LPA Form 1 vs Form 2 in Singapore: When the Standard Form Is Not Enough
Summary
Your wishes come first, then the form: Start with the powers and arrangements you want your Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to contain. Form 1 covers most donors' needs, and 98% of Singapore Citizens who have made an LPA used it, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
Form 2 is for customised arrangements: You need Form 2 for customised powers, more than two donees, more than one replacement donee, or specific restrictions. Its clauses must be drafted by a Singapore-qualified, practising lawyer.
The cost and effort differ: Form 1 is free for Singapore Citizens, and you prepare it yourself online. Form 2 carries a S$30 application fee for Singapore Citizens and permanent residents, plus the lawyer's drafting fees.
Making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can bring a quiet worry: what if you tick the wrong box and only find out when your family needs the document to work? For most people, the answer is reassuring. Almost everyone who makes an LPA in Singapore uses Form 1, and its standard powers were designed to suit most families.
The more useful starting point is what you want your LPA to do. Who should make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity, which decisions should they make, and should any of their powers be limited? Once your wishes are clear, the right form usually follows from them.
In this article, we walk you through the comparison between LPA Form 1 vs Form 2, analysing what each form covers, how they compare side by side, and how to work out which one fits your wishes.
What is an LPA?
Let’s start by understanding what an LPA is. Making an LPA allows you, while you have mental capacity, to appoint the people you choose (your donees) to make decisions for you if you later lose mental capacity. It can cover Personal Welfare decisions, such as where you live and your day-to-day care, and/or Property & Affairs decisions, such as your bank accounts, bills and property.
Your donees hold authority to make the decisions your LPA sets out, within the powers you grant. They must exercise those powers in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and in your best interests.
An LPA can only be made while you have the requisite mental capacity. Capacity can sometimes be lost unexpectedly, through a stroke or an accident, as well as a gradual illness. Once capacity is lost permanently, the LPA option closes.
In Singapore, you can make an LPA via two forms: Form 1 and Form 2.
What Does LPA Form 1 Cover?
Form 1 grants your donees general powers over Personal Welfare, Property & Affairs, or both, with a set of basic restrictions built in. You can name up to two donees and one replacement donee, and you choose which donee the replacement can stand in for, and for which powers.
You can prepare and submit Form 1 through the Office of the Public Guardian's (OPG) online portal, OPGO, using Singpass, without a lawyer. From 1 April 2026, the Form 1 application fee is permanently waived for Singapore Citizens, although the Certificate Issuer's professional fee still applies.
According to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), 98% of Singapore Citizens who have made an LPA use Form 1, and for good reason. Most people do not need customised clauses, and instead need a donee who can operate their bank account, manage their bills, and make welfare decisions for them if they lose mental capacity. Form 1 covers all of that simply and affordably.
What Does LPA Form 2 Cover?
Form 2 is for the situations Form 1 was not built to handle. You will need it if you want to:
Appoint more than two donees
Name more than one replacement donee
Grant customised powers, restrictions or conditions beyond the standard set
Form 2's clauses must be drafted by a Singapore-qualified, practising lawyer. Customised powers need careful legal wording, ensuring the powers you grant are the powers your donee receives, with no unintended gaps or overreach.
Once your lawyer drafts the form and you have reviewed it, the application follows much the same path as Form 1. Your donees accept their appointment, you have the LPA certified by a Certificate Issuer, and it is submitted to OPG.
LPA Form 1 vs Form 2: A Side-by-Side Comparison
The table below sets the two forms against each other. Application fees are those listed by the Singapore Government's LifeSG service, following MSF's fee changes in 2026.
LPA Form 1 | LPA Form 2 | |
Best suited to | Donors whose wishes fit the standard powers | Donors who want customised powers, restrictions or conditions |
Powers granted | General powers with basic restrictions | Customised powers drafted to your instructions |
Number of donees | Up to 2 | No fixed limit |
Replacement donees | 1, covering the donee(s) and powers you choose | More than 1 allowed |
Licensed trust company as donee | Not available | Allowed, for Property & Affairs only |
How donees act together | Jointly, or jointly and severally | As your lawyer drafts it, which can differ between donees |
Who prepares it | You, online through OPGO with Singpass | A Singapore-qualified, practising lawyer |
OPG application fee |
|
|
Other costs | Certificate Issuer's fee | Certificate Issuer's fee, plus the lawyer's drafting fees |
Share of citizens' LPAs | 98% | About 2% |
How to Choose Between LPA Form 1 and Form 2 for Your Situation
Working out which form you need comes down to a handful of questions about your wishes. Taken in order, they usually point clearly to one form or the other.
Step 1: Decide Which Decisions Your LPA Should Cover
Start with the two areas an LPA can cover. Do you want someone to make Personal Welfare decisions for you, Property & Affairs decisions, or both? Both forms can cover either area or both, so this step doesn't settle the form on its own. It does frame every choice that follows.
