Who is allowed to witness me sign a statutory declaration?

Who is allowed to witness me sign a statutory declaration?

A statutory declaration under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 may be made before:

  1. a person who is currently licensed or registered under a law to practise in one of the following occupations:
    • Chiropractor
    • Dentist
    • Legal practitioner
    • Medical practitioner
    • Nurse
    • Optometrist
    • Patent attorney
    • Pharmacist
    • Physiotherapist
    • Psychologist
    • Trade marks attorney
    • Veterinary surgeon
  2. 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); or
  3. a person who is in the following list:
    • 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)
    • Bailiff
    • Bank officer with 5 or more continuous years of service
    • Building society officer with 5 or more years of continuous service
    • Chief executive officer of a Commonwealth court
    • Clerk of a court
    • Commissioner for Affidavits
    • Commissioner for Declarations
    • Credit union officer with 5 or more years of continuous service
    • Employee of the Australian Trade Commission 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
    • Employee of the Commonwealth who is:
      • in a country or place outside Australia; and
      • authorised under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and
      • exercising his or her function in that place
    • Fellow of the National Tax Accountants’ Association
    • Finance company officer with 5 or more years of continuous service
    • Holder of a statutory office not specified in another item in this list
    • Judge of a court
    • 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 Chartered Secretaries Australia
    • Member of Engineers Australia, other than at the grade of student
    • Member of the Association of Taxation and Management Accountants
    • Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
    • 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 5 or more years of continuous service; or
      • a warrant officer within the meaning of that Act
    • Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants or the National Institute of Accountants
    • Member of:
      • the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or
      • the Parliament of a State; or
      • a Territory legislature; or
      • a local government authority of a State or Territory
    • Minister of religion registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
    • Notary public
    • Permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 5 or more years of continuous service who is employed in an office supplying postal services to the public
    • Permanent employee of:
      • the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority; or
      • a State or Territory or a State or Territory authority; or
      • a local government authority;
        with 5 or more years of continuous service who is not specified in another item 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:
      • the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority; or
      • a State or Territory or a State or Territory authority
    • Sheriff
    • Sheriff’s officer
    • Teacher employed on a full-time basis at a school or tertiary education institution

For more information or help please contact us on

1300 LAW NSW (1300 529 679)