What is Notary Public and the importance of it.
A notary public in Singapore is a qualified lawyer, appointed by the Chief Justice through the Board of Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public, who verifies signatures, confirms identities, and certifies documents for use overseas. Notarisation is most commonly required for documents such as powers of attorney, affidavits, statutory declarations, and educational certificates that need to be recognised outside Singapore.
What a notary public actually does
A notary’s core function is to act as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents. This involves verifying the identity of the person signing, confirming they understand what they’re signing and are doing so willingly and without coercion, and then applying an official seal or certificate to authenticate the document. Their work exists to prevent fraud and give foreign authorities, banks, or institutions confidence that a document was properly executed under Singapore law.
Common documents that require notarisation include:
- Powers of attorney
- Affidavits and statutory declarations
- Certified true copies of documents (such as passports or degree certificates)
- Business agreements and corporate documents used overseas
- Adoption papers
Who is qualified to act as a notary public
Not every lawyer can notarise documents. To be appointed, a person must be a practising advocate and solicitor in Singapore with at least 15 years of legal experience, be at least 40 years old, and be assessed as a “fit and proper person” by the Board of Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public. A notary’s appointment can also be revoked — for example, if they are struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors, declared bankrupt, or found guilty of professional misconduct.
Legal Analysis: Common mistakes people make with notarisation
1. Signing the document before meeting the notary
2. Assuming any lawyer can notarise a document
Because notaries must meet specific age, experience, and appointment requirements, not every solicitor is authorised to provide notarial services. Engaging the wrong professional can result in a document that foreign authorities won’t accept.
3. Not checking the destination country's specific requirements
Notarisation requirements vary significantly by country — some require additional authentication (such as Singapore Academy of Law authentication) or an Apostille on top of notarisation. Failing to confirm this upfront is a common cause of document rejection.
4. Bringing incomplete or unverifiable identification
Since a notary’s job is to confirm identity, arriving without proper original identification documents (not photocopies) can delay or derail the appointment.
5. Underestimating processing time for complex documents
While straightforward notarisations can often be completed within a few days, documents requiring further legalisation or authentication can take considerably longer — timing mistakes are common when documents are needed for time-sensitive matters like an overseas property purchase or court deadline.
6. Not budgeting for the full cost
Notary fees are typically calculated per document and per service type, and additional certificates or authentication steps carry separate charges — people are often surprised when the total cost is higher than the base notarisation fee alone.
The bottom line
A notary public’s role is narrow but important: verifying who you are, confirming you understand and freely agree to what you’re signing, and certifying that fact for use abroad. Most notarisation problems come down to timing — signing too early, underestimating how long the process takes, or not confirming what the receiving country actually requires before starting.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Notarisation requirements vary by document type and destination country; consult a qualified notary public for your specific situation.