Make a Lasting Power of Attorney in Singapore (2026 Guide)

Last updated on April 2, 2026

puzzle piece cut out from head to show mental incapacity

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows a person to appoint one or more persons, whom he trusts, to make key decisions and act on his behalf should he lose the mental capacity to do so.

The person making the LPA is referred to as a donor, while the appointed person is referred to as a donee. Through an LPA, the donee can be empowered to take care of the personal welfare and/or the financial matters of the donor.

To make an LPA, the donor must:

Be aged 21 or above
Not an undischarged bankrupt if you wish to make an LPA for property and affairs matters
Have the mental capacity to understand what he/she is doing

The use of an LPA is especially important if one is a sole breadwinner for the family, or is frequently beset with health problems.

Do note that there are many types of powers of attorney, and that the LPA is one special type that applies in the loss of mental capacity.

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When Does a Person Lack Mental Capacity in Singapore?

Under the Mental Capacity Act, a person is defined to lack capacity if he is:

“unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain”.

It does not matter whether the impairment or disturbance is permanent or temporary.

A person could lose mental capacity as a result of situations such as getting dementia, suffering from a stroke or sustaining head trauma in an accident.

Why Get a Lasting Power of Attorney?

Without an LPA, a court order would have to be obtained in order to administer the affairs of a person who lacks mental capacity. This court order is known as a Deputyship order where the court appoints a person to be the court-appointed deputy to manage the affairs of the person who lacks mental capacity.

An LPA avoids the hassle of getting a court order, which can be both a time-consuming and expensive process. Additionally, where a deputy is appointed, you do not get a say in who is appointed to act for you, unlike an LPA.

However, take note that LPAs made in Singapore will not be recognised in other countries and vice versa. If you spend significant periods of time abroad and/or have property overseas, you may also wish to make an LPA (or similar document) in those countries.

Difference Between a Lasting Power of Attorney and a Will

A will operates only after the will-maker’s death. The LPA operates after the donor loses his mental capacity.

The LPA also does not deal with the distribution of a person’s assets after his death. This is settled according to the terms of his will, or the laws of intestacy if the deceased had not made a will.

Who Can Be a Donee in Singapore?

A donee should be someone you trust who is reliable and competent to act on your behalf. They can be either a professional donee or non-professional donee:

Professional donee

A professional donee can be an individual or an organisation that acts as a donee on a paid basis.

Examples of professional donees who are individuals include lawyers and social workers. However, professional donees who are individuals cannot be related to the donor by blood or marriage.

Professional donees that are organisations are allowed to manage only the donor’s property and affairs.

Non-professional donee

Non-professional donees are individuals who act as donees without remuneration.

These individuals must be at least 21 years old. Individuals who are undischarged bankrupts are not allowed to manage the donor’s property and affairs.

Powers of the Donee

As mentioned, the donee is given the authority to make decisions about the donor’s personal welfare and/or property and financial matters. This includes where a donor is to live and how he is to be cared for.

The LPA can also allow the donee to access your bank accounts on your behalf.

A donor can have more than one donee. If there are more than one donee, the donor has to decide how they will act in the LPA:

Jointly: The donees have to act together and never individually on any matter regarding the donor;
Jointly and severally: They can either make decisions together or individually. One can act without the other; or
Jointly in respect of some matters and jointly and severally in respect of others.

If not stated in the LPA how the donees will be acting, it is assumed that they are to act jointly.

Duties of the Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney

In the exercise of his powers conferred by the LPA, the donee must act in the donor’s best interests.

Section 6 of the Mental Capacity Act sets out various issues that the donee should take into consideration when acting in the donor’s best interests. For example, the donee should:

Consider the donor’s past and present wishes and feelings on a certain manner
Try to consult others whom the donor has previously named as persons to be consulted for a certain matter

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), which is the government body responsible for administering the Mental Capacity Act, can investigate cases where the donee does not act in donor’s best interests.

Additionally, the LPA document itself may include restrictions or conditions limiting the power of the donee. Where the donor recovers his mental capacity, the donee should let the donor manage his own affairs again. However, the LPA will remain valid.

Statutory Restrictions on a Donee’s Powers

Sections 13 and 14 of the Mental Capacity Act contain multiple restrictions and conditions limiting the authority of a donee. They relate to:

Restraining the donor
Medical treatment or healthcare of the donor
Nominations under the Insurance Act
Execution of wills for the donor
Making or changing CPF nominations
Dealing with the donor’s property; and
Making gifts out of the donor’s property

Separately, if the donor had made an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), the donee will not be able to make decisions on the donor’s behalf that override the donor’s wishes as stated in the AMD.

How to Make a Lasting Power of Attorney in Singapore

There are 3 main steps to making a Lasting Power of Attorney in Singapore:

Fill in the relevant LPA form online using your Singpass via the OPG portal
Get your donee to accept the appointment as donee
Go to a certificate issuer to have your LPA certified.

