Who can certify

Who can certify your documents?

A certified document is a copy of an original document that has been certified as a true copy of an original document. To obtain an originally certified copy, you will need to present the original document and a photocopy of that document to one of the people¹ outlined below.

If the documents have not been certified in the correct manner, you may be asked to provide a new certified document. The certification must:

Contain original wet ink (i.e. you cannot present a photocopy of a certified document);
Be dated within the last 12 months; and
Not be provided by a family member.

1 Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Rules Instrument 2007

List of people who can certify your documents

Certain occupations

a person who, under a law in force in a State or Territory, is currently licensed or registered to practise in one of the below occupations:
- Architect
- Chiropractor
- Dentist
- Financial adviser or financial planner
- Legal practitioner
- Medical practitioner
- Midwife
- Migration agent (registered under Division 3 or Part 3 of the Migration Act 1958)
- Nurse
- Occupational therapist
- Optometrist
- Patent attorney
- Pharmacist
- Physiotherapist
- Psychologist
- Trade marks attorney
- Veterinary surgeon

Other persons

A person who is enrolled on the roll of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory, or the High Court of Australia, as a legal practitioner (however described)
An accountant who is a fellow of the National Tax Accountants’ Association; or a member of any of the following:
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand;
- the Association of Taxation and Managed Accountants;
- CPA Australia; or
- the Institute of Public Accountants
An agent of the Australian Postal Corporation who is in charge of an office supplying postal services to the public
Australian Consular Officer or Australian Diplomatic Officer (within the meaning of the Consular Fees Act 1955)
Australian Public Service employee engaged on an ongoing basis with 2 or more years of continuous service
Bailiff
Bank officer with 2 or more continuous years of service
Building society officer with 2 or more years of continuous service
Chief Executive Officer of a Commonwealth court
Clerk of a court
Commissioner for Affidavits or for Declarations
Credit union officer with 2 or more years of continuous service
Employee of a Commonwealth authority engaged on a permanent basis with 2 or more years of continuous service
Employee of the Australian Trade and Investments Commission, or the Commonwealth who is:
- in a country or place outside Australia; and
- authorised under paragraph 3 (d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and
- exercising his or her function in that place.
Engineer who is:
- a member of Engineers Australia, other than at the grade of student; or
- a Registered Professional Engineer of Professionals Australia; or
- registered as an engineer under a law of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory; or
- registered on the National Engineering Register by Engineers Australia.
Finance company officer with 2 or more years of continuous service
Holder of a statutory office not specified in another item in this list
Judge
Justice of the Peace
Magistrate
Marriage celebrant registered under Subdivision C of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
Master of a court
Member of:
- The Australian Defence Force who is:
  - an officer; or
  - a non-commissioned officer within the meaning of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 with 2 or more years of continuous service; or
  - a warrant officer within the meaning of that Act.
- The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
- the Governance Institute of Australia Ltd
- the Parliament of the Commonwealth
- the Parliament of a State
- a Territory legislature
- a local government authority.
Minister of religion registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
Notary public (authorised in Australia or in a foreign country)
An officer with, or authorised representative of, a holder of an Australian financial services licence, having 2 or more years of continuous service with one or more licensees
An officer with, or a credit representative of, a holder of an Australian credit licence, having 2 or more years of continuous service with one or more licensees
Permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 2 or more years of continuous service who is employed in an office supplying postal services to the public
Permanent employee of:
- a State or Territory or a State or Territory authority; or
- a local government authority

with 2 or more years of continuous service who is not otherwise specified in this list.

Person before whom a statutory declaration may be made under the law of the State or Territory in which the declaration is made
Police officer
Registrar, or Deputy Registrar, of a court
Senior Executive Service employee of:
- a Commonwealth authority
- a State or Territory
SES employee of the Commonwealth
Sheriff
Sheriff's officer
Teacher employed on a permanent full time or part time basis at a school or tertiary education institution.