Step 2: Decide Who Should Act, Why They Are Suitable and How They Act Together
Next, think about who you want to act for you and why each person is suitable. The number of donees matters, but suitability matters more. Each person should be suitable, willing, and capable of assuming the responsibilities of a donee.
How their authority is exercised matters too. Appointing two children to act jointly may appear to give you greater oversight, but it can create practical difficulties if they disagree or one of them becomes unavailable. Allowing them to act jointly and severally offers more flexibility, but it also means each child can exercise the relevant powers on their own.
Once you’ve appointed your donees, you’ll then need to choose your LPA form. If your wishes fit within two donees and one replacement donee, Form 1 is sufficient to meet your needs.
If you want three or more donees, more than one replacement, or a licensed trust company to handle your Property & Affairs, you will need Form 2.
Step 3: Check Whether the Standard Powers Match Your Wishes
This is where most of the difference between the two forms lies. Form 1's general powers suit donors who are content for their donees to handle their affairs within the standard set of powers and restrictions.
Some wishes call for more. You might want to limit a donee's authority over one particular asset, such as a family home you want kept within the family. You might want a condition attached to how a power is used, or different donees responsible for different matters. Each of these needs Form 2's flexibility, and a lawyer to draft it correctly.
Step 4: Weigh the Cost and Effort
Form 1 is free for Singapore Citizens, and you can complete it yourself online. Form 2 costs S$30 in application fees for Citizens and permanent residents, and you will also pay the lawyer who drafts it.
Both forms need a Certificate Issuer's certification, which is a separate professional fee. MSF data shows the most-visited accredited doctors charge around S$25 to S$80, and the most-visited lawyers around S$80 to S$400. For most families, the deciding factor is whether the extra cost buys an arrangement that reflects their wishes more accurately.
Step 5: Get Advice if You Are Unsure
If your answers sit in a grey area, it is worth talking them through before you start the application. Family members can share their views and help you think through the options, and for many donors that support matters. The decisions remain yours.
A Form 1 LPA stays legally valid for what it covers, but a legally valid LPA does not necessarily mean the arrangements are appropriate or will operate as you intended. No one knows the full effect of a poorly suited arrangement until the LPA is needed, which is why careful planning matters.
The purpose of planning is to make informed decisions while you still have the mental capacity to do so. Changing a registered LPA's details later means revoking it and making a new one, which you can only do while you still have mental capacity.
Where Your LPA Fits in Your Wider Estate Plan
An LPA covers the period when you are alive but unable to make your own decisions, and it ends on your death. It says nothing about who inherits after you pass, which is the role of your Will. Central Provident Fund (CPF) nominations and any trust arrangements each do a different job again.
Not everyone needs every one of these. Each serves a different purpose within your wider estate plan. Check your LPA against the others you have, so they don't leave gaps where they are meant to meet. Our article on why an LPA matters in Singapore explains how the LPA and the Will divide the timeline between them.
Choose the Right LPA Form for Your Wishes With Mezzanine Legacy
Most families are well served by Form 1, and some will need Form 2. Either way, how your donees are set up to act matters as much as the form you sign.
Our team of qualified and experienced estate planners works with you to understand your wishes first, then shape your LPA around them. At Mezzanine Legacy, we help you determine:
Who should act
How they should act
Whether Form 1 or Form 2 is appropriate for you
How your LPA fits into your wider estate plan
Book a free consultation with us to work out which form fits your wishes before you start your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between LPA Form 1 and Form 2?
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Form 1 grants general powers with basic restrictions, and you can prepare it online without a lawyer. Form 2 allows customised powers, more than two donees or more than one replacement donee. Which one you need follows from the powers and arrangements you want. Form 2's clauses must be drafted by a Singapore-qualified, practising lawyer.
How much does LPA Form 2 cost in Singapore?
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) application fee for Form 2 is S$30 for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, and S$160 for foreigners. On top of that, you also have to pay the lawyer who drafts the form and the Certificate Issuer who certifies it. Both fees vary by provider.
Do I need a lawyer to make LPA Form 1?
No. You can prepare and submit Form 1 yourself through OPG's online portal, OPGO, using Singpass. You will still need an accredited Certificate Issuer, such as a doctor or lawyer, to certify it.
Can I appoint more than two donees on Form 1?
No. Form 1 allows up to two donees and one replacement donee. If you want more donees, or more than one replacement, you will need Form 2.
Can I switch from Form 1 to Form 2 later?
Yes, but only while you still have mental capacity. You would then have to revoke your existing LPA and make a new one using Form 2. Once you lose mental capacity permanently, the LPA option closes, so it's simpler to choose the form that fits your wishes at the start.