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Arrange for Commissioner for Oaths services
Who is a Commissioner for Oaths
A Commissioner for Oaths (CFO) may be a lawyer, court interpreter, government official or any other individual who is authorised to administer oaths and affirmations.
Legal documents that need to be sworn or affirmed before a CFO include affidavits and statutory declarations to be used in Singapore.
CFOs are appointed by the Board of Commissioners for Oaths and Notaries Public.
Differences between swearing and affirming
Both swearing and affirmation have the same legal effect: you promise that you will tell the truth. Whether you swear or affirm depends on your religion:
- If you are a Christian or a Catholic, you are required to hold the Bible while swearing your affidavit
- In all other cases, you will make an affirmation instead.
How to arrange for the courts' Commissioner for Oaths services
The courts provide CFO services only for affidavits or statutory declarations to be used in court proceedings.
You should make a request to the court handling your case. (Alternatively, you may approach CFOs outside of the courts, especially if your documents are not related to any court proceedings in Singapore. Refer to the Singapore Academy of Law's CFO directory.)
Refer to the following to find out how to engage a CFO, depending on which court your case is heard in.
CFO services at the State Courts are available by appointment only.
Fill in and submit this form at least 1 working day in advance to make an appointment. You will be informed by email of the date and time of your confirmed appointment.
On the day of the appointment, please proceed to the Service Hub located on level 2 of the State Courts to affirm or swear your affidavits or statutory declarations.
Estimated fees
Examples of the commissioning fees at the State Courts include:
Type of document | Commissioning fee (per signatory) | Additional fees |
|---|---|---|
Affidavit for Magistrate's Court cases | $10 per affidavit | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Affidavit for District Court cases | $25 per affidavit | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Statutory declarations for Interpleader Summons in Magistrate's Court case | $10 per affidavit | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Statutory declarations for Interpleader Summons in District Court case | $25 per affidavit | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Affidavit for harassment cases | $10 per affidavit | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Interpretation services
For individuals who do not understand or are not comfortable communicating in English, the court can provide interpretation of the affidavit/statutory declaration in the following languages and dialects:
Chinese language and dialects | Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese. |
Malay language and dialects | Malay, Javanese and Boyanese. |
Indian languages | Tamil, Malayalam and Urdu. |
If you require interpretation in languages and dialects other than those listed above, you must engage and bring along a qualified interpreter to the court for your CFO session.
You may contact the State Courts if you have any questions.
Note
The State Courts CFOs will not deal with documents by or referred by lawyers. Only litigants who do not have a lawyer may engage the court's CFOs.
CFO services at the Family Justice Courts (FJC) are available by appointment only.
You may make an appointment by filling in and submitting this form at least 2 working days in advance. You will be informed by email of the date and time of your confirmed appointment.
Appointment timings are fixed at 9am/915am/2pm/215pm.
Please note that the FJC CFO Services are only for deponents/declarants who are not represented by lawyers and confined to documents relating to FJC proceedings.
Types of Documents FJC CFO empowered to take in and Commissioning Fees
Types of documents | Commissioning fee | Additional fees |
|---|---|---|
Affidavit | $25 per affidavit / per signatory | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Statutory Declaration | $25 per statutory declaration / per signatory | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
| Draft Consent Order in Divorce Cases | $25 per document / per signatory | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
| Consent to Adoption Order and Dispensation of Service in Adoption Cases | $25 per document / per signatory | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
| Renunciation, Administration Bond and other Relevant Documents in Grant of Probate / Letter of Administration Cases | $25 per document / per signatory | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Interpretation services
For deponents/declarants who are not comfortable communicating in English, the court can provide interpretation of the documents in the following languages and dialects:
Chinese Language and Dialects | Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese and Hakka |
Malay Language and Dialects | Malay, Javanese and Boyanese |
Indian Language | Tamil |
Unrepresented deponents/declarants who require interpretation in a foreign language or language and dialect other than those listed above must engage and bring along a qualified Interpreter if they wish to have their documents affirmed/sworn before the assigned CFOs.
Note
The FJC CFOs will not deal with documents by or referred by lawyers. Only litigants who do not have a lawyer may engage the court's CFOs.
CFO services at the Supreme Court are available by appointment only. To make an appointment, complete this form at least 1 clear working day in advance. You will be informed by email of the date and time of your confirmed appointment.
On the day of your appointment:
- Bring your identity card or passport with you for verification purposes.
- Digital IC in the Singpass app is accepted.
- When you arrive at the Supreme Court, proceed to the Supreme Court Service Hub (Level 1).
- Obtain a queue ticket for CFO services at the service kiosk and a CFO will attend to you shortly.
Estimated fees
Examples of the commissioning fees at the Supreme Court include:
Type of document | Commissioning fee (per signatory) | Additional fees |
|---|---|---|
Affidavit in civil matters | $25 per affidavit | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Affidavit in bankruptcy matters | $5 per affidavit | $1 per exhibit (if any) |
Affidavit in company winding-up matters | $4 per affidavit | $1 per exhibit (if any) |
Statutory declarations | $25 per statutory declaration | $5 per exhibit (if any) |
Interpretation services
For individuals who do not understand or are not comfortable communicating in English, the court can provide interpretation of the affidavit/statutory declaration in the following languages and dialects:
Chinese language and dialects | Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese. |
Malay language and dialects | Malay, Javanese, Boyanese. |
Indian languages | Tamil |
If you require interpretation in languages and dialects other than those listed above, you must engage and bring along a qualified interpreter to the court for your CFO appointment.
Contact
You may contact the following CFOs if you have questions:
Documents not used in court proceedings
Members of the public who require CFO services for non-court matters should approach CFOs outside of the courts.
Refer to the Singapore Academy of Law's CFO directory.
Who cannot commission your document
If you have a lawyer, the CFO who administers your oath or affirmation cannot be:
- Your lawyer.
- A person who belongs to the same law firm or practice as your lawyer.
Documents to be used overseas
Documents to be used in a foreign country must be notarised by a Notary Public (instead of a CFO).
Refer to the Singapore Academy of Law's Notary Public directory.
Resources
Legislation associated with this topic includes:
- The Commissioners for Oaths Rules.
- The Oaths and Declarations Act.
- The Supreme Court of Judicature Act.
- The Singapore Academy of Law Rules.
- Item 67, Appendix B of the Rules of Court 2014.
- Item 10, Part 3 of the Fourth Schedule of the Rules of Court 2021.
- Item 8, Third Schedule of the Variable Capital Companies (Winding Up) Rules.
- Items 5 and 6, Third Schedule of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution (Personal Insolvency) Rules.
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