Making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in Singapore takes three steps: fill in the form on OPG Online, have your donees accept, then visit a Certificate Issuer. For most Singapore Citizens the form itself is free, the only appointment is one visit to a doctor or lawyer, and registration takes about a month after that.
An LPA is one of those tasks people mean to get round to. It is also simpler than most expect.
Here is what it is, the three steps, and what it costs in November 2026.
What a Lasting Power of Attorney Is, and Is Not
An LPA is a legal document that lets a person aged at least 21 (the donor) appoint one or more people (donees) to make decisions and act for them if they lose mental capacity.
Donees can be given powers in two areas:
- Personal welfare: where you live, your day-to-day care.
- Property and affairs: your bank accounts, CPF matters, property and bills.
Three things are worth knowing from the start.
It only takes effect if you lose capacity. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) says a donee can act only once a medical practitioner has certified that the donor has lost mental capacity.
It is not a will. A will deals with your estate after death, and without one intestacy law decides who inherits. An LPA covers the period when you are alive but cannot decide for yourself, and it ends when you die.
Without one, your family must apply to court to be appointed as your deputy. We explain that route in Losing Mental Capacity Without an LPA.
Form 1 or Form 2?
There are two versions of the LPA.
| Form 1 | Form 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Grants general powers, with basic restrictions you can select | Grants customised powers |
| Who prepares it | You, online | A lawyer must draft the clauses |
| Donees | Up to two, plus one replacement donee | More than two allowed |
| OPG application fee for Singapore Citizens | Free | S$30 |
OPG says 98% of Singapore Citizens who have made an LPA used Form 1. Form 2 is for people with specific wishes or more complex affairs that the standard options do not cover.
The Three Steps
All LPAs are now made on OPG Online (OPGO), using Singpass. Paper forms are accepted only in limited situations, such as when a donor cannot use the system because of a disability or is not eligible for Singpass.
Step 1: Fill in the LPA online
Log in to OPGO with Singpass. Name your donee or donees and choose the powers to give them.
If you appoint two donees, you decide whether they must act jointly (together on every decision) or jointly and severally (together or separately). A replacement donee steps in if a donee can no longer act.
It helps to talk to your intended donees first, so they know your wishes and are willing to act.
Step 2: Your donees accept
Each donee logs in to OPGO with their own Singpass, reviews the LPA and accepts the appointment. A donee can also decline.
Step 3: Get it certified
Once all your donees have accepted, visit a Certificate Issuer in person to have the LPA certified. Bring your phone with the Singpass app set up, because you and the Certificate Issuer both sign digitally.
After that, the LPA goes to OPG for registration.
The short version: Fill in Form 1 on OPG Online, have your donees accept, then visit a Certificate Issuer. For Singapore Citizens the OPG application fee for Form 1 is nil. You pay only the Certificate Issuer, and registration takes roughly a month after that.
Who Can Certify Your LPA
OPG lists three types of professional who can act as a Certificate Issuer:
- A medical practitioner accredited by the Public Guardian.
- A practising lawyer.
- A registered psychiatrist.
The Certificate Issuer is there to protect you. They confirm that you understand the purpose of the LPA and the powers you are giving, and that no fraud or undue pressure is involved.
To avoid conflicts of interest, certain people cannot certify your LPA. They include your family members, your donees and their family members, your business partners or employees, and staff of a care facility where you live.
You can book an accredited doctor through the Health Appointment System, which shows each issuer’s fee and earliest appointment.
What It Costs
There are two separate costs.
The OPG application fee. OPG’s current fees table, lists:
- Singapore Citizens: Form 1 free, Form 2 $30.
- Permanent Residents: $30 for either form.
- Foreigners: $160 for either form.
Fees are not refunded once an application is submitted, even if it is rejected.
On the waiver: the earlier Form 1 fee waiver for citizens had been due to expire on 31 March 2026. In a parliamentary reply on 5 March 2026, the Ministry of Social and Family Development said Form 1 would be free of charge for all Singapore Citizens after that waiver ended. OPG’s website states no end date.
The Certificate Issuer’s fee. Everyone pays this, and OPG does not set it. As a guide, OPG published the fees charged for Form 1 certification by the 20 most visited issuers, as at June 2025:
- Accredited doctors: median $47.50 (range $24 to $500).
- Lawyers: median $104.50 (range $50 to $600).
- Psychiatrists: median $350, up to $1,500. OPG’s table also gives $24 as the lowest psychiatrist fee, the same figure as for doctors, so confirm the actual fee when you book.
These exclude consultation charges and GST, and may have changed since. Ask for the full price when you book.
OPG also lists organisations offering free or means-tested certification for people with financial needs.
How Long It Takes
Filling in Form 1 can be done in one sitting. The wait comes after certification.
OPG says processing an online application may take about eight working days. A mandatory three-week waiting period follows before the LPA can be registered. So allow about a month from certification to registration.
Once registered, you and your donees can view the LPA on OPGO.
That month is a reason not to leave it late. An LPA can only be made while you still have mental capacity. After a serious stroke or once dementia has advanced, it may no longer be possible.
What To Do Next
- Decide who you would trust to act for you, and ask whether they are willing. Our guide for donees, I’m the Donee. Now What?, sets out what the role involves.
- Log in to OPG Online with Singpass and start Form 1.
- Compare Certificate Issuer fees on the Health Appointment System before booking.
- If you need help with the online form, visit a ServiceSG centre or call the OPG hotline on 1800-111-2222.
- If your wishes do not fit Form 1, or your affairs are complex, speak to a lawyer about Form 2.
- An LPA is one document among several. Our legacy readiness checklist also covers your will and CPF nomination.
- For medical wishes, see how ACP, an AMD and an LPA differ, and how to revoke an LPA online if your choice of donee changes.
