What Is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in Singapore?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets you appoint one or more trusted people — called donees — to make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity. In Singapore, an LPA can cover two broad areas: personal welfare and property & affairs.

It is designed for situations where you are still alive but unable to decide for yourself due to illness, injury, or a medical condition that affects capacity.

You must be at least 21 years old and have mental capacity when making the LPA. You choose the donee or donees you trust to act for you.

An LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used.

Personal welfare decisions relate to your care and daily life, such as living arrangements and medical care preferences. Property & affairs decisions relate to managing your finances and assets, such as paying bills or handling property matters.

You can choose to give a donee authority in one area or both, depending on your comfort level and needs.

Applications are made through the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), using OPG Online (OPGO). The MSF guidance outlines the Form 1 online process as: the donor completes the LPA in OPGO, donee(s) accept the appointment in OPGO, the donor visits a Certificate Issuer for certification and signing, the Certificate Issuer submits the LPA in OPGO, and both donor and donee(s) receive e-notifications when the LPA is accepted for registration and when it is registered.

For LPA Form 2, the donor starts by visiting a lawyer to draft the LPA in OPGO.

OPGO uses Singpass login. LPA applications are generally submitted online; hardcopy applications are only accepted in limited exceptional situations, and in-person help is available at ServiceSG centres.

The LPA must be certified by a Certificate Issuer and registered with OPG before it can be used.

When completing your LPA, the LPA Form must be witnessed and certified by a Certificate Issuer. In Singapore, a Certificate Issuer can be: 1) a medical practitioner accredited by the Public Guardian, 2) a practising lawyer (a Singapore solicitor qualified to practise Singapore law in a Singapore law firm), or 3) a registered psychiatrist.

You can book an online appointment with Certificate Issuers through the Health Appointment System. It shows the Certificate Issuer fee and the earliest available appointment slots, and you will receive an SMS booking confirmation.

To make an LPA, you may need to pay for the LPA application and the LPA certification. Singapore citizens who make their LPA Form 1 by 31 March 2026 will have their application fees waived. If an LPA application fee applies, OPG will contact you via SMS or email after receiving your LPA form.

Application fees (if they apply) are: S$70 for Singapore citizens, S$90 for permanent residents, and S$230 for foreigners. No refund is given once the LPA application is submitted to OPG, regardless of outcome (including rejection).

The cost for LPA certification varies depending on your choice of Certificate Issuer.

A Will takes effect after you pass away. An LPA is used while you are alive, if you lose mental capacity. They cover different situations and do not replace each other.

Many people choose to put both in place so their wishes are covered during life and after death.