Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths Fees in Singapore

People often ask for a single price “per document,” but formal document work is priced by the acts required. One file can contain several declarations, signers and exhibits. A notarial job can add certified pages, a notarial certificate, SAL authentication and copies. The quote is therefore a description of a process, not simply the cost of applying a stamp.

Singapore’s Commissioners for Oaths Rules and Notaries Public Rules contain fee schedules. The current Commissioner for Oaths schedule lists S$25 for taking an affidavit or affirmation before an advocate and solicitor appointed as a commissioner, with S$5 for each exhibit, and S$25 for taking a statutory declaration with S$5 for each required exhibit. Different court-service categories can have different published amounts.

The Notaries Public Rules list separate scale items for executions, declarations, certified copies, notarial certificates and other acts. If a required service is not specifically listed, the rules allow a reasonable fee in the circumstances. Always use the current legislation and the provider’s itemised quotation rather than an old price from a forum or cached directory page.

Count each affidavit or declaration, each person making it and each exhibit that must be marked. Tell the office whether documents are for a court proceeding or a non-court purpose. A four-page affidavit with three attachments is not priced in the same way as four unrelated affidavits with no exhibits.

Ask whether the quote includes GST, copying, printing, drafting, after-hours attendance, travel or interpretation. Commissioning fees do not necessarily cover legal advice or preparation. If you arrive with an incomplete form and ask a lawyer to rewrite it, that is different work and may require a separate engagement—or the office may decline to draft it at all.

Singapore Courts publishes its own estimated fees for eligible court-based services, grouped by court and document type. Those services are by appointment and limited to court-related documents. Do not use the court table as a promised private-firm quote.

• Number and type of affidavits, declarations or acknowledgments.
• Number of people who must swear, affirm or sign.
• Number of exhibits and whether any are multi-page bundles.
• Court or non-court use, appointment date and language needs.
• Whether drafting, copies, travel or urgent service is requested.

For notarial work, identify the act rather than describing only the paper. Is the notary witnessing one person’s execution, certifying a copy, recording a company execution or administering a statutory declaration? How many people, pages, copies, exhibits and destination countries are involved? Does each recipient require a separate certificate?

The current Notaries Public Rules include, among other items, S$40 for notarial execution by one person, additional amounts for more parties and exhibits, and page-based fees for certified true copies. They also list fees for notarial certificates. These figures should be read together with the entire schedule and the facts of the request; lifting one line is not a reliable total.

Ask the notary to state what is included and what may change after document review. A quote based on “one certificate” can change if the overseas recipient actually demands three original sets, individual certificates for multiple documents, a translation or a company resolution.

When a Singapore document is notarised for overseas use, SAL authentication or an apostille may form part of the required chain. SAL’s live FAQ currently states an authentication fee of S$87.20 including GST for a notarised document. The payment is made upfront at the notary’s office so the notarial certificate can be issued through the system.

That SAL amount is not the notary’s complete fee. The notarial act remains separately payable, and paper handling, electronic format, certified copies or destination-specific work can add cost. If more than one notarial certificate is required, ask how many SAL charges apply.

Paper and electronic apostille choices should be settled before payment. SAL says e-Apostille fees are not refundable and that a printed electronic certificate has no legal effect. Reordering the job in a different format can mean paying again.

Send clear scans for review only through the firm’s approved secure channel, while keeping the originals for the appointment. State the document’s issuing country, destination country, receiving organisation, deadline and exact written requirement. List the number of signers, source documents, pages, exhibits and finished sets.

Ask the provider to separate professional fees, SAL fees, GST and optional costs such as translation, courier or urgent attendance. Confirm whether the quote assumes you supply correctly prepared documents and whether it expires. Do not send unredacted identity records through an unverified messaging account.

• “This is a six-page private agreement for use by Bank A in Country B.”
• “Two people will sign; there are three exhibits and we need two original sets.”
• “The bank requires a paper notarial certificate and apostille by 15 September.”
• “Please confirm the notary fee, SAL fee, GST and any copying or courier charge.”

A convenient office that reviews the recipient’s requirement before booking may cost less overall than a cheaper appointment that produces an unusable certificate. Compare like with like: the same act, number of documents, number of finished sets, certificate format and included external fees.

Avoid providers who promise acceptance by every foreign authority or quote without asking where the document will be used. No notary controls an overseas recipient’s decision. A careful provider will usually ask questions and may tell you to obtain clarification.

NearbyNotary does not set provider prices and cannot guarantee a directory listing’s quote. Use it to find suitable offices, then contact two or three with the same written brief. Before paying, check the current SAL guidance and statutory fee schedules linked below; this guide was reviewed on the displayed date but official sources can change.