a full code of notarial law, they are highly practical. For lawyers and notaries, the most consequential provisions are those governing application and appointment (including disclosure of bankruptcy, convictions, misconduct, and disciplinary proceedings), the form and security of the notarial certificate, and the stamping/sealing requirements that affect the validity and acceptability of notarial documents for use in Singapore and abroad.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Definitions (Section 2) clarify key terms used throughout the Rules. Notably, “Academy” refers to the Singapore Academy of Law, and “Secretary” and “Senate” refer to the Academy’s internal governance roles. The Rules also define “oath” broadly to include affirmation and declaration, and “affidavit” to include statutory or other declarations. These definitions matter because they expand the scope of notarial acts that trigger certificate and sealing obligations.
Fees payable to the Academy (Section 3) governs the cost of entering and remaining within the notarial system. The Rules distinguish between (i) fees for an application for appointment or reappointment and (ii) fees for each appointment or reappointment. The specific amounts are set out in Part I of the First Schedule (Academy fees) and Part II of the First Schedule (fees payable to the notary public). A key procedural point is that no fee paid for an application is refundable. For practitioners, this means that applicants should ensure completeness and accuracy before submission, because unsuccessful applications cannot recover the application fee.
Duration of appointment (Section 4) provides that notaries public are appointed for one year and may be reappointed for each subsequent year at the Senate’s discretion. This annual cycle is important for compliance planning: notaries must track expiry dates and ensure reappointment applications are lodged on time.
Application procedure (Section 5) is one of the most compliance-sensitive provisions. For reappointment, applications must be lodged with the Secretary two clear months before the expiry of the preceding appointment period. For appointment or reappointment, the applicant must lodge an application setting out specified information, including:
- the applicant’s date of admission to the roll of the Supreme Court and the number of years in practice;
- whether the applicant is or has been an undischarged bankrupt or has made an arrangement with creditors;
- whether the applicant has ever been convicted of any offence;
- whether the applicant has ever been found guilty of professional misconduct;
- whether the applicant has been subject to disciplinary proceedings under Part VII of the Legal Profession Act, and if so, the date and nature of the complaint, whether a Disciplinary Committee was appointed, and the result.
From a practitioner’s perspective, Section 5 effectively requires a structured disclosure regime. Applicants should treat the application as a formal compliance statement, ensuring that disciplinary history is accurately described and supported by records. The inclusion of bankruptcy and professional misconduct indicators also signals that the Senate’s discretion is likely informed by risk and integrity considerations.
Register of notaries public (Section 6) requires that particulars of every notary public appointed by the Senate be registered with the Senate in a register maintained by the Secretary. This supports official verification of appointment status.
Instrument of appointment and stamping expiry dates (Section 7) sets out the physical and procedural elements of appointment. Upon appointment or reappointment, the notary receives:
- a certificate of appointment (and must exercise the appointment in accordance with its conditions);
- a notary’s stamp from the Academy specifying the expiry date.
Critically, the notary must stamp the expiry date on every document administered in the exercise of the appointment or reappointment. This is a practical validity and traceability safeguard: it ensures that third parties can see whether the notary was acting within the appointment period.
Notarial Certificate (Section 8) is the core operational requirement for notarial acts. A notary public must issue and sign a Notarial Certificate for each document attested or for each document in connection with which the notary administers an oath or affirmation, in the exercise of the notary’s powers and functions.
The Rules also prescribe the form of the Notarial Certificate: it must be in the form specified on the Internet website at https://legalisation.sal.sg. This means practitioners must use the current template and ensure they are using the correct version as published by the relevant portal.
Section 8 further imposes strict security and authentication requirements. A Notarial Certificate must be:
- secured to the document with a ribbon that runs through both the Notarial Certificate and the document;
- sealed with a seal of the pattern set out in the Second Schedule, affixed on the Notarial Certificate over the ribbon near the ends of that ribbon;
- authenticated in accordance with the Singapore Academy of Law Rules (Cap. 294A, R 1).
For lawyers and notaries, these requirements are not merely formalities. They are designed to prevent tampering and to ensure that the certificate is properly integrated with the underlying document. Failure to comply could undermine the document’s evidential weight or acceptance by foreign authorities or counterparties.
Register of documents administered (Section 9) requires each notary public to maintain a register of documents administered in the exercise of the appointment. The notary must (i) keep the register, (ii) furnish information as the Secretary may require, and (iii) make the register available for inspection by the Secretary upon request. This provision supports auditability and accountability and provides a mechanism for oversight if questions arise about particular notarial acts.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Notaries Public Rules are structured as a short set of procedural and compliance rules, supported by schedules. The main body contains Sections 1 to 9, covering citation, definitions, fees, appointment duration, application procedures, registers, appointment instruments, notarial certificates, and record-keeping.
Two schedules provide the technical details that practitioners must follow. The First Schedule contains the fees (split into Part I for fees payable to the Academy for applications and appointments/reappointments, and Part II for fees payable to the notary public). The Second Schedule sets out the pattern of the certification seal used when sealing Notarial Certificates. Together, these schedules operationalise the Rules by specifying the exact fee framework and the required seal design.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Rules apply primarily to notaries public appointed by the Senate under the Notaries Public Act, and to lawyers seeking appointment or reappointment as notaries public. The obligations in Sections 7 to 9—stamping expiry dates, issuing Notarial Certificates in the prescribed form, and maintaining registers—are directed at notaries in the course of their notarial practice.
Applicants are also directly affected by Section 5, because the application requires disclosure of professional and disciplinary history, bankruptcy status, and convictions. In practice, this means that lawyers considering notarial appointment must be prepared to provide comprehensive information and to demonstrate suitability for appointment and reappointment.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
The Notaries Public Rules are important because they translate the statutory framework into day-to-day requirements that affect the validity, integrity, and acceptability of notarial documents. The certificate and sealing requirements in Section 8—particularly the ribbon attachment, seal pattern, and authentication steps—are designed to prevent document substitution and to provide confidence to recipients and authorities that the notarial act is genuine and properly performed.
For practitioners, the Rules also have direct administrative consequences. The annual appointment cycle and the two-month lead time for reappointment applications require careful diary management. The non-refundable application fee under Section 3 underscores the need for accurate and complete applications, especially given the disclosure obligations regarding bankruptcy, convictions, professional misconduct, and disciplinary proceedings.
Finally, the record-keeping obligations in Section 9 support compliance and risk management. A well-maintained register can be crucial if the Secretary requests information or inspection, or if a dispute arises about what was administered and when. In a profession where notarial acts may be relied upon in cross-border transactions, these safeguards help protect both the public and the notary.
Related Legislation
- Notaries Public Act (Cap. 208), including section 8 (authorising power for these Rules)
- Legal Profession Act (Cap. 161), particularly Part VII (disciplinary proceedings referenced in Section 5)
- Singapore Academy of Law Act (Cap. 294A) and 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.