Understanding LPA
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document and deed that lets you (the "Donor") appoint 1 or more trusted people (the "Donee") to make decisions on your behalf in the event you lose mental capacity.
Mental capacity loss can happen due to:
advanced dementia
mental health illness
a coma
unconsciousness caused by an illness or medical treatment
Your Donee(s) can only act on your behalf if a registered medical practitioner certifies that you’ve lost mental capacity.
Examples of deeds include:
An instrument used to appoint another individual to act on your behalf
An instrument used to transfer an interest in immovable property. In the case of an LPA, Donee may be able to do so on behalf of the Donor if they are granted property and affairs powers as defined in the LPA.
Who can make an LPA
To make an LPA, you must:
be at least 21 years old
have the mental capacity and ability to make your own decisions
not be an undischarged bankrupt if you wish to make an LPA for property and affairs matters
What happens if you do not have an LPA
If you lose mental capacity, someone must apply to the Court under the Mental Capacity Act to either:
make the specific decisions for you
appoint 1 or more persons to be your deputy to make decisions on personal welfare, property and affairs, or both personal welfare and property and affairs for you
This process will take longer and will be more costly.
How to make an LPA
Most people use LPA Form 1 , which supports up to 2 Donees and 1 Replacement Donee with standard powers.
Consult a lawyer to complete LPA Form 2 if you need to:
appoint more than 2 Donees
appoint more than 1 Replacement Donee
grant your Donee or Donees specific and customised powers
Submitting Form 2 is the same as that for Form 1, except that it must be drafted by a lawyer instead of the Donor.
Steps to complete LPA Form 1 application
Choose 1 or 2 Donees, and 1 Replacement Donee (optional)
How to choose a DoneePrepare your LPA onlineYou'll need a Singpass account and the details of each Donee and Replacement Donee.
Prepare your LPA Form 1 onlineWait for your Donees to accept their appointments using Singpass
Visit an LPA certificate issuer to certify and submit the LPA
LPA Certificate Issuer (CI)
The LPA CI can be:
a medical professional accredited by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)
a registered psychiatrist
a practising lawyer (excluding lawyers registered under section 36E of the Legal Profession Act 1966)
What to prepare before your appointment
Make sure your chosen certificate issuer can certify your LPA online.
Download the Singpass app — you'll need it to digitally sign your LPA during the session.
After your LPA is certified, the certificate issuer will submit the LPA application to OPG on your behalf via OPGO .
Book an appointment with a participating CIFees
You’ll need to pay the LPA application fee and the CI certification fee.
LPA application fees
LPA Form 1 application fee | LPA Form 2 application fee | |
|---|---|---|
Singapore citizens | Free | $185 |
Singapore permanent residents | $90 | $230 |
Foreigners | $230 | $275 |
How to pay : OPG will notify you via SMS or email for payment after they receive your LPA form. To pay with a credit card, you can log in to OPGO .
No refund will be given once the LPA application is submitted to OPG regardless of the application outcome, including rejection.
CI certification fees
You'll need to pay your CI a fee to get your LPA certified,which will vary depending on your CI.
After submitting your LPA
Your LPA will only be valid after it’s registered with OPG, which takes about 4 weeks. During this time, there is a mandatory 3-week waiting period for any objections from your Donee or Donees. If there are none, OPG will automatically register your LPA.
You'll receive a notification once your LPA is registered and valid.
Once registered, you and your Donees can view your LPA on the OPGO website . You can also revoke it at any time if you change your mind.
What’s next?
After you’ve made your LPA, consider Advance Care Planning (ACP) to share your values and care preferences with loved ones.
If needed, you can make changes to your LPA, revoke it, or change your or your Donee’s details .
Getting help
If you need help completing your LPA application, you can visit a ServiceSG centre or contact the OPG office .
Office of the Public Guardian
Email: enquiry@publicguardian.gov.sg
Phone number: 1800 111 2222
Operating hours :
Monday to Friday: 8.30am to 6pm
Saturday: 8.30am to 1pm
OPG is a division of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) that works towards protecting the dignity and interests of individuals who lack mental capacity and are vulnerable. They help to maintain a register of LPAs. For any LPA to be valid, it must be registered with the OPG.