The following is a guide to help you prepare your certified documents. A certified document is a copy of an important document that needs to be certified as a true copy of the original document by a person authorised to do so.
At certain stages of the client relationship, you may be asked to produce ‘certified documents’, such as identification documents during the application process. The following guide will help you prepare your certified documents correctly. The certified copy is often a photocopy of the original document that has an endorsement on it stating it is a true copy of the original document. It does not certify that the original document is genuine, only that it is a true copy of the original.
Who can certify a copy?
Documents can be certified by a person who is authorised as a witness for statutory declarations under Statutory Declarations Regulations 2018 – Schedule. This schedule provides a range of authorised occupations and office holders who may certify a document. Within your office, an authorised representative with more than 2 years tenure can certify documents.
How to certify a document?
Copies of identification documents are to be ‘certified’ immediately by the staff member or representative that sighted the original document. This will require either an id form to be completed with the copied documents or a signed statement included with the copied document indicating when the original was sighted and by whom.
Before certifying the document, the certifier must ensure the copy is an identical copy of the original. This is most guaranteed if the certifier is the one to photocopy the original document. Suggested wording for the certification is below:
I certify that this is a true copy of the document produced to me on [insert date].
[Signature]
[Name]
[Qualification/role]
Where the original document is not sighted by an authorised staff member or representative, then the copy must be certified as a true copy of the original document by an authorised person stated on the Statutory Declarations link above (see Appendix A).
Documents not in English
A certifier must not certify a document in a language other than English unless they are certain that the original and copy are identical – i.e., they have personally copied the document
Certifying multiple page documents
If the original document has multiple pages, each page must be checked against the copy to ensure that it is correct. The certifier then follows these steps:
- Sign or initial each page
- Certify the last page stating:
“I certify that this [insert number of pages] document is a true copy of the document produced to me on [insert date]. [Signature] [Name] [Qualification/role]”
Appendix A – Authorised witnesses
The following people are authorised witnesses under Statutory Declarations Regulations 2018 – Schedule:
| Accountant who is: a) a fellow of the National Tax Accountants’ Association; or b) a member of any of the following: i. Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand ii. the Association of Taxation and Management Accountants iii. CPA Australia iv. the Institute of Public Accountants |
| Agent of the Australian Postal Corporation who is in charge of an office supplying postal services to the public |
| APS employee engaged on an ongoing basis with 5 or more years of continuous service who is not specified in another item of this Part |
| 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 a Commonwealth authority engaged on a permanent basis with 5 or more years of continuous service who is not specified in another item in this Part |
| Employee of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission who is: (a) in a country or place outside Australia; and (b) authorised under paragraph 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and (c) exercising the employee’s function at that place |
| Employee of the Commonwealth who is: (a) at a place outside Australia; and (b) authorised under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and (c) exercising the employee’s function at that place |
| Engineer who is: (a) a member of Engineers Australia, other than at the grade of student; or (b) a Registered Professional Engineer of Professionals Australia; or (c) registered as an engineer under a law of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory; or (d) registered on the National Engineering Register by Engineers Australia |
| Finance company officer with 5 or more years of continuous service |
| Holder of a statutory office not specified in another item of this Part |
| 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: (a) an officer; or (b) a non‑commissioned officer within the meaning of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 with 5 or more years of continuous service; or (c) a warrant officer within the meaning of that Act |
| Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy |
| Member of the Governance Institute of Australia Ltd |
| Member of: (a) the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or (b) the Parliament of a State; or (c) a Territory legislature; or (d) a local government authority |
| Minister of religion registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961 |
| Notary public, including a notary public (however described) exercising functions at a place outside: (a) the Commonwealth; and (b) the external Territories of the Commonwealth |
| Permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 5 or more years of continuous service who is employed in an office providing postal services to the public |
| Permanent employee of: (a) a State or Territory or a State or Territory authority; or (b) a local government authority with 5 or more years of continuous service, other than such an employee who is specified in another item of this Part |
| 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 employee of a Commonwealth authority |
| Senior executive employee of 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 |