The certificate issuer will then submit your LPA application on your behalf via the OPG portal. You will be notified when your LPA is registered.

The following infographic is a summary of the steps to making an LPA (further explained below):

Step 1: Fill in the relevant LPA form online

The OPG provides 2 forms on its website:

Form 1 is the standard version of the form, which grants general powers with basic restrictions to the donees. It allows you to appoint up to 2 donees and 1 replacement donee.
Form 2 is the form to use if you would like to customise specific powers for granting to your donee, and/or appoint more than 2 donees and 1 replacement donee. You will have to engage a lawyer to draft the wording of the powers. We can help you find an LPA lawyer if you need one.

You can start your application on the OPG portal.

Step 2: Get your donee to accept their appointment

Get your donee to log in to the OPG Portal to accept their appointment as the donee. They are to:

Click on the ‘Overview’ tab and scroll down to the ‘You as a Donee’ section.
Click on the ‘View LPA to Accept’ button to access the Donor’s LPA.
Read the ‘Important Information’ and details in the LPA before clicking on the ‘Accept’ button to accept their appointment.

Step 3: Have the LPA form certified

After filling in Form 1 or Form 2, you will have to find a certificate issuer to certify the form for you.

This certification process is to certify that you understand the purpose of the LPA and the consequences of the LPA. It also ensures that there is no fraud or undue pressure used to induce the donor to create the LPA.

The certificate issuer can either be a practising lawyer, a psychiatrist or an accredited doctor. If you are using Form 2, the lawyer who drafted the LPA’s powers can likely also certify the LPA.

The certificate issuer will generally charge a fee for certification. You can find certified issuers and get a range of the fees they charge here.

If no valid objections to the LPA are received within the mandatory 3-week waiting period after the OPG has accepted your application, your LPA will be registered.

Cost of Making a Lasting Power of Attorney in Singapore

From 1 April 2026, Singapore Citizens can apply for an LPA using Form 1 free of charge. This is to encourage more Singaporeans to plan ahead and apply for an LPA.

Further, from 1 May 2026, all other applications using LPA Forms 1 and 2 will enjoy reduced fees.

LPA cost until 30 April 2026

	LPA Form 1	LPA Form 2
Singapore citizens	$0	$185
Singapore Permanent Residents	$90	$230
Foreigners	$230	$275

LPA cost from 1 May 2026

	LPA Form 1	LPA Form 2
Singapore citizens	$0	$31
Singapore Permanent Residents	$31	$31
Foreigners	$155	$155

How to Use a Lasting Power of Attorney in Singapore

1. Have a doctor certify the donor’s mental health condition

To activate an LPA, take the donor to a registered doctor to obtain a medical certificate that certifies the condition of the donor’s mental health. This medical certificate is known as the Medical Report Template for LPA Transactions and is obtainable from the OPG website.

You will need to bring the LPA with you when taking the donor to the doctor.

2. Approach the relevant institution for the transaction you want to carry out

For example, if you are looking to manage the donor’s bank account, you should approach the donor’s bank.

When approaching the institution, you will need to be prepared to send your electronic LPA document (available via the Office of the Public Guardian’s online portal).

Other documents may also be required, depending on the institution’s internal operating procedures for activating LPAs. For example, you may also need to bring:

The donor’s identification, e.g. NRIC
The completed Medical Report Form for LPA Transactions

You should therefore call ahead to inquire before making your way down.

For banks, you may also need to bring a medical report obtained within the last 6 months. If the donor’s condition is permanent, you may not need a recent medical report if the latest medical report states the donor’s condition of permanently lacking mental capacity.

3. The institution verifies the validity of the LPA

Upon receiving the required documents, the institution will check with the OPG on whether the LPA is valid.

If the LPA has been confirmed to be valid, the institution will allow you to carry out transactions on the donor’s behalf.

How to Revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney

The LPA is revoked in certain conditions outlined in section 15 of the Mental Capacity Act. Most importantly, where the donor recovers his mental capacity, he can revoke the LPA.

Read our article on the grounds for revoking an LPA and the procedures for revocation for more information.

How to Lift a Lasting Power of Attorney in Singapore

Any person, such as a relative of the donor, may apply to the court to lift an LPA. The Singapore court has the power to revoke or lift the LPA, under the following conditions:

Where fraud or undue pressure was used to induce the donor to create the LPA; or
Where the donee behaves, is behaving or proposes to behave in a way that would contravene his authority or would not be in the donor’s best interests.

Where a donee of an LPA ill-treats the donor, he may be liable to severe sanctions, including a fine and imprisonment, by virtue of section 42 of the Mental Capacity Act.

Looking to have a lawyer prepare your LPA for you? You can get in touch with experienced LPA lawyers in Singapore here.