MinLaw Seeks Feedback on Remote Witnessing and Electronic Signing of Statutory Declarations

5 July 2024 Posted in Press releases

1. The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) launched a public consultation today to seek feedback on the framework for remote witnessing and electronic signing of statutory declarations.

2. The public consultation will run for one month, ending on 2 August 2024.

Oaths, Declarations and Notarisations (Remote Methods) Act 2023

3. A statutory declaration is a written statement that a person signs, and solemnly declares to be true. It has to be made before an authorised service provider, such as a Commissioner for Oaths. This is an in-person, paper-based process and usually involves the use of wet-ink signatures.

4. On 2 August 2023, Parliament passed the Oaths, Declarations and Notarisations (Remote Methods) Act 2023 ("ODN Act"). The ODN Act amends the Oaths and Declarations Act 2000. Once the ODN Act comes into force, it will, amongst other things, provide individuals, businesses and service providers who are executing statutory declarations with the option of remote witnessing in place of an in-person meeting, and electronic signing in place of wet-ink signing, as long as both the declarant and service provider are physically present in Singapore. This will bring greater convenience and efficiency for individuals and businesses in Singapore.

5. The Act also allows for the imposition of additional requirements that must be complied with, as part of the remote witnessing and electronic signing process for the execution of statutory declarations.

Public Consultation

6. MinLaw is seeking feedback on these specific requirements that should govern the remote witnessing and electronic signing process for the execution of statutory declarations. These requirements will be set out in the subsidiary legislation.

7. The full public consultation paper may be viewed online at https://go.gov.sg/ef73k4.

8. Members of the public are invited to submit their views by 2 August 2024 via https://go.gov.sg/e-stat-decs.

MINISTRY OF LAW
5 JULY 2024

Last updated on 5 July 2024

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