Guide · 16 April 2026 · 2 min read
What documents can a Commissioner for Oaths witness in Singapore?
Commissioners for Oaths handle a wide range of everyday legal documents. Here is what they can and cannot do.
Key points
- A Commissioner for Oaths witnesses statutory declarations and affidavits, and administers oaths and affirmations.
- They cannot notarise documents or arrange SAL authentication or an apostille.
- Fee: $25 for the first document, $10 for each extra one at the same sitting.
- Asked to get a document notarised? You need a Notary Public instead.
In this guide
A Commissioner for Oaths is authorised under the Oaths and Declarations Act to administer oaths, take affirmations and witness declarations. For a statutory declaration or affidavit, they are usually all you need.
What a Commissioner for Oaths can witness
- Statutory declarations for any purpose, such as HDB, CPF, immigration, employment or insurance claims.
- Affidavits for Singapore court proceedings.
- Oaths of office.
- Affirmations, the non-religious alternative to swearing an oath.
- Declarations about identity, relationships, a change of name or a lost document.
- Signatures on contracts or agreements that specifically call for a Commissioner for Oaths.
Need a declaration or affidavit witnessed?
Find a Commissioner for Oaths →What they cannot do
- Notarise documents or issue a Notarial Certificate.
- Arrange SAL authentication or an apostille.
- Certify true copies that foreign authorities will accept.
Rule of thumb
Asked for a statutory declaration or affidavit? A Commissioner for Oaths is enough. Asked to get it notarised, whether for another country or a Singapore agency like ICA? You need a Notary Public.
Fees
Fixed by law: $25 for the first document and $10 for each extra one signed at the same sitting. Page count does not matter, and many firms take walk-ins.
Where to find one
Many law firms in Singapore have a Commissioner for Oaths. Use the directory on this site and choose "Commissioner for Oaths" to see firms near you.
Keep reading
- Commissioner for Oaths
Understanding statutory declarations
A statutory declaration is a signed statement made under oath. Here's what you should know before you sign one.
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HDB statutory declaration: what you need to know
HDB transactions often require a statutory declaration. Here is when you need one, who can witness it, and what it costs.
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Notary Public vs Commissioner for Oaths: what's the difference?
Both witness documents, but they do different jobs. How to tell which one the organisation is asking for.
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